What is Citizenship by Birth, and Naturalization?

According to chapter 3 of the 1995 Constitution of Uganda (Articles 9-19), a Citizen of Uganda is defined as follows:

Citizenship by Birth under Article 10(a):

The following persons are citizens of Uganda by birth: - Every person born in Uganda, with at least one parent or grandparent who is or was a member of one of the indigenous communities listed in the third schedule of the constitution as of February 1st, 1926.

To be a Citizen of Uganda by birth, the following conditions must be met:

a) The person must be born in Uganda.

b) At least one parent or grandparent must belong to one of the 65 indigenous communities listed in the constitution.

c) The community must be listed in the 3rd schedule of The 1995 Constitution.

d) The indigenous community must have existed and resided within Uganda's borders as of February 1st, 1926.

e) Being born in Uganda alone does not automatically qualify a person for this category of citizenship.

Citizenship by Naturalisation

Citizenship by Naturalization under Section 16(5) Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act Cap 66:

If individuals do not meet the criteria outlined in the Citizenship by Birth section (meaning their family's lineage in Uganda starts with migration to Uganda after February 1st, 1926) and have been living in the country since, they have the option to apply for naturalization. This process confirms their legal status as a citizen, and there is a fee of 100,000 UGX. The naturalization application can be submitted online at www.visas.immigration.go.ug. Once approved, a certificate will be issued, which can then be used to apply for a National ID, among other requirements. Many individuals from different backgrounds, including Banyarwanda among others, who initially did not qualify as per the constitution, have successfully naturalized by following the correct procedures after seeking advice. The qualifications for Naturalization are as follows:

a) Must have resided in Uganda for at least 20 years in total.

b) Must have continuously lived in Uganda for the last 24 months before applying.

c) Need to demonstrate adequate knowledge of either a designated Ugandan language or English.

d) Must have a clean criminal record and be considered a person of good moral standing.

e) Must intend to make Uganda their permanent residence after becoming a citizen.

f) The applicant must fulfill all the above requirements.

We encourage the public to seek information from credible sources such as the Constitution and the Citizenship and Immigration Control Act. These are readily available to the public. Furthermore, we advise against making sensational and attention-seeking social media posts that lack a basic understanding of the law and facts, as this could lead to legal consequences if breached.

If during the course of seeking our services one feels that they have not been served correctly, we encourage them to seek redress through our various channels, including supervisors and leadership offices. The procedures are simple, and we advise the public to be cautious of scammers who may mislead and frustrate them in seeking our services.

Mundeyi Simon Peter

Spokesperson

For More details and to report such incidences, please contact the Ministry of Internal Affairs Public Relations Office on mail, info@immigration.go.ug and on our X (Formerly Twitter): @mia_uga and @DCICUg and Phone Number 0417102600