Namibia: Home Affairs clarifies citizenship rules, warns against misinformation
Published: 7/Jun/2026
Source: Informante (Windhoek)
THE Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security (MHAISS) has moved to dispel allegations that Namibian citizenship and national documents are being issued arbitrarily to foreign nationals who do not qualify.
In a media release issued by MHAISS Executive Director Nghidinua Daniel, the Ministry said “with serious concern” the misinformation regarding citizenship and national documents, stressing that Namibian citizenship is not granted arbitrarily and that every application undergoes a rigorous legal assessment and verification process under the Constitution and the existing laws.
“No person may obtain Namibian citizenship or national documents unless he or she satisfies the requirements prescribed by law,” said Daniel.
According to him, citizenship is governed by Article 4 of the Constitution and the Namibian Citizenship Act of 1990, while civil registration and identity documents are currently regulated by the Births, Marriages and Deaths Registration Act of 1963 and the Identification Act of 1996, respectively.
The Constitution provides for five citizenship categories, namely by birth, by descent, by marriage, by registration, and by naturalisation.
Except for citizens by birth and descent, all other categories must renounce foreign citizenship.
Daniel pointed out that being born in Namibia does not automatically confer citizenship.
He also noted that some foreign nationals only need permits, not citizenship, to regularise their stay in the country.
He also noted that possessing the old South West Africa identity documents is no proof of Namibian citizenship, as they were issued to all residents of the former territory regardless of citizenship status.
Daniel also pointed out that, following a 2024 nationwide mass registration campaign, individuals who did not meet legal requirements for citizenship have been recorded in a dedicated register and that their cases will be addressed once a new law on Statelessness Determination and Protection is enacted.
The Statelessness Determination and Protection Bill, along with amendments to the Citizenship Act and the Refugees Act, is being finalised to create a framework for identifying and protecting stateless persons while safeguarding immigration systems, he said.
Daniel also confirmed that the Regularisation of Status of Certain Residents of Namibia, their Descendants and Foreign Spouses Act of 2024 has been enacted. Regulations to operationalise the Act are being finalised. The law provides a mechanism for qualifying long-term residents, their descendants, and foreign spouses to regularise their status.
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