How to Get Mozambique CitizenshipKey facts
- Residence for naturalisation
- 10 years
- Language
- Required, no test
- Dual citizenship
- Accepted
- Civic test
- No civic knowledge requirement
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
- Income condition
- Income or economic resources must be shown
- Dual citizenship in detail
- Accepted in both directionsNew citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship.Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship.
- 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)
For foreign nationals living in Mozambique, this is the ordinary route based on residence. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
- Residence
- 10 years
Person has been habitually and legally resident in Mozambique for at least 10 years.
- Previous citizenship
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Language
- Required, no test or certificate specified
Person must know Portuguese or a Mozambican language
- Civic knowledge
- No civic knowledge requirement
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
Civil probity required.
- Income or economic resources
- Income or economic resources must be shown
Person can ensure own subsistence.
Marriage or civil partnership
For spouses of citizens of Mozambique, the rules below set out what this route requires. Where the legal conditions are met, an application leads to a mandatory grant of citizenship.
Person has been married to a citizen for at least 5 years.
Descent (citizen parent)
This route covers children of a citizen of Mozambique, subject to the conditions below.
Person is child of a citizen working for the Mozambican state.
Person is the child of a citizen and declares through legal representatives or on own behalf, during the year after s/he turns 18, that s/he wishes to be Mozambican.
Birth in the country
Birth in Mozambique is the starting point of this route, together with the conditions below. Mozambique grants citizenship by operation of law, requiring no decision from any authority.
Birth in country
Person is born in Mozambique after independence. Other conditions: if one parent is in the employment of another country, the person must declare that s/he wishes to be Mozambican either through legal representatives or on own behalf, during the year after s/he turns 18.
Birth in country (two generations)
Person is born in Mozambique of one parent also born there.
Child of a new citizen
A parent acquiring citizenship of Mozambique is the basis of this route. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person is the minor unmarried child of a person who has acquired citizenship.
Adoption
This route covers people adopted by a citizen of Mozambique, subject to the conditions below. Mozambique grants citizenship by operation of law, requiring no decision from any authority.
Person is fully adopted by a citizen.
Former citizens (reacquisition)
Earlier citizenship of Mozambique is the basis of this route. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person is a former citizen who establishes domicile in Mozambique and fulfils other requirements established by law.
Person is a female former citizen who lost her Mozambican citizenship due to marriage to a foreigner (no further requirements).
Stateless persons
For people without any citizenship, the rules below show what the law of Mozambique provides. Mozambique grants citizenship by operation of law, requiring no decision from any authority.
Person is born in Mozambique to parents who are stateless or of unknown citizenship.
Special achievements
This route covers people recognised for special achievements or for contributions to Mozambique, subject to the conditions below. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person has rendered relevant service to the State. Other requirements: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation (except residence and language requirement).
Not available in Mozambique: Other family members of citizens, Citizens of specific countries, Ethnic or cultural affinity, Residence during childhood, Very long residence, Refugees, Public or military service, Investment. Based on the GLOBALCIT coding of the law, updated with in-force changes.
Dual citizenship
Mozambique accepts dual citizenship in both directions.
- New citizens
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Citizens who naturalise abroad
- Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship
Compare with neighbours
Across Eastern Africa, the most common requirement is 10 years, and Mozambique sets the same period.
Compare Mozambique with all countries in the residence ranking
| Country | Residence | Language | Dual citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
 Burundi | 10 years | Assimilation only | Accepted |
 Comoros | 10 years | Assimilation only | Accepted |
 Djibouti | 10 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 South Sudan | 10 years | None | Accepted |
 Uganda | 10 years | Test or certificate | Accepted |
 Zambia | 10 years | None | Accepted |
Official sources
This page was located by search and has not yet been checked by our team.
Naturalisation provisions: Constitution: Art. 27.
Cite this page
TravelDecl. (n.d.). How to Get Mozambique Citizenship. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/mozambique/
<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/mozambique/">How to Get Mozambique 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 Mozambican citizen?
10 years of residence is required for ordinary naturalisation in Mozambique, plus further conditions.
Does Mozambique allow dual citizenship?
Yes. The law of Mozambique accepts dual citizenship for new citizens and for citizens who naturalise abroad.
Do I need a language test for Mozambican citizenship?
Knowledge of the language is required, yet no formal test is defined.
Is there a civic knowledge test for Mozambican citizenship?
There is no civic knowledge requirement for Mozambican citizenship.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship to get Mozambican citizenship?
Your current citizenship does not need to be given up to get Mozambican citizenship. The law of your current country may have its own rules on this.
Can I get Mozambique citizenship by marriage?
Yes, the law of Mozambique has a route for spouses. Procedure: entitlement.
Can I get Mozambique citizenship by descent?
Yes. A child of a citizen can acquire citizenship of Mozambique by descent. Procedure: automatic, entitlement.
Can I get Mozambique citizenship by investment?
No investment route is coded in the law of Mozambique.
Related pages
Also see: Mozambique passport, visa-free access and entry rules. Latest law changes.
Corrections to this page are handled by Sarah Kim, Fact-Checker.