How to Get North Korea CitizenshipKey facts
- Residence for naturalisation
- No residence route
- Language
- No route
- Dual citizenship
- Citizens abroad only
- Civic test
- Not applicable: no residence-based route
- Criminal record
- Not applicable: no residence-based route
- Income condition
- Not applicable: no residence-based route
- Dual citizenship in detail
- Partly accepted: for citizens who naturalise abroad onlyCitizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship.
- Available routes
- Region
- Asia
- 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.
Descent (citizen parent)
This route covers children of a citizen of North Korea, subject to the conditions below. Under the law of North Korea, citizenship is acquired automatically, with no official decision involved.
Descent (born in country)
Person is born in North Korea to a citizen.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad to two citizens. Or person is born abroad to a citizen residing abroad and a foreign citizen, and the parents do not opt for the citizenship of another country within 3 months after the child's birth.
Child of a new citizen
A parent acquiring citizenship of North Korea is the basis of this route. Under the law of North Korea, citizenship is acquired automatically, with no official decision involved.
Parent of a minor under the age of 14 acquires citizenship. Child's consent is required if he/she is between the age of 14-16.
Stateless persons
For people without any citizenship, the rules below show what the law of North Korea provides. Under the law of North Korea, citizenship is acquired automatically, with no official decision involved.
Foundlings
Person is born in North Korea to unknown parents.
Otherwise stateless (born in country)
Person is born to stateless parents residing in North Korea.
Special achievements
This route covers people recognised for special achievements or for contributions to North Korea, subject to the conditions below. A decision rests with the authorities, who may refuse despite the conditions being fulfilled.
Person can acquire citizenship by petition. No conditions are stipulated.
Not available in North Korea: Naturalisation (residence), Marriage or civil partnership, Birth in the country, Adoption, Other family members of citizens, Former citizens (reacquisition), 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
North Korea accepts dual citizenship in one direction: citizens who naturalise abroad.
- New citizens
- Not applicable: no residence-based route
- Citizens who naturalise abroad
- Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship
Compare with neighbours
Compare North Korea with all countries in the residence ranking
| Country | Residence | Language | Dual citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
 China | No route | No route | Not accepted |
 Japan | 5 years | None | Not accepted |
 Mongolia | 5 years | Required, no test | Citizens abroad only |
 South Korea | 5 years | Required, no test | Not accepted |
 Taiwan | 5 years | Required, no test | Citizens abroad only |
Official sources
Official government page: not yet linked.
Cite this page
TravelDecl. (n.d.). How to Get North Korea Citizenship. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/north-korea/
<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/north-korea/">How to Get North Korea 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 North Korean citizen?
No number of years applies: North Korea has no ordinary naturalisation route. Other routes are listed on this page.
Does North Korea allow dual citizenship?
In part. The law of North Korea accepts dual citizenship for its citizens who naturalise abroad, not generally for new citizens.
Do I need a language test for North Korean citizenship?
Residence alone does not lead to naturalisation under the law of North Korea.
Is there a civic knowledge test for North Korean citizenship?
Residence-based naturalisation is not available as a route to North Korean citizenship.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship to get North Korean citizenship?
This question does not apply, since no residence-based naturalisation route exists for North Korean citizenship.
Can I get North Korea citizenship by marriage?
The data codes no separate marriage route for North Korea. Spouses would use another route in the law, if one applies.
Can I get North Korea citizenship by descent?
Yes. A child of a citizen can acquire citizenship of North Korea by descent. Procedure: automatic.
Can I get North Korea citizenship by investment?
No investment route is coded in the law of North Korea.
Related pages
Also see: North Korea passport, visa-free access and entry rules. Latest law changes.
Corrections to this page are handled by Sarah Kim, Fact-Checker.