Acquiring Jordanian Passport by Investment

Jordan is considered an incubator for internal and external investments; as the government has set many privileges and incentives which contribute to increasing foreign investment in Jordan, such as tax exemptions and investment guarantees; and regulated and directed the political and economic situation towards free markets and continual progress in reforming the economic structure and its regulating laws, economic policies that depend on the private sector, and outward-oriented methods. The most important of all is exemptions and incentives provided for encouraging investment; in addition to an attractive investment climate, in particular, confidentiality in investment and investors’ transactions. In this article, we are going to discuss all details related to obtaining Jordanian Passport by investment.

We provide a detailed explanation for each of the aforementioned main points, as follows:

First: Significant Definitions:

Second: Jordanian Passport Ranking

Third: Conditions of Granting Jordanian Passport by Investment

Fourth: Terms of Receiving the Service

Fifth: Procedures for Passport Issuance for Investors

Sixth: Required Documents to Obtain a Passport by Investment

Seventh: Expected Fees for Obtaining Passport by Investment

Eighth: Confidentiality in Transaction of Investment and Investors in Jordan

First: Significant Definitions:

There are a number of significant definitions to be stated as follows:

1. Citizenship

Citizenship is defined as a legal and political relation between an individual and a state, which entails specific mutual rights and duties. Thus, citizenship includes two relationships: a legal relationship, as it determines an individual’s rights and duties; and a political relationship, as the state has the sole right to grant citizenship.

2. Investment

One of the economists defines investment as development of funds in all fields, in accordance with legal provisions when investing it; investment is the outcome of the funds and its development; whether in trade, industry, or any other economic activities.

3. Investor

It is defined in (Article No. 2) of the Jordanian Investment Law as ” the natural or legal person participating in any Economic activity in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in accordance with this Law.”

4. Passport

Passport is defined as a document issued by the national government, for international travel, which indicates the identity and nationality of its holder. It comprises the name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth; and often citizenship and nationality are the same.

Second: Jordanian Passport Ranking

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan consists of 12 governorates. This state is located in the Middle East, on the borders with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria and Israel; and its most important governorates are: Amman, Zarqa, and Irbid. Jordan covers a total area of 89342 square kilometres; its terrains are mostly desert plateaus, valleys and highlands; while its climate is mostly arid and a rainy season at the west of the country runs from November to April.

The total population in Jordan is 10 million people, making it the eighth-most populous country in the Middle East. The capital is Amman, which is the most populous city as well; while other main cities are Zarqa and Irbid. The largest airport in Jordan is Queen Alia International Airport (AMM), which records an annual aircraft movement averages about 8.9 million passengers. This airport is named after the former Queen Alia Al-Hussein to honour her memory; the airport also includes on its land the Royal Air Jordan.

The Jordanian passport’s ranking among the global passports is determined by calculating the total number of countries that allow Jordanian passport holders to enter their territory without visa (the countries where Jordanian Citizens are not required to obtain a visa for travel); in addition to the countries that allow Jordanian passport holders to enter the country either by obtaining a visa upon arrival or by obtaining an electronic travel authorization. Currently, there are (21) destination allow visa-free travel for Jordanian Passport holders; (28) destinations grant Jordanian Citizens a visa upon arrival; and (2) destinations allow Jordanian Citizens’ travel by obtaining an electronic travel authorization.

Overall, Jordanian passport holders may enter a total of (51) destination – either without obtaining a visa, or by obtaining a visa upon arrival, or electronic travel authorization; among these destinations are Indonesia, Malaysia, Georgia, and Dominica. According to these estimations, the Jordanian passport is currently ranked the 90^th among global passports.

Meanwhile, there are (178) destinations require Jordanian passport holders to obtain either an actual or an electronic visa to travel (countries where visa is required for travel)

Third: Conditions of Granting Jordanian Passport by Investment

In accordance with the new amendments, an investor may be granted a passport by investment. An investor is granted a temporary Jordanian passport for three years; in the following conditions:

1. Establishing and registering one or more investment projects in any of the productive economic sectors, with a total paid capital not less than one million dollar, within the capital governorate; conditioned on providing (20) real work opportunities for the Jordanians.
2. Establishing and registering one or more investment projects in any of the productive economic sectors, with a total paid capital not less than 750 thousand dollars, outside the capital governorate; conditioned on providing (10) real work opportunities for the Jordanians; upon the actual commencement of operating the project; according to the registers of the Social Security Corporation.

For applying this condition, the investor is granted a period of four months in order to complete the required number of Jordanian employees after the actual operation.

In that condition, the investor is granted a residency until the actual operation of the project / projects, and completing the required number of Jordanian employees; provided that the investor will be granted – after fulfilling the requirements – a temporary Jordanian passport for 3 years, under which he shall be treated as a Jordanian citizen, except for political rights.

After the lapse of three years, the investor will be granted the Jordanian citizenship, upon verifying his commitment to the abovementioned conditions.

In regards with the required documents, they are as follows:

• A recent commercial register.
• A statement of Financial Position approved by an Auditor.
• Copies of passports.
• Duly submitting the application at the Ministry of Investment.

Fourth: Terms of Receiving the Service

Terms of receiving the service are:

1. The presence of the person concerned in person.
2. An approval letter from the Ministry of Interior, including the approval of the Council of Ministers of Jordan and security authorities.
3. The applicant should have a personal number issued by the Boarders and Residence Directorate for foreigners of non-holders of temporary Jordanian documents.

Fifth: Procedures for Passport Issuance for Investors

The procedures for issuing a passport for investors are as follows:

1. Filling in the special application form that is prepared for such purpose.
2. Matching the information with the submitted application and duly accepting it on the system by the Acceptance Officer / Special Office Directorate.
3. Checking the application’s attachments, a letter from the Minister of Interior that includes security approvals to issue the passport.
4. Paying legal fees to the Treasurer.
5. Referring the application to the Issuance Section, to enter the new issuance details.
6. Referring the application to the Archiving Section.
7. Attaching the passport with the application for printing.
8. Handing over the passport to the service recipient after handing the financial receipt to the Delivery Officer.

Sixth: Required Documents to Obtain a Passport by Investment

1. Passport application form.
2. Proof of identity of the service recipient.
3. A birth certificate.
4. A letter from the Ministry of Interior and approval of the Council of Ministers of Jordan.
5. (2) personal photos.

Seventh: Expected Fees for Obtaining Passport by Investment

(Article No. 5) of Passport Fees Law and its amendments stipulate that ”the ordinary passport, which do not grant its holder the Jordanian citizenship, to be issued for a fixed term for the purpose of investment encouragement, charges the following fees:

• JD (25000) for first time issuance.
• JD (2500) for renewal.
• JD (5000) for renewal if still valid.
• JD (2500) for a replacement of damaged passport.
• JD (2500) for loss replacement for the first time.
• JD (5000) loss replacement each time after the first loss replacement.
• JD (6000) for renewal, if submitted to Civil Status and Passport Department by other than its holder.
• JD (400) for issuance of a separate passport for the spouse or a child of the passport holder.
• JD (400) for renewing an expired or valid passport, or replacement of a damaged passport for the spouse or child of the passport holder.
• JD (500) for first-time loss replacement for the passport of the spouse or child of the passport holder.
• JD (1000) issuing loss replacement after the first loss replacement for the passport of the spouse or child of the passport holder.
• JD (750) for renewing the passport of the spouse or child of the passport holder, if submitted to the Department by other than its holder.

Eighth: Confidentiality in Transaction of Investment and Investors in Jordan

As Jordanian laws and Instructions obligates entities dealing with any information related to the investor in strict confidentiality, and not to disclose such information for any entity even if the investment or passport obtaining application was denied. Jordanian authorities shall not report any matter related to the investor to any entity outside Jordan.

Prepared by/ Muhammad Mahmoud