Citizenship via Special Economic Interest North Macedonia

Two routes — both lead to a discretionary decision

Meeting the financial criteria doesn’t guarantee approval — both routes lead to the same government administrative decision, not an automatic entitlement.

ROUTE

THRESHOLD

ADDITIONAL CONDITION

Private investment fund

THRESHOLDfrom €200,000 for 2 years

the fund must have initial capital from €5,000,000

Direct investment in new facilities

THRESHOLDfrom €400,000

hiring at least 10 staff for 1+ year, indefinite contract

What the process consists of

The application fee doesn’t depend on the chosen route — a flat amount plus surcharges for family members.

COST ITEM

RATE

APPLIES TO

Application fee

RATE€50,000

per primary applicant

Spouse surcharge

RATE€20,000

per spouse

Minor child surcharge

RATE€10,000

per child

How the process runs

Choosing a route — fund or direct investment

Both lead to "special economic interest" criteria, not a guaranteed outcome.

Investing per the chosen route

From €200,000 in a fund (2 years) or from €400,000 in facilities + hiring 10 staff (1+ year).

Paying the application fee

€50,000 plus family member surcharges.

Government review under special-interest criteria

A discretionary administrative decision, not automatic approval.

Receiving citizenship (if approved)

Dual citizenship allowed; the process takes about 5 months.

A good fit if

You understand and accept the discretionary nature of the decision — meeting the financial criteria doesn’t guarantee approval.

You can invest from €200,000 in a fund for 2 years or from €400,000 in new facilities while hiring 10 staff.

You are prepared for the €50,000 fee plus surcharges for spouse and children.

You don’t want to give up your current citizenship — dual citizenship is allowed.

A poor fit if

You expect guaranteed citizenship upon meeting the financial thresholds — the programme works as a discretionary government decision, not an automatic entitlement.

You want specifically a formal, legally guaranteed Caribbean-style CBI programme — North Macedonia doesn’t have one.

You are not prepared to hire at least 10 staff on indefinite contracts — the direct-investment route requires exactly that, not just capital.

You plan to invest in shopping malls or catering businesses — these categories are explicitly excluded from the direct-investment route.

Who runs this programme

Your request goes to two or three firms from this list. You see exactly which ones before it is sent, and you can exclude any of them.

Henley & Partners

Лондон, Великобритания · since 1997

The largest advisory firm in the industry — over 70 offices worldwide; also advises governments on designing migration programmes.

NTL Trust

Карибский регион (офисы в Латинской Америке, Европе, на Ближнем Востоке и в Азии) · since 1994

30+ years in citizenship and residence by investment, officially accredited by several Caribbean governments; also trust and corporate services.

Arton Capital

Монреаль, Канада · since 2006

Global financial advisory firm specialising in residence and citizenship by investment.

Astons

Дубай, ОАЭ (основана в Лондоне) · since 1989

One of the oldest firms in the market, over 9,000 clients from 100+ countries; Golden Visa, citizenship and RBI worldwide.

CS Global Partners

Лондон (Мэйфэр), Великобритания · since 2012

Holds an official government mandate to promote the citizenship-by-investment programmes of St Kitts & Nevis, Dominica, and Saint Lucia.

Savory & Partners

Дубай, ОАЭ · since 2009

Over 70 specialists across 8 offices on three continents, 20+ jurisdictions, over 11,000 clients.

This is an independent list of firms in the market, not our partners — we do not forward requests to them or receive payment for referrals. Contact them directly via the link.

Frequent questions

Can the money be lost without gaining citizenship?

The investment is real and requires committing funds, and per the available data the final decision remains a discretionary government administrative act rather than an automatic right upon meeting the financial criteria — this risk is worth weighing before applying.

How does this differ from Caribbean citizenship-by-investment programmes?

Caribbean CBI programmes (Dominica, Saint Lucia, and others) run on clear rules — citizenship is granted upon meeting the criteria. North Macedonia uses "special economic interest" criteria as grounds for a discretionary decision, not a guaranteed outcome.

Is hiring exactly 10 staff mandatory for both routes?

Yes, per the available data — the requirement to hire at least 10 full-time staff on an indefinite contract for 1+ year applies to BOTH routes, not just direct investment in facilities.

Do you have to give up your current citizenship?

No — per the available data, dual citizenship is allowed for all applicants regardless of origin.

Are there nationality restrictions?

Per the available data, the programme is open to both EU citizens and other nationalities — no explicit nationality restrictions were identified.

How long does the process take?

Per the available data, about 5 months from application to passport issuance, assuming a positive discretionary decision.

Sources

IMI Daily — overview of North Macedonia’s special economic interest criteria; independent legal review confirms the discretionary, non-formal-programme nature of the mechanism↗

Figures are for reference only. Verified against official sources on 27 August 2026. A precise quote is issued by the appointed firm after document review. This material is not legal advice, a public offer or investment advice.