Tanzania Citizenship Information

The Tanzania Citizenship Act 1995 is the primary legislation governing citizenship. Key provisions include:

Acquiring Tanzanian Citizenship

• By birth: A person born in Tanzania to at least one Tanzanian parent is a citizen by birth
• By descent: A person born outside Tanzania to a Tanzanian parent may acquire citizenship by descent, but must register the birth with RITA through an embassy
• By naturalisation: A foreign national who has resided legally in Tanzania for at least 5 years may apply for citizenship. They must renounce their previous nationality
• By marriage: A foreign spouse of a Tanzanian citizen may apply for citizenship after 5 years of marriage and residence in Tanzania

Loss of Tanzanian Citizenship

A Tanzanian citizen loses their citizenship if they:

• Voluntarily acquire citizenship of another country
• Voluntarily renounce Tanzanian citizenship
• Obtained citizenship through fraud, false representation, or concealment of material facts
• Are found to be disloyal or disaffected towards Tanzania (rare, ministerial power)

If you are a Tanzanian citizen living abroad and considering naturalisation in your host country, you should be aware of the following:

• Loss of passport: You will lose the right to hold a Tanzanian passport. Your existing passport will be cancelled
• Property rights: Non-citizens face restrictions on land ownership in Tanzania. However, former citizens may still hold rights under existing land agreements
• Voting rights: You will lose the right to vote in Tanzanian elections
• Entry to Tanzania: You will need a visa to enter Tanzania as a foreign national
• Employment restrictions: You will require a work permit to work in Tanzania

Dual Citizenship Debate

There has been ongoing public discussion about allowing dual citizenship in Tanzania. The proposed 2014 constitution (Katiba Mpya) included provisions for dual citizenship, but the constitutional review process was suspended. As of 2026, dual citizenship remains prohibited. Any changes would require amendments to the Citizenship Act 1995 by Parliament.

Tanzanians who wish to formally renounce their citizenship can do so through the Ministry of Home Affairs. The process involves:

1. Written declaration of renunciation
2. Submission through a Tanzania embassy (if abroad)
3. Surrender of Tanzanian passport
4. Issuance of a certificate of renunciation

Note: In practice, acquiring foreign citizenship automatically results in loss of Tanzanian citizenship, making formal renunciation unnecessary in most cases.

Children born abroad to Tanzanian parents may have Tanzanian citizenship by descent. However, complications can arise:

• If the child automatically acquires citizenship of the country of birth (e.g., US, Canada, UK), and the parents register them as Tanzanian citizens, a dual citizenship situation arises
• In practice, Tanzania may not enforce the single citizenship requirement on minor children, but the issue may arise when the child reaches adulthood
• Parents should register the birth with the embassy and obtain a Tanzanian birth certificate through RITA
• Legal advice should be sought for complex citizenship situations

Dual citizenship policy in East Africa:

• Kenya: Allows dual
• Uganda: Allows dual
• Rwanda: Allows dual
• Tanzania: Does NOT allow
• Burundi: Does NOT allow