Comoros.
How Comoros sells citizenship for investors: one programme, now closed. Every number and rule below links to the document it comes from.
- 51
- numbers
- 7
- prices and rules
- 27
- events
- 15
- documents and articles
Economic citizenship programme
Sells citizenship, and with it a passport.
Official name: Comoros economic citizenship programme (citoyenneté économique)
Weak evidence. The IMF says citizenship was granted 'in exchange for KMF 1 million; about US$3,000' per person. This looks like the official fee rather than what buyers paid. Most sales were bulk deals with the UAE (EUR 4,600 per passport under the 2011 agreement, t-1dad1be5d1). The parliamentary report puts individual prices at EUR 25,000-200,000 (t-8757c1f6aa). Sales were suspended in May 2016.
Notes from the research
Law on economic citizenship signed by President Sambi on 27 Nov 2008 after an earlier rejection (July 2008); a parliamentary inquiry later found the vote broke procedure. Mainly bulk sales to the UAE (and talks with Kuwait) to document stateless Bidoon, who did not move to Comoros; an initial deal of $200m for 4,000 families, then (2011) EUR 4,600 per passport with a minimum of 5,000. The IMF describes it as citizenship for KMF 1 million (about US$3,000) per person, with receipts routed via the Banque de France. Proceeds were large relative to GDP (IMF: about 3-4.5% in 2012 in 2013 reports, over 6% in the 2015 report). Passports were also sold outside the official channel, including to Iranians. Suspended after President Azali took office in May 2016. A parliamentary commission (set up June 2017, report Dec 2017) estimated missing revenue of $100m (Reuters) or $971m (AFP); the State Security Court sentenced ex-president Sambi to life for 'high treason' on 28 Nov 2022. Official law text and commission report not obtained.
Prices and rules
What is measured
- Government income from selling citizenship, as a share of the economy14
- CBI revenue missing or diverted7
- Passports issued7
- Spending on a CBI-financed public project, percent of GDP4
- All money paid by buyers, including property purchases4
- Program citizenships revoked3
- Money the government received from selling citizenship2
- CBI receipts saved, share of GDP2
- Irregular payments alleged in connection with a grant2
- People covered by listed fund contributions1
- Donations paid into the government's fund1
- Court award relating to CBI money1
- All money paid by buyers, as a share of the economy1
- People who became citizens1
- People identified as eligible for an investor residence scheme1
All the numbers we have for Comoros
Pick what you want to see. Each dot is one number from one document; click anything to open its source.
What happened, and when
The 15 documents behind this page
- 2022-11 · NewsComores: l'ex-président Ahmed Abdallah Sambi condamné à la prison à perpétuité · RFI
- 2022-11 · NewsComores : l'ancien président Sambi jugé pour «haute trahison» · Le Figaro (AFP)
- 2018-08 · NewsEx-Comoros president charged with graft in connection to passports scheme · Reuters
- 2018-06 · NewsAs sanctions bit, Iranian executives bought African passports · Reuters
- 2018-04 · NewsComoros ex-presidents embroiled in passport sale scandal · France 24 (AFP)
- 2018-04 · NewsDeux ex-présidents au coeur d'un scandale de vente de passeports aux Comores · VOA Afrique (AFP)
- 2018-03 · NewsExclusive: Comoros passport scheme was unlawful, abused by 'mafia' networks - report · Reuters
- 2018-01 · NewsComoros says abuse of passports-for-cash scheme worries Gulf allies · Reuters
- 2015-11 · NewsThe bizarre scheme to transform a remote island into the new Dubai · The Guardian
- 2015-05 · IMFToo Much of a Good Thing? Prudent Management of Inflows under Economic Citizenship Programs (IMF Working Paper WP/15/93) · International Monetary Fund
- 2015-02 · IMFUnion of the Comoros: Staff Report for the 2014 Article IV Consultation (IMF Country Report No. 15/34) · International Monetary Fund
- 2014-11 · NewsKuwait's stateless Bidun 'offered Comoros citizenship' · BBC News
- 2013-02 · IMFUnion of the Comoros: Staff Report for the 2012 Article IV Consultation, Fourth Review Under the Three-Year Arrangement Under the Extended Credit Facility, and Financing Assurances Review (IMF Country Report No. 13/32) · International Monetary Fund
- 2013-02 · IMFUnion of the Comoros: Enhanced Initiative for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries: Completion Point Document and Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (IMF Country Report No. 13/33) · International Monetary Fund
- 2009-11 · IMFComoros: Assessment of Performance Under the Program Supported by Emergency Post-Conflict Assistance and Request for a Three-Year Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (IMF Country Report No. 09/307) · International Monetary Fund
Who buys passports and golden visas, what they cost, and what happens when governments change the rules. Written from this data, in the newsletter.