Sierra Leone citizenship by investment now runs through 4 separate routes, from 95,000 USD for a single applicant to 165,000 USD for 2 unrelated adults applying together.
The lowest-cost route, Solo Entrepreneur, takes effect on October 1, 2026, and needs no DNA test and no dependents. Heritage Naturalization, the ancestry-based route, rises to 120,000 USD on the same date, while Fast-Track Naturalization stays at 140,000 USD for applicants who want to bring family members.
This guide walks through what each route actually costs, who qualifies, what the passport gives you, and where the program's legal basis still leaves open questions.
We help clients evaluate and apply for Sierra Leone's program as part of a broader flag theory plan, alongside the other citizenship by investment programs we work with.
Key takeaways
Whether the Solo Entrepreneur route or a family route fits you better depends on your marital status, whether you can document African ancestry, and how many dependents you want to include. That is exactly the kind of fit we work through with you in a free consultation call.
Sierra Leone Citizenship by Investment: Four Routes Explained
Sierra Leone launched its GO-FOR-GOLD program as a gold-backed residency route in December 2024, then added citizenship options in January 2025. A late 2025 expansion opened the program to extended relatives. From October 1, 2026, the citizenship side of the program restructures into 4 distinct routes.
Solo Entrepreneur is new and built for a single applicant. That applicant pays 95,000 USD and cannot add any dependents. Adding the 5,000 USD due diligence fee brings the total to 100,000 USD, and no DNA test is required.
Enterprise Citizenship is also new. It lets 2 unrelated adults file jointly at 80,000 USD each, sharing one 5,000 USD due diligence fee, for 165,000 USD combined. It replaces an earlier 2-partner option from the late 2025 expansion, which priced each partner at 85,000 USD.
The table below compares all 4 routes side by side.
Table 1: Sierra Leone Citizenship by Investment Routes and Costs (2026)
Route | Main Applicant Cost | Due Diligence Fee | Approx. Total | Processing Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Solo Entrepreneur (from Oct 1, 2026) | 95,000 USD | 5,000 USD | 100,000 USD | About 60 to 90 days |
Enterprise Citizenship (from Oct 1, 2026) | 80,000 USD each (160,000 USD combined) | 5,000 USD shared | 165,000 USD | About 60 to 90 days |
Heritage Naturalization (DNA required) | 120,000 USD (from Oct 1, 2026) | 5,000 to 10,000 USD, tiered | From 125,000 USD | About 60 days |
Fast-Track Naturalization | 140,000 USD | 5,000 to 10,000 USD, tiered | From 145,000 USD | About 90 days |
Sources: Go For Gold, official program site (Fast-Track and Heritage Naturalization); Sierra Leone Immigration Department. As of: 09/2026
According to the program's official Fast-Track page, this is the only direct route that accepts dependents without a DNA test.
It also includes company incorporation and a corporate bank account, with funds held in escrow until approval. The program's official Heritage page confirms the DNA requirement but keeps dependent fees unchanged despite the main applicant price rise.
What a Family Adds to the Total Cost
Only Fast-Track Naturalization and Heritage Naturalization allow dependents at all. Solo Entrepreneur and Enterprise Citizenship are built for applicants without family additions.
Under both family-capable routes, a spouse or legal second spouse, minor children, parents and grandparents each cost 10,000 USD.
Special dependents, including adult children, siblings under 30, a sibling's spouse, a sibling's minor children and a last remaining relative, cost 20,000 USD each. A Plus One add-on lets you include one unrelated adult for 30,000 USD, but only alongside a Fast-Track or Heritage main applicant.
A Heritage family of 4, with a spouse and 2 minor children, now pays 155,000 USD including due diligence, up from 135,000 USD under the route's previous pricing. The same family through Fast-Track would pay 175,000 USD.
You can also add family members after approval through a separate inclusion request. It carries a 5,000 USD submission fee per request, plus 10,000 USD for an added spouse or 5,000 USD for another qualifying dependent, no matter how many people you add at once.
If your family includes adult children, siblings or elderly parents, the special dependent rules can change your total significantly. We help you calculate the real cost for your specific family before you commit to a route.
Who Qualifies for the Sierra Leone Citizenship Program
Sierra Leone's citizenship program requires due diligence checks on every applicant aged 18 and older. No medical test is required for any of the 4 routes.
Financial due diligence generally does not require separate source of funds documentation. This can depend on which escrow option you use to hold your contribution before approval.
One nationality is explicitly excluded from every route. Applicants born in or holding North Korean nationality cannot apply under the program's sanctions rules.
The application process is designed to run fully remotely. The standard process does not require you to travel to Sierra Leone before your citizenship is approved.
What Your Sierra Leone Passport Actually Grants You
A Sierra Leone passport is valid for 10 years. As of September 2026, it grants visa-free, visa-on-arrival or eVisa access to around 63 countries, using a Henley Passport Index style count.
That includes visa-free entry to Singapore and Malaysia, and eVisa access to Thailand, the UAE and Vietnam. It does not include visa-free access to the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada or the Schengen area, where a separate visa application is still required.
Sierra Leone also belongs to ECOWAS, the West African regional bloc. That can matter for movement and business across member states.
On taxation, Sierra Leone uses a residence-based system. It taxes local income and the income of foreign residents living in the country, but it does not tax foreign, non-resident citizens simply for holding a Sierra Leone passport.
Where Sierra Leone CBI Fits Among Other Citizenship by Investment Programs
Sierra Leone sits in the middle of the citizenship by investment market. A single applicant can qualify from 95,000 USD. Long-established Caribbean routes typically start between 200,000 USD and 250,000 USD, but Sierra Leone is not the only lower-cost option we work with.
São Tomé and Príncipe offers a contribution route from 90,000 USD for a single applicant, and Nauru currently runs a promotional contribution also from 90,000 USD. Each program has different family rules, sanctions lists and due diligence timelines, so price alone will not tell you which one fits your situation.
We work with clients across all of these programs, not only Sierra Leone. Our Compare CBI Programs overview lets you see every route side by side, with estimated costs and timelines.
If you want a more personal starting point, our CBI Program Finder compares your family, budget and mobility goals against 8 programs and emails you a confidential analysis of the routes that fit.
The Legal Basis Behind Sierra Leone's Citizenship by Investment Program
Sierra Leone's citizenship route rests on Section 27A of the country's Citizenship Act of 1973, which gives the president discretionary authority to grant citizenship.
According to the program's official materials, a separate Citizenship (Special Naturalization) Regulation meant to codify the route into fixed law was still pending as of September 2026.
The program is administered under Sierra Leone's Immigration Department, whose Chief Immigration Officer is Dr. Moses Tiffa Baio. Naturalization decisions ultimately sit with President Julius Maada Bio's government.
The program's operators have described a target of around 4,000 families over 5 years. That positions it as a smaller, relationship-driven effort rather than a high-volume citizenship sale, though it does not remove the underlying legal uncertainty.
GoodbyeMatrix works with Sierra Leone's citizenship program through our partner network. We help you prepare documents, choose the right route and manage the application from start to finish.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sierra Leone Citizenship by Investment
Yes, in a legal sense. The program rests on Section 27A of Sierra Leone's Citizenship Act of 1973, which lets the president grant citizenship at his discretion. A separate regulation meant to codify the process into fixed law was still pending as of September 2026, so the program currently operates as a discretionary naturalization route rather than a fully codified statute.
No. The application is designed to run fully remotely from start to finish, and the standard process does not require you to travel to Sierra Leone before your citizenship is approved. Documents, due diligence and payment can all be handled through your appointed agent.
North Korean nationals, including anyone born in North Korea, are excluded under the program's sanctions rules. This exclusion applies regardless of which of the 4 routes you choose. Beyond that specific exclusion, the program is open to eligible applicants from other nationalities.
Solo Entrepreneur is for a single applicant paying 95,000 USD alone. Enterprise Citizenship is for 2 unrelated adults who apply together, each paying 80,000 USD, for 160,000 USD combined plus a shared 5,000 USD due diligence fee. Neither route allows dependents.
Yes, through the separate post-approval inclusion request described above. It carries its own 5,000 USD submission fee, plus 10,000 USD for an added spouse or 5,000 USD for another qualifying dependent.
We help you work out which of the 4 routes fits your family, gather and prepare your documents, and manage the application through our partner network. Book a free consultation call to see how Sierra Leone fits into your broader plan alongside the other citizenship by investment programs we work with.
Is Sierra Leone Citizenship by Investment Right for You?
Sierra Leone's citizenship program now gives solo applicants a genuinely lower entry point, while family routes still carry higher, DNA-dependent or dependent-fee-heavy costs.
If you are single and want a straightforward second citizenship without a DNA test, the Solo Entrepreneur route deserves a closer look.
If you need to include a spouse, children or extended family, Fast-Track or Heritage Naturalization will likely fit better, and your total cost depends heavily on family size and structure.
Either way, the program still runs on presidential discretion rather than a finished statute, so reviewing the current rules before you commit matters as much as the price tag.
Sierra Leone Citizenship by Investment: Your Next Step
A free consultation call goes through your specific situation, including your nationality, family structure and whether Sierra Leone or another citizenship by investment program fits better.
The process starts with a short questionnaire about your goals and timeline, then you pick a time that works for you, and our team reviews your answers before the call.
It is free and non-binding, and if we can help with the implementation, we will tell you exactly what that looks like.