Botswana

Investor work permit

Permission to invest for profit in the approved Botswana business. A separate residence permit is required for a stay beyond the visitation period.

Who qualifies

• A noncitizen investor must show investment through bank statements, operating premises, company registration, a trade licence, company profile, employee list and identified assets, plus passport and photos.
  Botswana government, work permit application
• A separate Botswana residence permit is required for a stay beyond the visitation period; the government lists a 30-working-day service target.
  Botswana government, residence permit application

You keep your U.S. citizenship.

Citizens by 2039.

If your first permit is issued in 2027 and you keep living there, this is the road.

1. 2027
   First residence permit

   2 years, renewable for 2 years at a time.

2. 2029
   Renew the permit

   Filed before the old one lapses; renews for 2 years.

3. 2031
   Renew the permit

   Filed before the old one lapses; renews for 2 years.

4. 2032
   Permanent residence

   Permanent residence is a separate discretionary application after at least five years’ lawful residence, supported by residence and work records, means and good character.

5. 2038
   Apply for citizenship

   With a language test.

6. 2039
   Citizenship

Language

Sufficient Setswana or a language spoken by a Botswana tribal community.

Time away

The whole 12 months immediately before applying, plus at least ten years in total during the preceding 12 years.

Two passports

Usually not: new citizens are asked to give up their other citizenship.

• The investor work permit must be paired with residence permission; lawful residence can then build the separate permanence and naturalisation applications.
• How long the decision takes isn’t published; we allow a year.
• This country asks new citizens to give up their other citizenship.