The Ministry of Internal Affairs has clarified the requirements for obtaining Ugandan citizenship by birth and naturalisation, in accordance with the 1995 Constitution of Uganda.

Under Chapter 3 of the Constitution (Articles 9-19), specific criteria define a citizen of Uganda by birth.

According to Article 10(a), a person qualifies as a citizen by birth if they are born in Uganda and at least one parent or grandparent is or was a member of one of the indigenous communities listed in the third schedule of the Constitution as of February 1, 1926.

The statement elaborated on the conditions for citizenship by birth, emphasizing that to be a citizen of Uganda by birth, the following conditions must be met: the person may or may not be born in Uganda.

It adds that at least one parent or grandparent must belong to one of the 65 indigenous communities listed in the Constitution; the community must be listed in the 3rd schedule of the 1995 Constitution.

The law also says the indigenous community must have existed and resided within Uganda's borders as of February 1, 1926.

The Ministry underscored that being born in Uganda alone does not automatically qualify a person for this category of citizenship.

For individuals who do not meet these criteria, citizenship by naturalization is an available option under Section 16(5) of the Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act Cap 313.

The statement noted that if individuals do not meet the criteria outlined in the Citizenship by Birth section and have been living in the country since, they have the option to apply for naturalization.

The process for naturalization includes a fee of Shs 100,000, and applications can be submitted online.

Once approved, applicants will receive a certificate that can be used to apply for a National ID, among other requirements.