Central African Republic

The Central African Republic operates no residency or citizenship by investment program, and offers foreign investors no route to legal status through capital.

The country holds substantial diamond, gold, uranium and timber reserves, but remains among the poorest in the world, and prolonged internal conflict has left the legal framework for foreign ownership largely untested.

For CAR nationals, the practical question is which programs abroad accept their applications.

Central African Republic Citizenship by Investment

The Central African Republic does not offer citizenship by investment.

The government announced a crypto-backed scheme in 2022 under which citizenship would be granted in exchange for locking $60,000 of Sango Coin as collateral for five years, with the holding returned at the end of the term.

The country’s Constitutional Court struck down the citizenship and e-residency provisions later that same year, ruling that nationality cannot be granted in exchange for payment, and the CAR repealed its Bitcoin legal tender law in 2023. No investment route to CAR citizenship exists.

CAR nationals looking abroad face few restrictions, as none of the Caribbean programs list the Central African Republic among their restricted or banned nationalities.

Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda and St Kitts and Nevis all accept applications on ordinary terms.

Due diligence is thorough, and complete source of funds documentation prepared at the outset is the single biggest factor in how smoothly an application runs.

Central African Republic Residency by Investment

The Central African Republic does not offer residency by investment. European golden visa programs assess applicants on current residence, income and record rather than nationality alone, which makes them a realistic route for CAR nationals already established abroad.

Spain previously offered a golden visa granting residency in exchange for real estate investment, but closed the program to new applicants on 3 April 2025.

The Portugal Golden Visa remains open and requires a qualifying fund investment from €500,000, asking for seven days a year in the country, and it is possible to apply for Portuguese citizenship after ten years of legal residence.

The Greek Golden Visa requires property investment from €400,000 across most regions, rising to €800,000 in Athens, Thessaloniki and the larger islands, with a lower €250,000 tier for qualifying commercial-to-residential conversions and listed buildings undergoing full restoration. The permit runs five years, renews while the investment is held, and imposes no minimum stay requirement.

Central African Republic Passport Strength and Ranking

The Central African Republic ranks 197th of 199 on the La Vida Passport Value Index, with only Bangladesh and Afghanistan below it. The passport reaches 61 of the world’s 227 destinations without a prior visa, representing 4.1% of world GDP and 7.5% of global travel measured by international visitor arrivals.

Both weighted measures sit near the bottom of the table, and the travel figure of 7.5% is among the lowest recorded. The passport opens almost none of the markets where international banking, business and investment take place, and holders require advance visas for the United States, the United Kingdom, the Schengen Area, China and Japan.

A second citizenship transforms both measures.

Dominica ranks 68th on the Index, reaching 183 destinations, 55.5% of world GDP and 72.3% of global travel.

Grenada sits 63rd with 179 destinations, 59.6% of world GDP and 79.4% of global travel.

Either takes economic reach from 4.1% to above 55%, and travel reach roughly tenfold.

Citizenship and Residency by Investment Programs

See below a selection of countries offering residency and citizenship investment programs.

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