How to Get Eswatini CitizenshipKey facts
- Residence for naturalisation
- 5 years
- Language
- Required, no test
- Dual citizenship
- New citizens only
- Civic test
- No civic knowledge requirement
- Criminal record
- No criminal record condition in the law
- Income condition
- Income or economic resources must be shown
- Dual citizenship in detail
- Partly accepted: for new citizens onlyNew citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship.Authorities can withdraw citizenship from citizens who naturalise abroad.
- Available routes
- Region
- Africa
- Law in force as of
- 1 January 2024
- Last checked
- Not yet checked by our team
The rule text in the sections below was coded for the law on 1 January 2024. A November 2026 search found no later change for this country, but this has not been verified.
Naturalisation (residence)
Residence in Eswatini is the basis of this route, together with the other conditions below. Authorities retain discretion and may refuse an application even when the conditions are met.
- Residence
- 5 years
Person is ordinarily resident for at least 12 months prior to aplication and 5 years during the previous 7 years.
- Previous citizenship
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Language
- Required, no test or certificate specified
Knowledge of SiSwati or English required
- Civic knowledge
- No civic knowledge requirement
- Criminal record
- No criminal record condition in the law
- Income or economic resources
- Income or economic resources must be shown
Adequate means of support, person has contributed to development of the country.
Marriage or civil partnership
Marriage to a citizen of Eswatini is the basis of this route, together with the conditions below. An application is required, and citizenship must be granted once the legal conditions are met.
Person is a woman married to a citizen.
Descent (citizen parent)
For a person with a parent who is a citizen of Eswatini, the rules below set out how this route works. The law of Eswatini confers citizenship automatically, independent of any administrative decision.
Descent (born in country)
Person is born in Eswatini to a father who is a citizen, or to a mother who is a citizen and the father does not adopt or claim the child.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad to a father who is a citizen who was born in the country, or to a mother who is a citizen who was born in the country and the father does not adopt or claim the child, and the person notifies desire to retain citizenship within 1 year after reaching age of majority.
Adoption
For people adopted by citizens of Eswatini, the rules below set out what applies. The law of Eswatini confers citizenship automatically, independent of any administrative decision.
Person is a child adopted by a citizen under legislation relating to adoption or customary law.
Other family members of citizens
This route covers certain family members not covered by the marriage or descent routes in Eswatini. The law of Eswatini confers citizenship automatically, independent of any administrative decision.
Person born after the death of the father shall be deemed to be a citizen on the same terms as if father were still alive.
Ethnic or cultural affinity
This route covers people with an ethnic or cultural link to Eswatini, subject to the conditions below. The law of Eswatini confers citizenship automatically, independent of any administrative decision.
Person is born in or outside Eswatini before the constitution came into force, and parent was a member of a class of persons generally regarded as Swazi by descent and subsequently declared by law to be citizens of Eswatini.
Stateless persons
Statelessness, or the risk of it, is the basis of this route in Eswatini. The law of Eswatini confers citizenship automatically, independent of any administrative decision.
Person who is a child of not more than 7 years found in Eswatini shall be deemed to have been born in Eswatini.
Not available in Eswatini: Birth in the country, Child of a new citizen, Former citizens (reacquisition), Citizens of specific countries, Residence during childhood, Very long residence, Refugees, Special achievements, Public or military service, Investment. Coded by GLOBALCIT for 1 January 2024 and updated with in-force changes.
Dual citizenship
Dual citizenship in Eswatini is accepted for new citizens, but not generally for citizens who naturalise abroad.
- New citizens
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Citizens who naturalise abroad
- Authorities can withdraw citizenship from citizens who naturalise abroad
Person has shown himself by any overt act other than marriage to have acquired another citizenship, or person has by any voluntary act other than marriage acquired another citizenship.
Compare with neighbours
The period of 5 years set under the law of Eswatini is also the most common one in Southern Africa.
See how Eswatini compares with every country in the residence ranking
| Country | Residence | Language | Dual citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
 Botswana | 10 years | Required, no test | New citizens only |
 Lesotho | 5 years | Required, no test | Citizens abroad only |
 Namibia | 10 years | None | Citizens abroad only |
 South Africa | 5 years | Required, no test | New citizens only |
Official sources
This page was located by search and has not yet been checked by our team.
Naturalisation provisions: Constitution: Art. 45.
Cite this page
TravelDecl. (n.d.). How to Get Eswatini Citizenship. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/eswatini/
<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/eswatini/">How to Get Eswatini Citizenship</a> (TravelDecl, retrieved 5 November 2026)
Sources and licence
Vink, van der Baaren, Bauböck, Džankić, Honohan, Manby (2025). GLOBALCIT Citizenship Law Dataset v3.1. Global Citizenship Observatory, https://hdl.handle.net/1814/73190. CC BY 4.0. Modified by TravelDecl.
Modified by TravelDecl: updated with changes after 1 January 2024.
GLOBALCIT codes the law as written. Fees, processing times, quotas and how officials apply the rules in practice are not in this dataset: check them with the official authority.
FAQ
How many years to become a Swazi citizen?
The residence period for ordinary naturalisation in Eswatini is 5 years. Other legal conditions also apply.
Does Eswatini allow dual citizenship?
Only in one direction: people who naturalise in Eswatini, but not generally its citizens who naturalise abroad.
Do I need a language test for Swazi citizenship?
Language ability is required for Swazi citizenship, though no test or certificate is specified.
Is there a civic knowledge test for Swazi citizenship?
Applicants for Swazi citizenship are not asked to demonstrate civic knowledge.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship to get Swazi citizenship?
There is no obligation to renounce your current citizenship to get Swazi citizenship. The law of your current country may have its own rules on this.
Can I get Eswatini citizenship by marriage?
Yes, Eswatini provides a marriage route. Procedure: entitlement.
Can I get Eswatini citizenship by descent?
Yes, the law of Eswatini provides citizenship by descent from a citizen parent. Procedure: automatic.
Can I get Eswatini citizenship by investment?
The data shows no investment route for Eswatini.
Related pages
Also see: Eswatini passport, visa-free access and entry rules. Latest law changes.
Corrections to this page are handled by Sarah Kim, Fact-Checker.