UNHCR, APRIL 2023
REFUGEES FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION
Tables on comparative nationality laws
DRC: Loi No. 04-024 du 12 novembre 2004 relative à la nationalité congolaise (as incorporated into Loi n°
87-010 du 1er aout 1987 portant Code de la famille, modifié 2016)
Rwanda: Organic Law N° 002/2021.OL of 16/07/2021 governing Rwandan nationality
Uganda: Constitution of Uganda 1995, as amended 2005; Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control
Act, Act 3 of 1999, as amended 2009
Table 1: Right to nationality based on birth in the territory
Birth
in country
COUNTRY
Birth and one
parent also born
DRC~
Rwanda
Uganda
Birth and
resident at
majority
Child otherwise
stateless (os)
Parents
stateless (s) or
unknown (u)
(JS)
os
s+ u
(JS)
(os)
(s + u)
Abandoned
infants
Relevant legal provision
(most recent amendment
in brackets)
L2004Arts8&9
(x)
x
JS~
L2021 Arts9,10, 19
C1995(2005) Arts10-11
L1999(2009) Secs12-14
JS
jus soli attribution: a child born in the country is a citizen (with exclusions for children of diplomats and some other categories).
()
an application is required
JS/2
double jus soli attribution: child born in country of one parent also born in the country is a citizen.
^
A person born in or outside of South Sudan is South Sudanese if any parent, grandparent or great -grandparent was born in South Sudan.
~
racial, ethnic or religious discrimination in law impacts on jus soli rights (in Uganda, the jus soli provision applies only to those who are members of
an “indigenous community”).
Table 2: Right to nationality based on descent
COUNTRY
BORN IN COUNTRY
In wedlock
+ Father (F) &/or
Mother (M) is a
national
BORN ABROAD
Out of wedlock
+ Father (F) &/or
Mother (M) is a
national
In wedlock
+ Father (F) &/or
Mother (M) is a
national
Legal Provision
Date Gender
equality
achieved
C2005Art10
L2004Arts4,6,7
L2021Art6
1981
C1995(2005) Art10
L1999(2009) Sec12
1967
Out of wedlock
+ Father (F) &/or
Mother (M) is a
national
DRC~
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
Rwanda
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
Uganda ~
R^
R^
R^
R^
R^
R^
R^
R^
2004
n/a not available .
R
child is citizen from birth as of right.
C
can claim citizenship following an administrative process (including compulsory birth registration, establishing parentage, o r registration with
consular authorities).
Rx1
child born outside country is citizen as of right only if one parent both a citizen and born in country.
^
Rights to citizenship from grandparents: if born in or outside the country and one grandparent is a citizen (Uganda) or one great-grandparent was
born in South Sudan (South Sudan).
~
racial, religious or ethnic discrimination in citizenship law. In Uganda, a child is not a citizen if born in the country unless the parent is citizen by birth
– requiring membership of one of the indigenous communities listed in the 3rd schedule to the constitution; in DRC, there is preferential access for
those who are members of one of the communities making up DRC at independence (not listed).
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