How to Get Somalia CitizenshipKey facts
- Residence for naturalisation
- 7 years
- Language
- None
- Dual citizenship
- Citizens abroad only
- 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
- Partly accepted: for citizens who naturalise abroad onlyNew citizens must 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)
Residence in Somalia is the basis of this route, together with the other conditions below. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
- Residence
- 7 years
Person has been resident in Somalia for at least 7 years.
- Previous citizenship
- New citizens must give up their previous citizenship
Renunciation of citizenship of another country required.
- Language
- No language requirement
- Civic knowledge
- No civic knowledge requirement
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
Good civil and moral conduct.
- Income or economic resources
- No income condition in the law
Marriage or civil partnership
Marriage to a citizen of Somalia is the basis of this route, together with the conditions below. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person is a woman married to a Somali citizen.
Descent (citizen parent)
For a person with a parent who is a citizen of Somalia, the rules below set out how this route works.
Descent (born in country)
Person is born in Somalia to a father who is a citizen.
Descent (born in country)
Person is born to a Somalia mother. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation (but residence period may be reduced to 2 years).
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad to a father who is a citizen.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born to a Somalia mother. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation (but residence period may be reduced to 2 years).
Child of a new citizen
This route covers children of a person who becomes a citizen of Somalia, subject to the conditions below. Somalia grants citizenship by operation of law, requiring no decision from any authority.
Person is the minor child of a father who is acquiring citizenship.
Other family members of citizens
This route covers certain family members not covered by the marriage or descent routes in Somalia. Somalia grants citizenship by operation of law, requiring no decision from any authority.
Person is the wife of a person who is acquiring citizenship.
Former citizens (reacquisition)
This route covers people who previously held citizenship of Somalia, subject to the conditions below. Where the legal conditions are met, an application leads to a mandatory grant of citizenship.
Person was a citizen by operation of law and lost citizenship. Other conditions: establishes residence in Somalia and renounces any other citizenship.
Ethnic or cultural affinity
This route covers people with an ethnic or cultural link to Somalia, subject to the conditions below. Where the legal conditions are met, an application leads to a mandatory grant of citizenship.
Person is a Somali residing in Somalia and declares willingness to renounce any other citizenship. Somali is defined as 'any person who by origin, language or tradition belongs to the Somali nation'.
Stateless persons
Statelessness, or the risk of it, is the basis of this route in Somalia. Somalia grants citizenship by operation of law, requiring no decision from any authority.
Person is born in Somalia of unknown parents. A child found in the territory shall be presumed to have been born there.
Special achievements
For people whose achievements or contributions are recognised by Somalia, the rules below set out what applies. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person has rendered exceptional services to the republic. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.
Not available in Somalia: Birth in the country, Adoption, Citizens of specific countries, Residence during childhood, Very long residence, Refugees, Public or military service, Investment. Coded by GLOBALCIT for 1 January 2024 and updated with in-force changes.
Dual citizenship
Dual citizenship in Somalia is accepted for citizens who naturalise abroad, but not generally for new citizens.
- New citizens
- New citizens must give up their previous citizenship
- Citizens who naturalise abroad
- Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship
(Note: nationality law provides that a person voluntarily acquiring another citizenship will lose Somali citizenship, while constitution provides that a person who is a Somali citizen cannot be deprived of Somali citizenship, even if s/he becomes a citizen of another country.)
Compare with neighbours
Across Eastern Africa, 7 of 17 countries ask for 7 years or fewer, and Somalia is one of them.
See how Somalia compares with every country in the residence ranking
| Country | Residence | Language | Dual citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
 Burundi | 10 years | Assimilation only | Accepted |
 Kenya | 7 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Madagascar | 5 years | Required, no test | New citizens only |
 Malawi | 7 years | Required, no test | Citizens abroad only |
 Mauritius | 5 years | Required, no test | Citizens abroad only |
 Tanzania | 7 years | Required, no test | Not accepted |
Official sources
This page was located by search and has not yet been checked by our team.
Naturalisation provisions: Nationality law: Art. 4.
Cite this page
TravelDecl. (n.d.). How to Get Somalia Citizenship. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/somalia/
<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/somalia/">How to Get Somalia 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 Somali citizen?
7 years of residence is the period for ordinary naturalisation in Somalia. Other legal conditions also apply.
Does Somalia allow dual citizenship?
Only in one direction: citizens who naturalise abroad, but not generally people who naturalise in Somalia.
Do I need a language test for Somali citizenship?
There is no language condition attached to Somali citizenship.
Is there a civic knowledge test for Somali citizenship?
There is no civic knowledge requirement for Somali citizenship.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship to get Somali citizenship?
Renouncing your current citizenship is a condition of Somali citizenship.
Can I get Somalia citizenship by marriage?
Yes, Somalia provides a marriage route. Procedure: discretionary.
Can I get Somalia citizenship by descent?
Yes, the law of Somalia provides citizenship by descent from a citizen parent. Procedure: automatic, discretionary.
Can I get Somalia citizenship by investment?
The data shows no investment route for Somalia.
Related pages
Also see: Somalia passport, visa-free access and entry rules. Latest law changes.
Corrections to this page are handled by Sarah Kim, Fact-Checker.