ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
SECTION
1. Short title
2. Interpretation
3. Establishment of Citizenship Committee
4. Citizenship by birth
5. Citizenship by descent
6. Citizenship by settlement
7. Citizenship by adoption
8. Registration of adopted child over three years old
9. Registration of a minor child of citizen
10. President's power to register citizens
11. Effect of registration as a citizen
12. Naturalisation
13. Qualifications for naturalisation
14. Naturalisation of foreign spouse
15. Dual citizenship
16. Renunciation of citizenship by reason of dual citizenship or nationality
17. Resumption of citizenship
18. Deprivation of citizenship
19. Commonwealth citizen
20. Posthumous children
21. Certificate of citizenship in case of doubt
22. Decision of Minister to be final
23. Evidence
24. Offences
25. Regulations
26. Preservation of existing citizenship
27. Saving
Act 8, 1998,
Act 9, 2002,
Act 1, 2004.
An Act to re-enact with amendments the provisions relating to the acquisition and loss of citizenship of Botswana and for matters related thereto.
[Date of Commencement: 24th April, 1998]
This Act may be cited as the Citizenship Act.
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—
"certificate of naturalisation" means a certificate of naturalisation under this Act;
"child" includes a child born out of wedlock, and the expressions "father", "mother" and "parent" shall be construed accordingly;
"prescribed" means prescribed by regulations.
3. Establishment of Citizenship Committee
(1) There is hereby established a committee to be known as the Citizenship Committee which shall be responsible for considering every application for naturalisation made under this Act and making recommendations thereon to the Minister.
(2) The Committee shall consist of the following persons—
(a) three persons from the general public appointed by the Minister, one of whom shall be appointed Chairman of the Committee by the Minister;
(b) one member of the National Assembly appointed by the Minister who shall be Vice-Chairman of the Committee;
(c) the Commissioner of Police or his representative who shall be of a rank of not less than Assistant Commissioner of Police;
(d) the Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs;
(e) the Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry; and
(f) one member of the Ntlo ya Dikgosi appointed by the Minister.
(3) The members appointed under this section shall hold office for three years, but shall be eligible for re-appointment.
(4) The Committee shall regulate its own rules of procedure in considering applications for naturalisation.
(5) A person appointed as a member of the Citizenship Committee under subsection (2) shall be paid such remuneration and allowances as may be determined.
(6) The Secretary of the Committee shall be the Chief Immigration Officer, or his representative.
(7) In the exercise of his functions under section 12, the Minister shall consult the Citizenship Committee.
(1) A person born in Botswana shall be a citizen of Botswana by birth if, at the time of his birth, his father or mother was a citizen of Botswana.
This section of the article is only available for our subscribers. Please click here to subscribe to a subscription plan to view this part of the article.