Nationality in Chad is governed by the 1962 Ordonnance establishing the nationality code, which provides for any child born in Chad to acquire nationality automatically at birth and for transmission of nationality on an equal basis by either parent.

In 2009, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child expressed appreciation in the progress which Chad has made in increasing birth registrations, but remained concerned that Chad has one of the lowest rates of birth registration in Africa, and especially at the low rates of registration for children of Sudanese and other foreign parents.