Tanzania: Information on whether a child's inclusion in a father's Tanzanian passport is a Tanzanian citizen, and whether the child could be included in a Tanzanian passport "for travel purposes only"
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 December 1994 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | TZA19171.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Tanzania: Information on whether a child's inclusion in a father's Tanzanian passport is a Tanzanian citizen, and whether the child could be included in a Tanzanian passport "for travel purposes only", 1 December 1994, TZA19171.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6acb473.html [accessed 7 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to a staff member of the Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania in Washington, DC, a child included in the passport of a Tanzanian father is not necessarily a Tanzanian citizen and the child could be included in the passport "for travel purposes only" (8 Dec. 1994). The staff member explained that only Tanzanian citizens can carry Tanzanian passports. A child born in Tanzania to a Tanzanian father is automatically a Tanzanian citizen (ibid.). Consequently, such a child of Tanzanian citizenship appearing in the passport of a Tanzanian passport holder is a Tanzanian citizen (ibid.).
However, a dual citizenship situation regarding a Tanzanian child may arise when she/he is born in a country, that automatically recognizes the child as a citizen by reason of birth on its territory (ibid.). According to the staff member, Tanzania does not recognize dual citizenship. Thus, a father who decides to keep the non-Tanzanian citizenship of a child can have the child included in his passport "for travel purposes only" (ibid.). On the other hand, the father could decide that the child should travel on the passport of his/her new country (ibid.). In this case, the child would not be included in the father's Tanzanian passport (ibid.). The DIRB is unable to corroborate this information at the present time.
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
Reference
Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania, Washington, DC. 8 December 1994. Telephone interview with staff member.
