Lesotho: Refugee Act No.18 of 1983
Published: 9/Aug/1983
Establishes the regime for grant of refugee status. Section 14 provides:
14. Naturalization
(1) The Minister may, in consultation with the Committee, if application thereof is made to him by a refugee who satisfies him that he is qualified under the Schedule for naturalization, grant such a refugee a certificate of naturalization.
(2) There shall be charged minimal fees in respect of naturalization under sub-section(1).
(3) A refugee to whom a certificate is granted under such sub-section (1) shall become a citizen of Lesotho by naturalization from the date of the grant of the certificate.
SCHEDULE – Section 14(1) – Qualifications for Naturalization
1.Subject to paragraph 2 of the Schedule, the qualifications for naturalization of a refugee who applies are that:
(a) he has resided in Lesotho throughout the period of twelve months immediately preceding the period of the application;
(b) immediately preceding that said period of twelve months he has resided in Lesotho for periods amounting in the aggregate to not less than five years;
(c) he has an adequate knowledge of Sesotho or English;
(d) he is of good character;
(e) he would be a suitable citizen of Lesotho; and
(f) he intends, if naturalized, to continue to reside permanently in Lesotho.
2. The Minister may, in the special circumstances of any particular case, allow periods of residence earlier than 5 years before the date of application to be taken into account in computing the aggregate referred to in paragraph 1(b) of this Schedule.
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