How to Get South Sudan CitizenshipKey facts
- Residence for naturalisation
- 10 years
- Language
- None
- Dual citizenship
- 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
- 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)
Residence in South Sudan 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
- 10 years
Person has been resident for at least 10 years.
- Previous citizenship
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Language
- No language requirement
- Civic knowledge
- No civic knowledge requirement
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
Person is not convicted of any offence related to honesty and moral turpitude or other serious offence.
- Income or economic resources
- No income condition in the law
Marriage or civil partnership
Marriage to a citizen of South Sudan 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 the spouse of a citizen and has been living in South Sudan with the spouse for at least 5 years.
Descent (citizen parent)
For a person with a parent who is a citizen of South Sudan, the rules below set out how this route works. South Sudan grants citizenship by operation of law, requiring no decision from any authority.
Descent (born in country)
Person is born in South Sudan to a citizen.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad to a citizen.
Ethnic or cultural affinity
This route covers people with an ethnic or cultural link to South Sudan, subject to the conditions below. South Sudan grants citizenship by operation of law, requiring no decision from any authority.
Person belongs to one of the indigenous ethnic communities of South Sudan.
Very long residence
Extended residence in South Sudan is the basis of this route. South Sudan grants citizenship by operation of law, requiring no decision from any authority.
Person was at the time of coming into force of the act resident, or parents or grandparents were resident, in South Sudan since 1956.
Stateless persons
Statelessness, or the risk of it, is the basis of this route in South Sudan. South Sudan grants citizenship by operation of law, requiring no decision from any authority.
Person is found in South Sudan as a deserted infant of unknown parents.
Special achievements
For people whose achievements or contributions are recognised by South Sudan, the rules below set out what applies. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person has served South Sudan in a capacity which is considered to have been in the national interest.
Not available in South Sudan: Birth in the country, Child of a new citizen, Adoption, Other family members of citizens, Former citizens (reacquisition), Citizens of specific countries, Residence during childhood, Refugees, Public or military service, Investment. Coded by GLOBALCIT for 1 January 2024 and updated with in-force changes.
Dual citizenship
Both groups can hold a second citizenship under the law of South Sudan: new citizens, and citizens who naturalise abroad.
- 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 South Sudan sets the same period.
See how South Sudan compares with every country 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 |
 Mozambique | 10 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Uganda | 10 years | Test or certificate | Accepted |
 Zambia | 10 years | None | Accepted |
Official sources
Official government page: not yet linked.
Naturalisation provisions: Nationality law: Art. 10-12.
Cite this page
TravelDecl. (n.d.). How to Get South Sudan Citizenship. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/south-sudan/
<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/south-sudan/">How to Get South Sudan 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 South Sudanese citizen?
The law of South Sudan sets 10 years of residence for ordinary naturalisation. Other legal conditions also apply.
Does South Sudan allow dual citizenship?
Yes, in both directions: new citizens and citizens who naturalise abroad can hold another citizenship.
Do I need a language test for South Sudanese citizenship?
There is no language condition attached to South Sudanese citizenship.
Is there a civic knowledge test for South Sudanese citizenship?
There is no civic knowledge requirement for South Sudanese citizenship.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship to get South Sudanese citizenship?
Your current citizenship does not need to be given up to get South Sudanese citizenship. The law of your current country may have its own rules on this.
Can I get South Sudan citizenship by marriage?
Yes, South Sudan provides a marriage route. Procedure: discretionary.
Can I get South Sudan citizenship by descent?
Yes, the law of South Sudan provides citizenship by descent from a citizen parent. Procedure: automatic.
Can I get South Sudan citizenship by investment?
The data shows no investment route for South Sudan.
Related pages
Also see: South Sudan passport, visa-free access and entry rules. Latest law changes.
Corrections to this page are handled by Sarah Kim, Fact-Checker.