immigration.gov.mw : Apply For Citizenship Malawi

Organization : Department of Immigration
Type of Facility : Apply For Citizenship
Country: Malawi

Website : https://www.immigration.gov.mw/

Apply For Citizenship :

Citizenship Is a Pre-Requisite that one must belong to a certain nationality.

Related : Department of Immigration Apply For Permits : www.statusin.org/9722.html

Eligibility:
This is referred by the Citizenship Act CAP 15:01 of the Law of Malawi

It is for the holders of the Residence Permit eg:
** Business Residence Permit for above 5 years
** Permanent Residence Permit

How To Apply:
The department does not recognize agents but the applicants should come in person.

Where To Send The Forms:
** The applicant is supposed to submit the forms with relevant documents to Immigration Headquarters or Regional Immigration offices.
** The applicant must submit the forms with the prescribed processing fee

Processing Time:
The department aims at processing applications for Malawi citizenship within forty working days.

Processing Application:
** During the processing period the applicant may be called for interviews and submit other required documents.
** When the authorities are satisfied with the application, it is approved. Where the application is not successful the applicant is free to appeal with valid reasons.

Categories of Citizenship:
Minor:
A minor is a child who is 21 years below.

1. Citizenship by Birth (sec.4):
A person born in Malawi where one or both of the parents was born in Malawi.

2. Citizenship by Descent (sec.5):
A child born outside Malawi to one or both of the parents who are Malawi citizens by birth, that child is automatically Malawian and can obtain a Malawi passport provided is a minor.

2.1. Dual citizenship of minors:
Any person upon attainment of 21 years of age is a citizen of Malawi who also to his own knowledge is a citizen of some other country shall cease to be a citizen of Malawi on his 22nd birthday.

3. Dual citizenship for Adults (sec. 6):
A citizen of Malawi of full age and capacity shall not be entitled to any citizenship of any other country.

4. Citizenship by Marriage:
** A woman can obtain a Malawian Citizenship if is married to a Malawian and provided the person has stayed in Malawi on a valid permit for a period of not less than 5 years.
** A citizen of Malawi being a woman who acquires by marriage the citizenship of some country other than Malawi shall cease to be a citizen on the first anniversary of the date of that marriage unless before the anniversary she has made a declaration in writing.

5. Citizenship by Registration:
5.1 Citizenship by Registration of Commonwealth Citizens:
Any commonwealth citizen being a person of full age and capacity may be registered as a citizen of Malawi if he or she fulfils the following:-
** A person must have resided in Malawi for five(5) years or above
** Must have adequate knowledge of the prescribed vernacular languages
** Must be of good character.

5.2 Citizenship by Registration of wives of Malawi Citizens:
** Any woman, being a person of full capacity, who has been married to a citizen of Malawi can be registered as a citizen of Malawi provided she fulfils the following
** Marriage Certificate
** Photocopy of Citizenship certificate of husband(in some cases)
** Photocopies of husband’s passport

5.3 Citizenship by Registration of Stateless Persons:
A child born in Malawi to parents who are holders of different nationalities may register as a citizen of Malawi provided he or she fulfils the following:
** A person should be proved that has always been stateless and born in Malawi
** One of his parents was born in Malawi
** The person has been ordinarily resident in Malawi for 3 years
** The person has never been convicted or detained for behavior or to public security or imprisoned for five years or any other criminal offence.

6. Naturalization of aliens:
Any person being a non commonwealth citizen who has been resident in Malawi for over 7 years is eligible to apply for Malawi citizenship provided he or she has fulfilled the following:-
** Have adequate knowledge of English and any one of the prescribed venarcular languages
** Have good character suitable to be a citizen of Malawi.
** Financially solvent.

7. Citizenship by Conferment:
** Any person may be conferred Malawi citizenship in special circumstances on the discretion of the Minister.