How to Get Pakistan CitizenshipKey facts
- Residence for naturalisation
- 5 years
- Language
- Required, no test
- Dual citizenship
- Not accepted
- Civic test
- No civic knowledge requirement
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
- Income condition
- No income condition in the law
- Dual citizenship in detail
- Not acceptedNew citizens must give up their previous citizenship, with major exceptions.Citizens who naturalise abroad lose their citizenship automatically, with exceptions.
- 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.
Naturalisation (residence)
Residence in Pakistan is the basis of this route, together with the other conditions below. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
- Residence
- 5 years
Person has been resident in Pakistan for 12 months immediately prior to the application, as well as during 4 out of 7 years predating the 12-month period.
- Previous citizenship
- New citizens must give up their previous citizenship, with major exceptions
Renunciation of citizenship of another country required. Dual citizenship allowed with the United Kingdom and any other country that the Federal Government may specify
- Language
- Required, no test or certificate specified
Adequate knowledge of one of the vernaculars of Pakistan.
- Civic knowledge
- No civic knowledge requirement
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
Good character required.
- Income or economic resources
- No income condition in the law
Marriage or civil partnership
Marriage to a citizen of Pakistan is the basis of this route, together with the conditions below. Citizenship must be granted under the law of Pakistan once an application meets the legal conditions.
Person is the wife of a citizen. Other conditions: oath of loyalty and possession of a certificate of domicile.
Descent (citizen parent)
For a person with a parent who is a citizen of Pakistan, the rules below set out how this route works.
Descent (born in country)
Person is born in Pakistan to a citizen.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad to a citizen other than by descent.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad to a citizen by descent. He/she needs to be registered at a Pakistan consulate or the citizen parent needs to be in the service of Pakistan at the time of the birth.
Birth in the country
This route concerns people born in Pakistan, and only in the situations described below. Citizenship arises directly under the law of Pakistan, without any authority making a decision.
Person is born in Pakistan. Unless born to a father who is a foreign diplomat and not a citizen of Pakistan, or the father is an enemy alien and the child is born in a place then under occupation by the enemy.
Child of a new citizen
This route covers children of a person who becomes a citizen of Pakistan, subject to the conditions below. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Person is a minor residing in Pakistan whose parent is acquiring citizenship through naturalisation, includes the child in his/her naturalisation certificate, and has parental authority over the child.
Other family members of citizens
This route covers certain family members not covered by the marriage or descent routes in Pakistan. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Transfer from deceased citizen
Person is the wife of a deceased citizen (or of a person who would have been a citizen under PAK 3, 4 or 5). Other conditions: oath of loyalty and possession of a certificate of domicile.
Spousal coacquisition
Person is the wife of someone who becomes a citizen, and makes a declaration expressing the wish to become a citizen within 1 year after the husband took the oath of loyalty. Other conditions: oath of loyalty and possession of a certificate of domicile.
Former citizens (reacquisition)
This route covers people who previously held citizenship of Pakistan, subject to the conditions below. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Person is a former citizen. If person lost citizenship due to the non-renunciation of citizenship of another country or because s/he was deprived of citizenship, the person is not entitled to reacquisition but is dependent on the previous consent of the government.
Investment
A qualifying investment or financial contribution is the basis of this route in Pakistan. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Commonwealth citizens who transfer PKR 5 million worth of foreign exchange to Pakistan, may apply for citizenship. After confirmation from the State Bank of Pakistan of the transaction of the said amount, an immigrant visa is issued. A Pakistan Citizenship Certificate is granted upon arrival in the country.
Not available in Pakistan: Adoption, Citizens of specific countries, Ethnic or cultural affinity, Residence during childhood, Very long residence, Refugees, Stateless persons, Special achievements, Public or military service. Coded by GLOBALCIT for 1 January 2024 and updated with in-force changes.
Dual citizenship
As a general rule, the law of Pakistan does not allow a second citizenship in either direction.
- New citizens
- New citizens must give up their previous citizenship, with major exceptions
- Citizens who naturalise abroad
- Citizens who naturalise abroad lose their citizenship automatically, with exceptions
The person acquiring a foreign citizenship (or is about to acquire) may relinquish Pakistan citizenship voluntarily, asking the government to release him. When Pakistan citizenship is not relinquished voluntarily in this situation, it lapses ipso facto. Provision does not apply to a female citizen of Pakistan who is married to a person who is not a citizen of Pakistan. Provision is not applied to persons who acquire citizenship in the following countries: UK, France, Italy, Belgium, Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Finland, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, USA, Sweden, Ireland, Bahrain and Denmark.
Compare with neighbours
Among the 6 countries in Southern Asia with a residence route, 5 years is the most common requirement, and Pakistan follows it.
See how Pakistan compares with every country in the residence ranking
| Country | Residence | Language | Dual citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
 Afghanistan | 5 years | None | Accepted |
 Bangladesh | 5 years | None | Not accepted |
 Bhutan | 20 years | Required, no test | Not accepted |
 India | 11 years | Required, no test | Not accepted |
 Iran | 5 years | None | Accepted |
 Nepal | No route | No route | Not accepted |
Official sources
This page was located by search and has not yet been checked by our team.
Naturalisation provisions: Nationality law: Art. 9, 14, 1926 Act 3, 6.
Cite this page
TravelDecl. (n.d.). How to Get Pakistan Citizenship. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/pakistan/
<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/pakistan/">How to Get Pakistan 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 Pakistani citizen?
The residence period for ordinary naturalisation in Pakistan is 5 years. Other legal conditions also apply.
Does Pakistan allow dual citizenship?
Not as a general rule. The data codes dual citizenship as not accepted in Pakistan.
Do I need a language test for Pakistani citizenship?
Pakistan requires language skills without naming a particular test or certificate.
Is there a civic knowledge test for Pakistani citizenship?
Civic knowledge is not assessed as part of the naturalisation process for Pakistani citizenship.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship to get Pakistani citizenship?
Giving up your current citizenship is required, with major exceptions.
Can I get Pakistan citizenship by marriage?
Yes, Pakistan provides a marriage route. Procedure: entitlement.
Can I get Pakistan citizenship by descent?
Yes, the law of Pakistan provides citizenship by descent from a citizen parent. Procedure: automatic, discretionary.
Can I get Pakistan citizenship by investment?
Yes. Pakistan has an investment route in the data. Amounts and terms should be confirmed with the official authority.
Related pages
Also see: Pakistan passport, visa-free access and entry rules. Latest law changes.
Corrections to this page are handled by Sarah Kim, Fact-Checker.