Lebanon is weighing a residency offer aimed at people with deep pockets. The Finance and Budget Committee, the parliamentary body chaired by MP Ibrahim Kanaan, has discussed a proposed Golden Residency program that would grant special residency status to non-residents who put at least $500,000 into the country, according to a report by Al Jadeed.
The proposal targets three groups: foreign investors, foreign nationals, and Lebanese living abroad. The idea borrows from residency-by-investment schemes already running in places like the United Arab Emirates, where long-term "golden" visas are used to attract capital and talent.
How the $500,000 Would Work
The investment could be made in one of three sectors, the committee reported. When the money goes into real estate, it would still have to respect Lebanon's existing laws on foreign property ownership, which cap how much land non-Lebanese can buy.
Funds would need to be transferred from abroad rather than moved from inside the country. They would also face strict compliance checks built to screen out money laundering, the committee reported. That detail matters for a banking sector still trying to rebuild trust with foreign correspondents after years of financial collapse.
The Family Add-On
The residency would not stop with the investor. Family members could benefit too, but each one would reportedly carry an annual fee of at least $50,000. For a household of several people, that recurring cost would stack up quickly on top of the half-million-dollar entry ticket.
The committee framed the program as a way to pull in fresh capital, create jobs, and generate revenue for a cash-strapped state. It tied the rollout to broader economic and financial recovery taking hold first, a signal that the scheme is being designed for a future Lebanon rather than today's.
From Committee Room to Law
What was discussed is a proposal, not a law. For the Golden Residency to take effect, it would need to move through the full legislative process and clear Parliament. The committee stage is where the terms, the $500,000 threshold, the sectors, and the family fees get shaped before any vote.
If it passes, Lebanon would join a growing list of countries selling residency to investors willing to bet on the local economy. Whether enough of them see Lebanon as worth the price is the open question the figures alone cannot answer.
