Dual Citizenship
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 subject to the Constitution, this Act and any law enacted by parliament.
A person who is not a citizen of Uganda may, on acquiring the citizenship of Uganda, subject to the Constitution, this Act and any other law enacted by Parliament, retain the citizenship of another country.
Acquisition by a citizen of Uganda of the Citizenship of another country while retaining the Citizenship of Uganda
1. 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 board (National Citizenship and Immigration Board) of his or her application for the citizenship of another country.
2. The notice (1 above) shall be in the prescribed form and shall be accompanied by the following:
a) A statutory declaration stating that he or she is a citizen of Uganda only;
b) Where the person is a citizen of Uganda and another country, a declaration of renunciation of the citizenship of the third country;
c) Evidence that the applicant is of or above 18 years of age;
d) A copy of the application for citizenship of that other country;
e) Any other relevant information.
Acquisition by a non-citizen of Uganda of Uganda Citizenship while retaining the Citizenship of another country.
1. A non-Ugandan citizen who wishes to acquire the citizenship of Uganda while retaining the citizenship of another country shall satisfy the conditions for citizenship (specified in sections 14 and 16 of the Act).
2. In addition to the conditions prescribed in subsection 1 (above) a non-Ugandan citizen who wishes to acquire dual citizenship under this section shall:
a) Satisfy the board that the laws of his or her country of origin permit him or her to hold dual citizenship;
b) Not be the subject of a deportation order from Uganda territory or any other country;
c) Not be under a sentence of death or imprisonment exceeding nine months imposed by a competent court, without the option of a fine;
d) Satisfy the board that he or she has been resident in Uganda for not less than 10 years;
e) Satisfy the board that he or she has adequate knowledge of any prescribed vernacular language in Uganda or of English or Swahili;
f) Satisfy the board that he or she has not been in Uganda as a refugee or as a diplomat;
g) He or she possesses rare skills and capacity for technology transfer;
h) Be willing to take the oath of allegiance;
i) 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:
a) He or she is not engaged in espionage against Uganda;
b) 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;
c) 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;
d) He or she does not have a criminal record;
e) The laws of his or her country of origin permit dual citizenship;
f) He or she is, at the time of application, of or above 18 years of age;
g) He or she is of sound mind;
h) Does not hold more than one citizenship;
i) Is not an undischarged bankrupt or insolvent.
Offices of State which a person holding Dual Citizenship is not qualified to hold
1. President
2. Vice President
3. Prime Minister
4. Cabinet Minister and other Ministers
5. The Inspector General and the Deputy Inspector General of Government
6. Technical Head of the Armed Forces
7. Technical Heads of Branches of the Armed Forces
8. Commanding Officers of the Armed Forces Units of at least battalion strength
9. Officers responsible for heading departments responsible for records, personnel and logistics in all branches of the Armed Forces
10. Inspector General of Police and Deputy Inspector General of Police
11. Heads and Deputy Heads of national Security and Intelligence Organisations (ESO, ISO and CMI)
12. Members of the National Citizenship and Immigration Board
1. A citizen who holds the citizenship of another country in addition to the citizenship of Uganda shall:
a) Be issued with a Ugandan passport or travel documents;
b) Be permitted to remain in Uganda without limitation if the person enters Uganda on a Ugandan passport;
c) Leave Uganda on the same passport that the person used to enter the country; and
2. 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.
3. 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 and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred currency points (equivalent to 20,000) or imprisonments not exceeding one year or both.
Termination of Citizenship of Uganda
For the avoidance of doubt, where by virtue of holding dual nationality granted under section 19A or 19B (of the Act), a person holds the citizenship of Uganda in addition to the citizenship of another country, the board may by order deprive that person of the citizenship of Uganda:
a) Upon any of the grounds specified in sections 17 or 18 (of the Act); or
b) If that person acquires a third citizenship.
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. A person who re-acquires Ugandan citizenship under this section shall be required to take the oath of allegiance.
Forms and Certificates:
The following forms can be got from the National Citizenship and Immigration Board, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Kampala:
1. Form A: Notification of Citizenship of an Adopted Child
2. Form B: Application for Registration as a Citizen of Uganda
3. Form C: Application for registration as a Citizen of Uganda by a Married Woman
4. Form D: Application by an Alien for Naturalisation as a Citizen of Uganda
5. Form E: Certificate of Naturalisation as a Citizen of Uganda
6. Form F: Certificate of Registration as Citizen of Uganda
7. Form AA: Application for Dual Citizenship
8. Form BB: Certificate of Registration as a Dual Citizen
• By marriage to a Ugandan UG Shs. 100,000
• By registration US $1,000
• By people who were formally Ugandans (in Diaspora) US $400
• By people who have lived all their lives in Uganda UG Shs. 100,000
• 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
The Uganda High Commission, London, will announce when it will be in position to accept applications for dual citizenship for onward transmission to the National Citizenship and Immigration Board, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Kampala.
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: www.mia.go.ug
