The issue of dual citizenship has been of intense interest to east Africans over the last few years and a post on this log on this topic has been possibly the most popular of any I have written. I have contemplated taking up Kenyan citizenship, but was never sure how to go about it, especially with the rules on the issue not quite being in the public domain. So I was pleasantly surprised to find the details of the Ugandan law online and have prepared some highlights below:
The Legal Basis
The Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control (Amendment) Act, 2009 provides for dual citizenship. Dual citizenship, according to the Act, means the simultaneous possession of two citizenships one of which is Ugandan. A citizen of Uganda of 18 years and above who voluntarily acquires the citizenship of a country other than Uganda may retain the citizenship of Uganda.
A person swho is not a citizen of Uganda may, on acquiring the citizenship of Uganda, retain the citizenship of another country.
However there is a process that must be fulfilled, one does not simply acquire a new citizenship and then sit back:
A citizen of Uganda who desires to acquire the citizenship of another country while retaining his or her citizenship of Uganda shall give notice in writing to National Citizenship and Immigration Board of his or her application for the citizenship of another country. A copy of the application for citizenship of that other country must be submitted.
It is also important to note that tri-nationality is not permitted:
Where the person is a citizen of Uganda and another country, a declaration of renunciation of the citizenship of the third country must be submitted.
Acquisition by a non-citizen of Uganda of Uganda Citizenship while retaining the Citizenship of another country.
A non-Ugandan citizen who wishes to acquire the citizenship of Uganda while retaining the citizenship of another country shall satisfy the following conditions for citizenship:
Satisfy the board that the laws of his or her country of origin permit him or her to hold dual citizenship;
Not be the subject of a deportation order from Uganda territory or any other country;
Not be under a sentence of death or imprisonment exceeding nine months imposed by a competent court, without the option of a fine;
Satisfy the board that he or she has been resident in Uganda for not less than 10 years;
Satisfy the board that he or she has adequate knowledge of any prescribed vernacular language in Uganda or of English or Swahili;
Satisfy the board that he or she has not been in Uganda as a refugee or as a diplomat;
He or she possesses rare skills and capacity for technology transfer;
Be willing to take the oath of allegiance;
Be a person of sound mind.
GENERAL CONDITIONS FOR DUAL CITIZENSHIP:
A person applying for dual citizenship shall, before being registered, satisfy the board that:
He or she is not engaged in espionage against Uganda;
He or she has not served in the voluntary service of the armed forces or security forces of a country hostile to or at war with Uganda;
He or she has not attempted to acquire Ugandan citizenship by fraud, deceit or bribery or by intentional or otherwise deliberate false statements in an application for citizenship;
He or she does not have a criminal record;
The laws of his or her country of origin permit dual citizenship;
He or she is, at the time of application, of or above 18 years of age;
He or she is of sound mind;
Does not hold more than one citizenship;
Is not an undischarged bankrupt or insolvent.
Offices of State which a person holding Dual Citizenship is not qualified to hold
President, Vice President,Prime Minister, Cabinet Minister and other Ministers, Inspector General and the Deputy Inspector General of Government,Technical Heads of Branches of the Armed Forces, Commanding Officers of the Armed Forces Units of at least battalion strength, Officers responsible for heading departments responsible for records, personnel and logistics in all branches of the Armed Forces, Inspector General of Police and Deputy Inspector General of Police, Heads and Deputy Heads of national Security and Intelligence Organisations (ESO, ISO and CMI), Members of the National Citizenship and Immigration Board.
Use of Travel Documents by Dual National
A citizen who holds the citizenship of another country in addition to the citizenship of Uganda shall:
Be issued with a Ugandan passport or travel documents;
Be permitted to remain in Uganda without limitation if the person enters Uganda on a Ugandan passport;
Leave Uganda on the same passport that the person used to enter the country; and
A citizen of Uganda who is also a citizen of any other country shall while in Uganda be subject to the laws of Uganda as any other citizen.
A dual citizen commits an offence when a Ugandan passport is used by the person interchangeably with the passport of another country to deceive an Immigration Officer.
TERMINATION OF DUAL CITIZENSHIP
The board may terminate a dual national of his or her Ugandan citizenship if:
1. Upon any of the grounds specified in sections above
2. If that person acquires a third citizenship.
Where a person ceases to be a citizen of Uganda, he or she shall be regarded as a citizen or national of the country, of which he or she was a citizen or national before becoming a Ugandan citizen.
Consequences of Loss of Ugandan Citizenship
Where a person ceases to be a Ugandan citizen, he or she shall cease to enjoy the rights of a Ugandan citizen except rights to property acquired legally while the person was a citizen.
Where a person ceases to be a Ugandan citizen, he or she shall not thereby be discharged from any obligation, duty or liability in respect of any act done or committed before he or she ceased to be a citizen of Uganda.
Re-acquisition of Ugandan Citizenship by a Ugandan
A person who was a citizen of Uganda by birth and who on acquiring the citizenship of another country renounced his or her Ugandan citizenship, may apply to the board in the prescribed manner to re-acquire his or her former Ugandan citizenship.
The board may allow a former Ugandan citizen to re-acquire his or her Ugandan citizenship if it is satisfied that the grounds for the loss of his or her Ugandan citizenship are of no adverse effect to the public order and security of Uganda.
A person who re-acquires Ugandan citizenship under this section shall be required to take the oath of allegiance.
Fees Schedule:
By people who were formally Ugandans (in Diaspora) US $400
Dual citizenship – foreigners US $500
Dual citizenship – Ugandan in Diaspora US $400
Reference:
Source: The Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control (Amendment) Act, 2009
Date of Assent: 15th July 2009
Date of Commencement: 21st August 2009
For the time being, applicants are advised to contact the Board directly on the following address:
The Chairperson,
National Citizenship and Immigration Board,
Ministry of Internal Affairs,
Plot 75 Jinja Road,
P. O. Box 7191,
Kampala, Uganda
Tel: +256-414-258355
Fax: +256-414-343088
E-mail: info@mia.go.ug
Website: http://www.mia.go.ug
Those seem like a lot of rules when one just wants a sheet of paper that confirms dual citizenship. I’m glad that the new Kenyan constitution has embraced this.
Very interesting, thank you for posting.
I am British and resided in Uganda for 20 years up to 2005.
My daughter was born in UK of a Ugandan mother, and was initially included in her mother’s Ugandan passport until I later got a British one for her. She lived her first 10 years in Uganda, but is not currently resident there, though she has been visiting her mother regularly for the last seven years and our residence status there is just now expiring. She will be 18 years later this year. I wonder how her case would be viewed if she were to apply for dual citizenship.
Hello nick. I believe under Ugandan law both parents can pass on Ugandan citizenship to a child. And usually at 18 years of age the child had to choose which citizenship he or should would take up.
I doubt your daughter would be turned down for dual citizenship, but write to the immigration department for more info.
Nick, I just checked up on one of the the definitions of a Ugandan by birth:
‘Every person born in or outside Uganda one of whose parents or grandparents was at the time of birth of that person, a citizen of Uganda by birth’.
This covers your daughter for sure.
Webale nnyo ssebo, I just saw this.
Sorry I’m sure Omuwami Kabozi. I’ll disappear into a hole now.
Am a Ugandan by birth, however my parents were Tanzanians who resided in Uganda for many years till their demise (RIP) and I wish to hold both a Ugandan and a Tanzania as dual citizenship. kindly advise me and i want to embark on the process asap thx
I also have the same question i.e i was born of a Ugandan mother & Kenyan father in Kenya.We came back to Uganda in 1999 due to a parental separation as minors.Ever since i have lived and studied in Uganda.Do i qualify as a Ugandan Citizen.
Dall, yes you qualify as one because your mother at the time of your birth was a Ugandan citizen.