Tanzania
Tanzania Citizenship Act
Chapter 357
- Published in Tanzania Government Gazette
- Commenced on 1 February 1988
- [This is the version of this document as it was at 31 July 2002 to 21 May 2015.]
- [Note: This legislation was revised and consolidated as at 31 July 2002 and 30 November 2019 by the Attorney General's Office, in compliance with the Laws Revision Act No. 7 of 1994, the Revised Laws and Annual Revision Act (Chapter 356 (R.L.)), and the Interpretation of Laws and General Clauses Act No. 30 of 1972. All subsequent amendments have been researched and applied by Laws.Africa for TANZLII.]
Part I – Preliminary provisions (ss. 1-3)
1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Tanzania Citizenship Act.2. Application
This Act shall apply to Tanzania Zanzibar as well as to Mainland Tanzania.3. Interpretation
Part II – Attainment of citizenship on or after Union Day (ss. 4-7)
4. Citizens of Mainland Tanzania and of Zanzibar before Union Day deemed to have become citizens on Union Day
5. Persons born in the United Republic on or after Union Day
6. Persons born outside the United Republic on or after Union day
Every person born outside the United Republic on or after Union Day shall, with effect from the date of his birth, be deemed to have become and to have continued to be, and with effect from the commencement of this Act shall become and continue to be, a citizen of the United Republic if at the date of his birth his father or mother is or was a citizen of the United Republic otherwise than by descent, subject to the provisions of section 30.7. Cessation of dual citizenship
Part III – Acquisition of citizenship by naturalisation (ss. 8-12)
8. Citizenship to be acquired solely by naturalisation
Subject to the following provisions of this part a person who is a non-citizen of the United Republic and who does not qualify for the attainment of citizenship in accordance with the provisions of Part II may acquire citizenship of the United Republic only by naturalisation.9. Naturalisation of non-citizens
10. Naturalisation of minors
11. Naturalisation of women married to citizens of the United Republic
12. Effect of naturalisation as a citizen
Part IV – Renunciation and deprivation of citizenship (ss. 13-17)
13. Renunciation of citizenship
14. Deprivation of citizenship of persons who exercise certain rights in other countries
The Minister may by order deprive any person, other than a person who is a citizen by birth, of his citizenship of the United Republic if the Minister is satisfied that that person has at any time while a citizen of the United Republic and of full age and capacity voluntarily claimed and exercised, in a foreign country, any right available to him under the law of that country, being a right accorded exclusively to its own citizens, and that it is not conducive to the public good that he should continue to be a citizen of the United Republic.15. Deprivation of citizenship of citizens by naturalisation
16. Deprivation of citizenship when person deprived of citizenship
17. Effect of renunciation or deprivation of citizenship
Part V – Supplemental provisions (ss. 18-27)
18. Married women
For the purposes of Parts III and IV, any woman who has been married shall be deemed to be of full age.19. Legitimated children
20. Posthumous children
Any reference in this Act to the national status of the father of a person at the time of the birth of that person shall, in relation to a person born after the death of his father, be construed as a reference to the national status of the father at the time of his death and where–21. Certificate of citizenship in cases of doubt
The Minister may, in any cases which he thinks fit, on the application of any person with respect to whose citizenship of the United Republic a doubt exists, whether on a question of fact or law, certify that that person is a citizen of the United Republic; and a certificate issued under this section shall, unless it is based on false representation or concealment of any material fact, be conclusive evidence that that person was a citizen on the date of the certificate, but without prejudice to any evidence that he was such a citizen at an earlier date.22. Manner of making applications
Every application for naturalisation under this Act as a citizen of the United Republic shall be made to the Minister and—23. Decision of Minister to be final
The Minister shall not be required to assign any reason for the grant or refusal to grant any application under this Act and the decision of the Minister on any application under this Act shall not be subject to appeal or review in any court.24. Renunciation of citizenship of other countries and declarations regarding residence
25. Evidence
26. Provisions relating to section 7
27. Offences
Part VI – Miscellaneous provisions (ss. 28-30)
28. Regulations
29. Repeal of R.L. Caps. 452 and 512
[Repeals the Citizenship Ordinance 4 and the Citizenship Act 5.]30. Savings
History of this document
22 May 2015 amendment not yet applied
Amended by
Immigration (Amendment) Act, 2015
31 July 2002 this version
Consolidation
01 February 1988
Commenced
Cited documents 1
Act 1
Documents citing this one 20
Judgment 9
Reported
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Gazette 5
Journal 3
Government Notice 2
Law Reform Report 1
Subsidiary legislation
Title
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Government Notice 337 of 2014 | |
Government Notice 185 of 2011 | |
Government Notice 658 of 1997 | |
Government Notice 432 of 2002 | |
Government Notice 69 of 1967 | |
Government Notice 431 of 1961 |