Kristy A. Belton
Table 3 Spouses of citizens – Special Registration
Procedure
Residency
Knowledge of
English
Oath
Other
Conditions23
3 years24
N
N
N
Y
N
N
Y25
N
N
Y (unless a
CW citizen)
Y
Belize
Dominica
Grenada
Entitlement
Entitlement (noncitizen
spouse of male citizen only)
Entitlement
(noncitizen spouse of male
citizen only)
Discretionary
Discretionary
Entitlement
1 year
3 years
5 years
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Guyana
Jamaica
Entitlement
Entitlement
N
N
N
N
St. Kitts & Nevis
Entitlement
N26
N
St. Lucia
Entitlement
Y27
N
St. Vincent & the
Grenadines
Trinidad & Tobago
Entitlement
N
N
Entitlement
N
N
N
Y
Y (unless a
CW citizen)
Y
Y (unless a
CW citizen)
Y (unless a
CW citizen)
Y (unless a
CW citizen)
Y (unless a
CW citizen)
Y (unless a
CW citizen)
Antigua & Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y28
CW citizen = Commonwealth citizen
23
“Other conditions” typically refer to the ability of the Minister to deny the citizenship registration application due to national security concerns, the individual’s lack of a
“sound mind,” etc.
24
The foreign spouse must have been living with the citizen spouse for the duration of this period.
25
Spouse must renounce original citizenship.
26
Three years residency is required only for those spouses who are now divorced from the citizen spouse, but who had lived for at least three years with the citizen spouse
prior to Independence.
27
No specific number of years listed for spouses who acquire citizenship via registration, and the Citizenship Act only states that the Minister may deny the application if the
applicant does not reside in the country.
28
Spouse must renounce original citizenship.
RSCAS/GLOBALCIT-Comp. 2020/3 - © 2020 Authors
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