Liberia - Apply for Citizenship

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Procedure

• Check to make sure you qualify for naturalization.
  • The Citizenship and Immigration Services Department provides a concise guide to determining your eligibility, featured in the Resources Section.

If you have lived in Liberia for five years or are married to a Liberian citizen and have lived in the Liberia for three years, you may be eligible.

• Pick the Application form from the Citizen and immigration service Department or Download and complete Application Form. Make a copy to keep before you send it in.
• Download study materials for the naturalization test, which are also available Citizenship and Immigration Services Department
• Take two passport-sized photographs to submit with your application.
• Photocopy the back and front of your permanent residence card to send with your application.
• Attach a Receipts of payment or Write a check or money order for the current application fee and biometrics fee as currently stated in the requirement.
• Complete the document checklist as part of the "Guide to Citizenship" paperwork.
  • The documents required for your application will vary based on your individual situation, such as if you are married to an Liberian, if you have served in the military, if you have committed a crime or if you have recently been out of the Liberia, for example on a family visit to Liberia, for more than six months.
• Submit the application and supporting materials to facilities your application Form.
• Have your fingerprints recorded . The officer will send you a letter confirming the location for your fingerprints and telling you whether or not you need to send them in. It will also give you an interview time.
• Answer questions about yourself in your personal interview . Bring your ID, permanent resident card, and any documents requested in the letter you were sent.
• Attend the naturalization ceremony on a date agreed upon between you and Citizen and immigration service Department
• Return your permanent resident card to authorities.
• Swear the oath of allegiance to receive your naturalization certificate and become an official Liberian citizen.

Citizenship through Parents

• Collect copies of your official birth certificate, your parents' marriage license and your parents' naturalization certificate(s) or valid passport(s).
• Prepare a signed affidavit stating your parents maintain a residence or some physical presence in the Liberia.
• Submit the documents directly to the your home country embassy or if you are already in Liberia go to the embassy in Liberia, which is in Monrovia.
• Obtain a consular report of birth, which you can submit as evidence of your citizenship when applying for a passport.

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Required Documents

• The applicant's birth certificate (original & copy).
• The applicant's foreign passport (original & copy).
• Four photos of the applicant.
• Criminal record of the applicant who is 18 years or older.
• The applicant's education certificates.
• The Liberian mother's birth certificate (original & copy).
• The birth certificate of the Liberian mother's father (original & copy).
• The marriage contract of the Liberian mother to the foreign father.

Office Locations & Contacts

The Liberian Bureau of immigrations

Ministry of justice Republic of Liberia

PO Box 10-9006

Broad Street, Monrovia

Tel: 08865144

Email : [email protected]

Eligibility

• People who have permanent resident status in the Liberia are eligible for citizenship in Liberia.
• People born by Liberian parents or born in Liberia by parents of different origin.

Fees

• The fees vary basing on a particular activity:-

• Investigation fees: These vary basing on where investigation is to be carried out;
• Publication fees: Different bulletins / gazettes have different charges
• Registration fees: These are determined by joint order of the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Finance.

Validity

The document is valid for ever unless one renounce the Liberian citizenship.

Documents to Use

Please attach documents that can be used by people. e.g. links

Sample Documents

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.

Processing Time

The processing takes 3 to 6 months

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

The application Should be submitted by an adult or by his mother if he is a minor. The following documents should be attached :

• Spouses, widows and widowers of Liberian citizens (if the applicant is married for at least 7 years.)
• Lawful residents (those who have been ordinarily resident in Liberia for a period of five years)
• Children and persons with disabilities (made for the biological or legally adopted children of Liberian citizens)
• Stateless and migrant persons (persons who voluntarily migrated to Liberia and/or have continuously lived in Liberia)

Descendants of stateless and migrant persons (persons who have attained the age of eighteen years and whose parents had voluntarily migrated to Liberia and or has continuously lived in Liberia)

Required Information

• Should be a national born abroad ;
• Both or one of the parents should hold Liberian citizenship;
• Below the age of eighteen (eighteen) years;
• Has an obligation to choose one citizenship when he / she makes eighteen (18)

Need for the Document

Liberia is the only county in the world today that confers citizenship and landownership to a person based solely on the color of their skin Black. Under the Liberian constitution of July 26, 1847, only persons a black person may obtain citizenship.

• If you want to be a Liberian Citizen you have to meet several requirements.
• Although the procedure involves so many requirements to be qualified, there are six major requirements that necessarily need to be fulfilled to become eligible for Liberian Citizenship.

• Liberian law, however, allows whites and other races to hold permanent residency status without discrimination.

• Citizenship laws in Liberia are based upon the Constitution of the Republic of Liberia.

• The Liberian Constitution states that, In order to preserve, foster, and maintain the positive Liberian culture, values, and character, only persons who are Negroes or of Negro descent shall qualify by birth or by naturalization to be citizens of Liberia

BY BIRTH: Birth within the territory of Liberia does not automatically confer citizenship. The only exception is a child born to unknown parents.
BY DESCENT: Child, at least one of whose parents is a citizen of Liberia, regardless of the childs country of birth.
BY NATURALIZATION: No information provided beyond the stated constitutional requirements.

Information which might help

• Liberia does not recognize Dual citizenship.
• Exception: Child may keep dual citizenship before reaching the age of majority (18).
• Upon reaching majority age, the person must renounce any other citizenship.
• Voluntary renunciation of Liberian citizenship is permitted by law in Liberia.
• The following is grounds for involuntary loss of Liberian citizenship: Person above the age of majority (18) acquires a foreign citizenship ceases to be a citizen of Liberia.

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

http://www.mysecondpassport.com/citizenship-laws/liberia-citizenship

http://www.chocolatecity.cc/2011/06/18/liberian-citizenship-%E2%80%93-blacks-only-need-apply/

http://limany.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=582:liberia-the-dual-citizenship-debate&catid=65:news

http://www.ehow.com/how_6862736_do-u_s_-citizen-republic-liberia_.html

Others

• In Liberias case the truth, interestingly, is that Liberias constitution does acknowledge and does allow for dual citizenship rightsbut only for minors up to the age of eighteen.
• children born of Liberian parents and live outside the territorial borders of Liberia are considered to be citizens of Liberia until they can foreswear allegiance to Liberia and renouce their citizenship.
• For example the child that is born in France, Britain, Ghana, Ivory Coast, or the United States of Liberian parents who are not citizens of these countries.
• Such a child willat least in the case of the United States-- automatically becomes a citizen of both Liberia and the United States.
• On acquiring the age of eighteen, Liberian law does require this child to choose between Liberia and the host nation.
• But to Automatically become a Citizen of Liberia as the law of land states.