Kiribati - Apply for Citizenship

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Procedure

Citizenship is established under the Citizenship Ordinance. Previously it was administered under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Immigration and then the Ministry of Internal Affairs. As of 2016 Citizenship Commission is now under Ministry of Justice.

Kiribati's Citizenship Ordinance presents procedures on how a non-Kiribati citizen apply for naturalization. Here are the steps on how you can apply for citizenship:

1. Complete the appropriate application form. Links are provided under the 'Documents to Use' section which you can use to download the application form.
2. After completing the form submit it together with these following documents:
   1. Request letter showing intention to be registered as a citizen of Kiribati/citizen in doubt
   2. A birth certificate from country of citizenship for the principal applicant (shall be at least 18 years of age at the time of application)
   3. Certified birth certificate of spouse, children, and dependents (Please kindly note that if children have reached the age of 18, they should apply separately; each person over 18 years old should lodge in an application individually)
   4. Certified marriage certificate (if married)
   5. A statutory declaration from people over 18 years of age close family
   6. Certified birth certificates of father and grandfather of applicant
   7. Bio-data page of passport previously issued from other countries of citizenship
3. If the Minister of Justice is satisfied that the applicant was, is, or is entitled to become a citizen he will issue a certificate stating that the applicant is citizen by virtue of a provision specified in the certificate.

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Required Documents

• Completed form (Form of application for registration – Foreign or Kiribati Descent)
• Request letter showing intention to be registered as a citizen of Kiribati/citizen in doubt
• A birth certificate from country of citizenship for the principal applicant (shall be at least 18 years of age at the time of application)
• Certified birth certificate of spouse, children, and dependents (Please kindly note that if children have reached the age of 18, they should apply separately; each person over 18 years old should lodge in an application individually)
• Certified marriage certificate (if married)
• A statutory declaration from people over 18 years of age close family
• Certified birth certificates of father and grandfather of applicant
• Bio-data page of passport previously issued from other countries of citizenship

Office Locations & Contacts

Ministry of Justice
For Bairiki +686 75022801 | +686 75022802
For Betio +686 75126253
Email address [email protected]

Eligibility

Citizenship by Naturalization

• A person of legal age
• Has been residing in Kiribati ordinarily for 7 years. Note: For the purpose of determining the period of residence of any person in Kiribati, any period during which the person has been in custody under sentence awaiting deportation or removal from Kiribati shall be disregarded.
• intends to continue to reside in Kiribati;
• is of good character,
• unless prevented by physical or mental disability, is able to speak and understand Kiribati sufficiently for normal conversational purposes;
• respects far the customs and traditions of Kiribati;
• has the means to support himself and his dependants;
• has a reasonable knowledge and understanding of the rights privileges, responsibilities and duties of citizenship;
• has renounced in the -prescribed manner any citizenship which he may possess; and
• has taken and subscribed to-the oath of allegiance

A male applicant may requests that:

• his wife (not being a citizen);
• any child of his named in the application; or
• both his wife and any such child,

Be a citizen or citizens by naturalization
A wife will not become a citizen unless there is included in the application concerned a statement coming from her that she wishes to become a citizen.

Note: I,-Kiribati. Descent" means a person one of 'Whose -ancestors was born in Kiribati before 1900

Fees

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Validity

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e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to Use

Application for registration - forms:

• Naturalization Processing Form
• Application for Registration as a Citizen of Kiribati

Sample Documents

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Processing Time

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Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type='website'>video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites. 	
Please remove the '&' inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver, 
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M' Video ID is 'Y0US7oR_t3M'.

Instructions

Citizenship is established under the Citizenship Ordinance. Previously it was administered under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Immigration and then the Ministry of Internal Affairs. As of 2016 Citizenship Commission is now under Ministry of Justice.

Required Information

Foreign

• Personal details of applicant
• Reasons why you want to become a citizen of Kiribati
• References / referees

Kiribati Descent

• Personal details of applicant
• Current citizenship

Need for the Document

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Information which might help

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Other uses of the Document/Certificate

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e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

• Ministry of Justice - www.justice.gov.ki

Others

More information which might help people.