Becoming a Kenyan citizen will give you more privileges in the country, such as exercising democracy, where you are allowed to vote for your preferred candidate, you can hold a position in politics, you can easily do business in the country, and you are allowed to travel abroad to various countries, among others.
There are mainly three ways of becoming a Kenyan citizen, which are:
- By birth.
- Registration.
- Marriage.
Let us now discuss the procedure on how to become a Kenyan citizen using the three ways mentioned above.
Birth
- If a person is born within the boundaries of Kenya, he or she is said to be a Kenyan citizen, whether the person’s parents are Kenyan citizens or not.
- A child of less than 8 years of age whose parents’ identity is not known is said to be a Kenyan citizen.
- A person who ceased to be a Kenyan citizen and was born in Kenya can regain Kenyan citizenship.
- A person is considered a Kenyan citizen by birth when he or she is born outside the country with parents who are or were Kenyan citizens.
This is how you become a Kenyan citizen by birth.
Registration
- A person who has been living lawfully in Kenya for a period of at least seven years can apply for Kenyan citizenship through registration.
- An adopted child whose parents are Kenyan citizens is obliged to apply for Kenyan citizenship through registration.
- Parliament has enacted legislation allowing citizens of other countries to become registered as Kenyan citizens after satisfying the given conditions on an effective date.
These are some of the ways in which you can become a Kenyan citizen through registration.
Marriage
When a person is married to a Kenyan citizen, he or she is entitled to gain Kenyan citizenship by providing the following:
- Duly completed application form 8 attested to by the commissioner of oaths.
- Well filled questionnaires.
- A copy of the marriage certificate.
- Passport copy of an applicant.
- Joint sworn in affidavit.
- Copy of the Kenyan spouse’s ID or passport.
- Copy of the defendant’s permit or spouse.
- Certificate of good conduct.
These requirements are needed as they will play an important role in how to become a Kenyan citizen by marriage.
How a Foreigner Becomes a Kenyan Citizen
Are you curious to know how a foreigner becomes a Kenyan citizen? Well, a foreigner becomes a Kenyan citizen when he or she has been lawfully resident in Kenya for a continuous period of not less than 7 years and has satisfied the prescribed conditions by an Act of Parliament. This is how you become a Kenyan citizen as a foreigner.
Citizenship Types in Kenya
You may wish to know the types of citizenship in Kenya, which include:
- Citizenship by naturalization.
- Dual citizenship.
- Regain citizenship.
- Citizenship by marriage.
- Endorsement citizenship.
- Widows and widowers.
- Stateless persons.
These are the types of citizenships in Kenya
Conditions to Apply for Kenyan Citizenship
Non-Kenyans wishing to apply for Kenyan citizenship should be able to satisfy these conditions.
- Living lawfully in Kenya for a period of not less than 7 years continuously.
- Has been a Kenyan resident under the authority of a valid permit.
- Has more knowledge about the rights and duties of citizens as contained in the ACT.
- You should be able to understand and speak Kiswahili, or any local dialect.
- Has not been convicted of an offense and sentenced to imprisonment for three years or longer.
- Understand the nature of the application under subsection (1).
- Satisfies the cabinet secretary that he or she intends to reside in Kenya after registration.
Conclusion
In brief, becoming a Kenyan citizen is easy based on the type of information you have at hand, especially through registration. Following the given steps will help you gain Kenyan citizenship without any complications.
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