Chad: Citizenship laws, including methods by which a person may obtain citizenship; whether dual citizenship is recognized and if so, how it is acquired; process for renouncing citizenship and related documentation; grounds for withdrawing citizenship
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa |
| Publication Date | 10 April 2007 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | TCD102298.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Chad: Citizenship laws, including methods by which a person may obtain citizenship; whether dual citizenship is recognized and if so, how it is acquired; process for renouncing citizenship and related documentation; grounds for withdrawing citizenship, 10 April 2007, TCD102298.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/47d6547a23.html [accessed 22 May 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. |
Information on citizenship in Chad was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. Citizenship Laws of the World provides some information. Chad's citizenship is governed by regulation no. 33 dated 14 August 1962 (ordonnance n. 33 du 14 août 1962 portant Code de la nationalité) (Chad 24 July 1997; see also US Mar. 2001, 49). A person born in Chad does not automatically obtain citizenship unless his or her parents are unknown (ibid.; see also Chad 24 July 1997). Chad's citizenship legislation is based on ancestry (ibid.). Citizenship is conferred to children whose parents are both citizens of Chad (ibid.). When only one parent is a citizen of Chad, a child can only become a citizen if he or she would be rendered stateless without it (ibid.). In addition to acquiring citizenship by descent, individuals may acquire Chadian citizenship by naturalization (ibid.). Naturalization requires a person to have lived in Chad for a minimum of 15 years and to have sound health and good morals (ibid.). Citizenship Laws of the World notes that the 14 August 1962 regulation does not address dual citizenship (US Mar. 2001, 49). The citizenship legislation indicates that a child born in Chad can be a citizen as long as he or she has not acquired citizenship in another country (Chad 24 July 1997). No further information on dual citizenship in Chad was found by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
Citizenship Laws of the World indicates that Chadian citizenship may be voluntarily renounced, and may also be revoked by order of the president on the grounds of having engaged in activities contrary to the national interest (US Mar. 2001, 49).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Chad. 24 July 1997. Rapports initiaux des états parties devant être présentés pour 1992: Chad. Comité des droits de l'enfant. (CRC/C/3/Add.50)
United States (US). March 2001. Office of Personnel Management. "Chad." Citizenship Laws of the World.
Additional Sources Consulted
Oral sources, including: The Embassy of Chad in Washington did not provide information to the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
Internet sources, including: Amnesty International (AI); British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC); European Country of Origin Information Networks (ecoi.net); Human Rights Watch (HRW); International Labour Organization; Organisation internationale de la francophonie; Radio France-Internationale (RFI); Reliefweb; Office of the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Refugees; UN Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN); U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI); United States (US) Department of State; World Legal Resource Centre.
