Nauru's golden passport program struggles to attract buyers

Friday 08 August 2025 - 15:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Nauru's golden passport program struggles to attract buyers

For $105,000, individuals can secure citizenship in Nauru, a small island nation in Micronesia, Oceania. This "golden passport" initiative, launched on August 7, aims to trade citizenship for investments to combat climate change. However, the program has seen limited interest, with only six passports sold so far.

A slow start to a bold initiative

Among the first buyers is a German family residing in Dubai, seeking dual citizenship for security. The Nauru government hopes to attract 66 buyers annually, aiming to generate $43 million—equivalent to 20% of the nation's revenue. The funds are crucial for addressing the accelerating impacts of climate change on the 21-square-kilometer island, where rising sea levels pose a significant threat.

A nation at risk

Nauru faces one of the world’s fastest rates of sea-level rise, with the effects 50% more severe than elsewhere. The island, heavily degraded by phosphate mining, is largely uninhabitable. The government plans to use the revenue from the program to relocate coastal residents to higher ground and invest in climate resilience.

Learning from past mistakes

Despite the urgency, the verification process for applicants is deliberately slow to avoid repeating the failures of a 2003 program, during which Nauru infamously sold passports to al-Qaeda members. The cautionary approach has contributed to the current program's sluggish progress, but officials remain hopeful it will gain momentum.