Sierra Leone: all programs

Sierra Leone at a glance

Sierra Leone is a West African country on the Atlantic coast between Guinea and Liberia, with about 9 million residents. The capital is Freetown, the official language is English and Krio is spoken day to day. The currency is the leone, redenominated in 2022, now about 24.7 leones per dollar.

The economy rests on mining iron ore, diamonds, rutile and gold, agriculture, fishing and international aid. The country lived through the 1991-2002 civil war and the Ebola epidemic and has since been stable, with peaceful elections.

Who the country is for

• investors who need an affordable second passport without visiting the country and who understand its limits;
• people of African descent, for whom there is a path to citizenship through a DNA test;
• staff of international organisations, mining companies and embassies.

The country is a poor fit for a family moving permanently: infrastructure is weak, healthcare basic, and housing for foreigners expensive and scarce.

Citizenship by investment

The Go-For-Gold programme has run since December 2024 as residence for gold, and in January 2025 citizenship was added. From 1 October 2026 the cheapest route to a passport for one person costs $100,000 including due diligence, the most popular $140,000 plus due diligence, with a stated timeline of 60-90 days without travelling to Africa. Citizens of any country except North Korea can apply.

The application can include a spouse, children, parents, grandparents, adult children and siblings up to 30: standard dependants cost $10,000 each. There is no separate citizenship by investment law, and the programme rests on the president's power to grant citizenship. More on the Sierra Leone citizenship page.

What the passport gives and does not

A Sierra Leone passport opens about 63 destinations visa-free, with a visa on arrival or an electronic authorisation, mostly in Africa. Entry to the US for Sierra Leone citizens is suspended, and the Schengen area and the UK require a visa. So this passport does not replace Caribbean programmes for travel to Europe. We tell you honestly whether it fits your goals and suggest another country if needed.

Entry and life in the country

The visa is obtained in advance or on arrival, and requirements for your nationality are checked before the trip. Entry requires a yellow fever vaccination certificate, and malaria is widespread. Work requires a permit and residence through an employer, many business sectors require a local partner, and companies are registered through the investment agency.

Cost of living and housing

Housing for foreigners in Freetown is expensive and scarce, and often paid by the employer. Imported groceries are expensive, while local fish and fruit are affordable. Power supply is unstable, so a generator or solar panels are needed. Foreigners mostly live on the Hill Station heights, which are cooler and host embassies, or by the ocean in Aberdeen and Lumley.

Property for foreigners

Foreigners cannot own land freehold, only on long-term lease. Land law long mixed colonial rules and customary law, and the 2022 reform began to bring order, but practice is still taking shape. There are no residence or citizenship programmes through property. We assess honestly whether this market is worth entering and, if needed, check the land rights.

Climate and safety

Freetown is one of the rainiest capitals in the world: in July and August there are downpours almost every day, and the dry season runs from November to April. In the rainy season landslides and floods hit the slopes. Street crime is moderate, and at night it is better to travel by car. In 2024 the government declared an emergency over the spread of a synthetic drug among young people. The beaches of Tokeh, River Number Two and Bureh are an hour from the capital. We help with a personal and business account.