TANZANIA CITIZENSHIP

Tanzania citizenship is governed by the Tanzania Citizenship Act, No. 6 of 1995 and its
Regulations of 1997. There are three types of citizenship namely:
(a) Citizenship by birth.
(b) Citizenship by descent.
(c) Citizenship by Naturalization.

Naturalization of Women Married to Citizens

Naturalization of Minor
Renunciation of Tanzania Citizenship
Deprivation of citizenship of citizens by naturalization

A. CITIZENSHIP BY BIRTH
Any person born in the United Republic on or after Union day is deemed to be a citizen of the
United Republic if at the time of his birth one of his parents is or was a citizen of United
Republic of Tanzania.
B. CITIZENSHIP BY DESCENT:
Any person born outside the United Republic on or after Union day is deemed to be a citizen of
the United Republic by descent if one of his parents is a citizen of the United Republic of
Tanzania by birth or naturalization.

3. CITIZENSHIP BY NATURALIZATION :
Any person who is not a citizen of Tanzania whether by birth or by descent may apply for
Tanzania citizenship by naturalization to the Minister responsible for citizenship matters.
CONDITIONS FOR CITIZENSHIP BY NATURALIZATION

Qualifications for a foreigner who applies for Tanzania Citizenship are:

i. that he has resided in the United Republic throughout the period of twelve months immediately
preceding the date of application,
ii. that during the ten years immediately preceding the said period of twelve months he resided in
the United Republic for periods amounting in the aggregate do not less than seven years,
iii. that he has an adequate knowledge of Kiswahili or the English language,
iv. that he is of good character,
v. that, in terms of his past and potential contribution to the national economy, or scientific and
technological advancement and to the national social and cultural welfare, he would be a suitable
citizen of the United Republic,
vi. that he intends, if naturalized to continue to reside permanently in the United Republic.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Application for Tanzania citizenship undergo the following procedures:i. an applicant fills in prescribed Forms.
ii. the applicant submits the application to the Ward Executive Secretary or Sheha (for the case of
Zanzibar) where the applicant resides.
iii. the Ward Executive Secretary or Sheha submits the application to the District Immigration
Office and the applicant pays a submission fee of USD 1500 which is non refundable.
iv. the applicant publishes in two consecutive issues of the daily news papers registered in
Tanzania Main land and Zanzibar a notice of intention to apply for naturalization.
v. the applicant has to be interviewed by the District Defense and Security Committee.
vi. the District Immigration Officer forward the application to the Regional Immigration Officer
who forwards the said application to the Regional Defense and Security Committee for further
scrutiny.
vii. the Regional Immigration Officer forwards the application to the Commissioner Genenral of
Immigration Services for his recommendation to the Minister.

viii. For the case of Zanzibar before the application is sent to the Commissioner Genenral of
Immigration Services, the Commissioner of Immigration Services Zanzibar forwards the
application to the office of the Second Vice President for recommendation and it is later
submitted to the Commissioner Genenral of Immigration Services for his recommendation to the
Minister.
ix. The Commissioner Genenral of Immigration Services forwards the recommended application
to the Minister for final decision.

NATURALIZATION OF WOMEN MARRIED TO CITIZENS

A woman married to a citizen of the United Republic shall at any time during the life time of the
husband be entitled upon making an application in a prescribed form, to be naturalized as a
citizen of the United Republic.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE FOR A MARRIED WOMAN:
i. the applicant fills in prescribed Forms.
ii. the applicant may submit the application to the District, Regional immigration office or at the
Headquarters and pays a submission fee of USD 1500 which is non refundable.
iii. the applicant publishes in two consecutive issues of the daily news papers registered in
Tanzania Main land and Zanzibar a notice of intention to apply for naturalization.
iv. the District or Regional Immigration Officer forwards the application to the Commissioner
Genenral of Immigration Services for his recommendations.
v. The Commissioner Genenral of Immigration Services forwards the application to the Minister
for final decision.
REQUIREMENTS:
The application for Tanzania citizenship by a married woman should be attached with:
i. Proof of husband's citizenship.
ii. Marriage certificate registered in Tanzania.
iii. A copy of valid national passport

iv. A proof of valid immigration status.

v. Five recent passport size photographs.

NATURALIZATION OF A MINOR
The minister may cause the Minor child of any citizen of the United Republic to be naturalized
as a citizen of the United Republic upon application made in the prescribed manner by a parent
or guardian of a child.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR A MINOR:
i. the parent or guardian fills in prescribed Forms.
ii. the parent or guardian may submit the application to the District, Regional immigration office
or at the Headquarters.
iii. The District or Regional Immigration Officer forwards the application to the Commissioner
Genenral of Immigration Services for recomendations.
iv. The Commissioner Genenral of Immigration Services forwards the application to the Minister
for final decision.
NOTE:
A Parent or guardian must be a citizen and he has to proof that he is a citizen of the United
Republic.
REQUIREMENTS:
The application for Tanzania citizenship for a minor should be attached with:
i. Proof of citizenship of parent or guardian
ii. Birth certificate of a child
iii. A valid Immigration status
iv. Five recent passport size photographs
v. the parent or guardian pays a submission fee of USD 1500 which is non refundable.

RENUNCIATION OF TANZANIA CITIZENSHIP

The procedures for renunciation of Tanzania citizenship:
i. Applicant Fills in prescribed forms.
ii. Submission of the application forms to the Immigration Office, Embassies/High commission
where an applicant resides,
iii. Submission of the application forms to the Commissioner Genenral of Immigration Services.
iv. The Commissioner Genenral of Immigration Services forward the application to the Minister
who registers the declaration made by applicant.
REQUIREMENTS
The application for renunciation of Tanzania citizenship should be attached with:
i. Approval of the grant of citizenship from the other Country.
ii. Return of Tanzania passport.
iii. Five recent passport size photographs.
iv. Payment of renunciation fees of USD 60.

DEPRIVATION OF CITIZENSHIP OF CITIZENS BY NATURALIZATION

The Minister may by order deprive the citizenship of any citizen of the United Republic who is a
citizen by naturalization if he is satisfied that the certificate of naturalization was obtained by
means of fraud, false representation, or concealment of any material facts or else as provided
under Tanzania Citizenship Act of 1995 and its Regulation of 1997.

Citizenship based on marriage challenged

By Godfrey Obonyo
5th April 2014
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Riziki Lulida, Special Seats for Lindi (CCM)

Beware of passing laws that grant citizenship to foreigners basing on marital reasons, a woman
Member of Parliament warned in the Constituent Assembly (CA) in Dodoma this week.
Riziki Lulida, Special Seats for Lindi (CCM), called upon fellow CA members to revamp the
draft constitution saying naturalisation in that manner would easily create a hub for international
criminals in Tanzania.
She said: A larger number of foreigners men and women, lobby through marriage to qualify
for citizenship, some with fake wedlock that expire after achieving the target.

Riziki said citizenship by naturalization currently has turned into a global problem that is blamed
for blurring the fight against terrorism and other cross-border crimes. Some criminals escape to
foreign countries to acquire citizenship in their bid to avoid legal wraths, and while there they
exploit weakness of immigration Acts, she asserted.
Riziki said it was right time to revamp immigration rules, calling for application of citizenship
procedures to be tightened. Citing Arab Emirates, she said: In the past they had immigration
laws similar to ours but they addressed the loopholes to keep criminals at bay.
Another MP, Samsha Mwangunga (CCM) said in Britain any foreigner applying for citizenship
on marital grounds must undergo long term probation of not less than ten years before
acquiring a temporary permit of stay.
According to Mwangunga temporary permit allows one to benefit get a few social services but
only wedlock off-springs automatically become Britons.
Legal guru Professor Issa Shivji warned that citizenship by naturalisation needs intensive
scrutiny of applicants. He said existing laws could not viably fit in the current world which is
dominated by cumbersome criminal tactics.
High Court lawyer Henry Mgonja said Tanzanias immigration and citizenship would not rhyme
with the current needs because they were adopted from the colonial orders.
He said citizenship by naturalization was a colonial law under which all foreigners who resided
in Tanzania at the time of independence were automatically qualified. Tanzania Citizenship Act,
No. 6 of 1995 governs citizenship and its Regulations of 1997. There are three types of
citizenship, namely, citizenship by birth, citizenship by descent and citizenship by naturalisation.
The law describes the conditions for naturalisation, clarifying that there shall be Naturalisation of
Women Married to Citizens, Naturalisation of Minor, Renunciation of Tanzania Citizenship and
finally Deprivation of citizenship of citizens by naturalisation
Under citizenship by birth, any person born in the United Republic on or after Union day is
deemed to be a citizen of the United Republic if at the time of his birth one of his parents is or
was a citizen of United Republic of Tanzania.
And under citizenship by descent any person born outside the United Republic on or after Union
day is deemed to be a citizen of the United Republic by descent if one of his parents is a citizen
of the United Republic of Tanzania by birth or naturalisation.
In case of citizenship by naturalisation any person who is not a citizen of Tanzania whether by
birth or by descent may apply for Tanzania citizenship by naturalisation to the Minister
responsible for citizenship matters.
Qualifications for a foreigner who applies for citizenship include residing in the United Republic
throughout the period of twelve months immediately preceding the date of application.
Secondly, during ten years preceding period of twelve months one resided in the United Republic

for periods amounting in the aggregate not less than seven years.
Others are:
that he has an adequate knowledge of Kiswahili or English language
that he is of good character
that in terms of his past and potential contribution to the national economy, or scientific and
technological advancement and to the national social and cultural welfare, he would be a suitable
citizen of the United Republic
that he intends, if naturalised, to continue to reside permanently in the United Republic.
that a married woman to a citizen of the United Republic shall at any time during the life time
of the husband be entitled upon making an application in a prescribed form, to be naturalized as a
citizen of the United Republic.
in case of naturalisation of a minor, the minister may cause the Minor of any citizen of the
United Republic to be naturalized as a citizen of the United Republic upon application made in
the prescribed manner by a parent or guardian of a child.
The Minister may by order deprive the citizenship of any citizen of the United Republic who is a
citizen by naturalization if he is satisfied that the certificate of naturalization was obtained by
fraud, false representation or concealment of any material facts or else as provided under the
Tanzania Citizenship Act of 1995 and its Regulation of 1997.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN