Bahrain: Whether a woman born in Bahrain to an Iranian father and a Bahrain mother and who left Bahrain in 1998 can obtain Bahrain citizenship
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 19 April 2004 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | BHR42505.E |
| Reference | 7 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Bahrain: Whether a woman born in Bahrain to an Iranian father and a Bahrain mother and who left Bahrain in 1998 can obtain Bahrain citizenship, 19 April 2004, BHR42505.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/41501bf12a.html [accessed 19 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. |
A counsellor at the Embassy of the State of Bahrain in Washington DC stated that although a child's citizenship is determined through the father's side in Bahrain, it may be possible for a woman, who was born in Bahrain to an Iranian father and a Bahrain mother and who left Bahrain in 1998, to obtain citizenship (13 Apr. 2004). The counsellor added that the woman should contact the General Directorate of Immigration and Passports of the Ministry of Interior in Bahrain to obtain information on how to file a citizenship application since the Embassy does not process such requests (Embassy 13 Apr. 2004). Unsuccessful attempts to obtain citizenship information from the General Directorate of Immigration and Passports of the Ministry of Interior were made by the Research Directorate.
According to a document produced by the United States Office of Personnel Management in March 2001, a person can obtain citizenship in Bahrain by birth, descent or naturalization:
BY BIRTH:
– Child born in territory of Bahrain after September 16, 1963, whose father is a citizen of Bahrain (born and domiciled), provided the child does not have another nationality.
– Child born in territory of Bahrain after September 16, 1963, of unknown parents.
- BY DESCENT: Child born after September 16, 1963, whose father or grandfather was a Bahraini citizen by birth.
- BY NATURALIZATION: Bahraini citizenship may be acquired upon fulfillment of the following conditions:
– Person has lived continuously in Bahrain since September 16, 1963, for at least 25 years. (15 years for person of Arab descent)
– Person must be of good character, have a good command of Arabic, and have an estate registered in his or her name in Bahrain.
– Person must have acquired permission from the ruler of Bahrain (United States, 27).
The same document states that dual citizenship is not recognized in Bahrain (United States March 2001, 27).
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
Embassy of the State of Bahrain, Washington DC. 13 April 2004. Interview with a Counsellor.
United States. March 2001. Office of Personnel Management. Citizenship Laws of the World. Additional Sources Consulted
Internet sites, including: Cornell Legal Information Institute; Ecoi.net; Embassy of the State of Bahrain in Washington DC; General Directorate of Immigration and Passports, Ministry of the Interior; Kingdom of Bahrain; Law Library of Congress; World Wide Web Virtual Library, Islamic and Middle Eastrern Law Materials on the Net: Country Index.
