Rwanda - Apply for Dual Citizenship

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Procedure

1. Obtain application form "For Dual Citizenship And Issuance Of Identification Certificate (IC)" from your nearest Rwandan consulate office (either in person or it can be downloaded from their website).
   1. Rwandan Birth Certificate;
   2. Passport for that children;
   3. Marriage Contract indicating the Rwandan citizenship of the applicant;
   4. Voter's affidavit or voter's identification card; or
   5. Such other documents that would show that the applicant is a former natural born citizen of the Rwandan as may be acceptable to the evaluating officer.
2. Present the original copy and submit a photocopy of your Certificate of Naturalization.
3. For each of your minor unmarried children below eighteen (18) years of age, present the original copy and submit a photocopy of the following:
   1. The child's birth certificate; and
   2. The child's foreign passport
4. Attach to the application form two (2) recent and identical 2" x 2" photographs showing the front view. The beneficiary children are required to submit photographs.
5. If the application is found to be in order, pay a processing fee of US$50.00 for the principal application and $25.00 for each child-beneficiary. The payment may be in cash, bank draft or money order payable to the Rwandan Consulate General.
6. After payment, be sure to sign the Oath of Allegiance and Identification Certificate (IC) prepared by the Consulate and receive a notice of the date and time for taking the Oath of Allegiance before a Consular Officer. Also, affix thumbprints in the spaces provided in the IC.
7. After the oath-taking, you will receive the original copy of your notarized Oath of Allegiance, Order of Approval and (IC) issued by the Consulate.
8. All approved/completed applications and supporting documents, including oath of allegiance, order of approval, if any, are forwarded to the civil registry in Rwanda.
9. At this time, you can then make application for a new Rwanda passport and the obtain your legal status of dual citizenship.
   

You must have the following

• To be a dual citizen in Rwanda, be born of parent(s) of Rwanda citizenship;
• Ensure that the child is board abroad in order to qualify for citizenship by birth in a foreign country,
• Go to the registration authority in the country where the child was born and register him or her as citizen by birth.
• In this case, the child will hold citizenship of Rwanda by descent and citizenship of a foreign country by birth.

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Required Documents

• Proof of citizenship of parents like Rwanda Identity Cards, Passports and Birth Certificates.
• Passport photos of parents
• Passport photo of child
• Birth certificate of child

Office Locations & Contacts

1.Rwanda Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration
P. O. BOX 6229, KIGALI
Tel. +250 78 815 2222 / +250 78 889 9971
Fax +250 0252585292
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.migration.gov.rw

2.Ministry of foriegn Affairs and cooperation Rwanda.
P. O. Box 179 Kigali - Rwanda,
Telephone: +250 599128 /
Telephnone +250 599132 ,
Telephone +250 599134
Email: [email protected]
http://www.minaffet.gov.rw/index.php?id=351

Eligibility

• Special only to children born abroad by a Rwandan parent.
• Its only child born abroad and not yet eighteen (18) years.

Fees

Processing fee of US$50.00 for the principal application and $25.00 for each child-beneficiary.

Validity

Dual Citizenship expires when a child makes eighteen (18) years and in this case a child has to choose one citizenship because in Rwanda Dual citizen does not apply to old persons. you are either a Rwandee or person for another chosen country.

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

It take 3 months to process the

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

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

Required Information

1. Full name of child
2. Particulars of patent (Names, nationality, country of residence and occupation)
3. Sex of child
4. Childs date of birth
5. Country of Birth

Need for the Document

Dual citizenship is when a person is recognized by two countries as citizen,there are numerous benefits when one acquire dual citizenship, these include the right to wholly own real estate, operate a business or practice a profession, vote in elections, and re-acquire a passport.

Attaining Rwanda citizenship is based upon the Rwandan citizenship Law on Nationality which provides that one can be a citizen by birth, by descent, registration or by naturalization.

Dual citizenship is recognized in the Rwandan Constitution.

Information which might help

A child born abroad must chose to renounce or retain Rwandan citizenship when he / she makes eighteen (18) years.

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.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ab1f4c.html
http://www.multiplecitizenship.com/wscl/ws_RWANDA.html
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?q=356&t=5
http://www.migration.gov.rw/index.php?id=14
http://www.minaffet.gov.rw/index.php?id=351

Others

• Rwanda citizenship can be attained by:
• Birth where an individual is born within the territory of the country. It is important to note that birth does not automatically confer citizenship apart from a child born within the territory to unknown parents.
• Descent where a child is both to parents where both or one of them is a citizen of Rwanda. In this case even children born abroad to such parents are citizen of Rwanda by descent.
• Naturalization where citizen is acquired after fulfillment of certain requirements / conditions of the country.
• Marriage where a person marries a Rwandese citizen and becomes a citizen by naturalization.
• It is also important to note that Rwanda citizenship may be lost voluntary by renunciation of citizenship or involuntary when a person acquires foreign citizenship.