Sierra Leone: Information on the right to Sierra Leonean citizenship of a Ghanaian who has resided in Sierra Leone since 1987 and is married to a Sierra Leone citizen: on the procedures to follow to become a Sierra Leone citizen; and on whether such a person has the status of a landed immigrant before becoming a Sierra Leone citizen
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 May 1993 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | SLE14118 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Sierra Leone: Information on the right to Sierra Leonean citizenship of a Ghanaian who has resided in Sierra Leone since 1987 and is married to a Sierra Leone citizen: on the procedures to follow to become a Sierra Leone citizen; and on whether such a person has the status of a landed immigrant before becoming a Sierra Leone citizen, 1 May 1993, SLE14118, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6aaf47c.html [accessed 21 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. |
According to a spokesperson for the Embassy of Sierra Leone in Washington, DC, a foreigner wanting to become a citizen of Sierra Leone must apply for Sierra Leone citizenship (10 May 1993). Being a resident of Sierra Leone or being married to a Sierra Leonean does not automatically qualify one for citizenship (Ibid.). To become a resident in Sierra Leone or obtain Sierra Leonean citizenship, one has to apply to the Department of Immigration in Freetown (Ibid.).
The same source said that the resident permit is valid for one year and is renewable, and as long as a foreign resident is in good standing with the law, the permit will be renewed (Ibid.). Marriage to a Sierra Leonean makes it easier for an application, either for residence or for citizenship, to be approved (Ibid.). The spokesperson explained that while a non-Sierra Leonean might become a citizen through naturalization, applicants will have to renounce their original citizenship as Sierra Leone does not recognize dual citizenship (Ibid.).
Additional and/or corroborative information on the requested subject could not be found among the sources currently available to the DIRB in Ottawa.
Reference
Embassy of Sierra Leone, Washington DC. 10 May 1993. Interview with Spokesperson.
