Constitution of Saint Kitts and Nevis 1983
Citizenship and Nationality
  • English
    The following persons shall become citizens on 19th September 1983:
    (a) every person who, having been born in Saint Christopher and Nevis, was immediately before that date a British citizen or a British Dependent Territories citizen;
    (b) every person who, having been born outside Saint Christopher and Nevis, was immediately before that date a British citizen or a British Dependent Territories citizen by virtue of registration or naturalization in Saint Christopher and Nevis or by virtue of his or her adoption in Saint Christopher and Nevis in a manner recognized by law;
    (c) every other person who was immediately before that date a British citizen or a British Dependent Territories citizen and either of whose parents becomes, or but for death or renunciation of citizenship would have become, a citizen by virtue of paragraph (a), (b) or (d);
    (d) every other person who was immediately before that date a British citizen or a British Dependent Territories citizen and who is or has been married to a person who becomes, or but for death or renunciation of citizenship would have become, a citizen by virtue of paragraph (a), (b) or (c);
    (e) every other person who, having been born, adopted in a manner recognised by law, registered or, as the case may be, naturalized in Anguilla before 19th December 1980 and having been ordinarily resident in Saint Christopher and Nevis since a date earlier than that date, was immediately before 19th September 1983 a British citizen or a British Dependent Territories citizen;
    (f) any person who was immediately before 19th September 1983 a British citizen or a British Dependent Territories citizen and one of whose grandparents becomes, or but for death or renunciation of citizenship would have become, a citizen by virtue of paragraph (a) or (b);
    (g) every other person who immediately before that date by virtue of section 113(10) of the Constitution then in force belonged to Saint Christopher and Nevis for the purposes of that Constitution; and
    (h) every other person who was immediately before that date under the age of eighteen years and is the child of a person who becomes, or but for death or renunciation of citizenship would have become, a citizen by virtue of any of the preceding paragraphs. (Sec. 90)
Citizenship and Nationality
  • English
    The following persons born on or after 19th September 1983 shall become citizens at the date of their birth:
    (a) every person born in Saint Christopher and Nevis: Provided that a person shall not become a citizen by virtue of this paragraph if at the time of his or her birth
    (i) neither of his or her parents is a citizen and either of them possess such immunity from suit and legal process as is accorded to the envoy of a foreign sovereign power accredited to Saint Christopher and Nevis; or
    (ii) either of his or her parents is a citizen of a country with which Her Majesty is at war and the birth occurs in a place then under occupation by that country;
    (b) every person born outside Saint Christopher and Nevis if at the date of his or her birth either of his or her parents is, or but for death would have become, a citizen by virtue of paragraph (a) of section 90; and
    (c) every person born outside Saint Christopher and Nevis if at the date of his or her birth either of his or her parents is, or but for death would have become, a citizen employed in service under the Government or under an authority of the Government that requires him or her to reside outside Saint Christopher and Nevis for the proper discharge of his or her functions. (Sec. 91)
Citizenship and Nationality
  • English
    (1) The following persons shall, if they do not already possess citizenship, be entitled, upon making application, to be registered as citizens:
    (a) any person who is married to a citizen;
    (b) any person who, being a Commonwealth citizen, is ordinarily resident in Saint Christopher and Nevis having been so resident for the period of fourteen years immediately preceding the date of his or her application;
    (c) any person who, having been a citizen, has renounced his or her citizenship;
    (d) any person who, but for renunciation of citizenship, would have become a citizen by virtue of section 90;
    (e) any person who is married to any such person as is mentioned in paragraph (b), (c) or (d);
    (f) any person who
    (i) was married to a person who but for his or her death would have become a citizen by virtue of section 90; or
    (ii) was married to a person who became a citizen by virtue of that section, but whose marriage to that person had been terminated by dissolution at any time before 19th September 1983 after having subsisted for at least three years;
    (g) any person under the age of eighteen years who is the child of a citizen or the child of a person who is or would but for his or her death have been entitled to be registered as a citizen under any of the preceding paragraphs; and
    (h) such other persons as may be prescribed by Parliament:
    Provided that if it is so provided by Parliament an application for registration as a citizen under this subsection may in such circumstances as may be prescribed by Parliament in the interests of defence, public safety or public order, be refused by the Minister responsible for the matter in any case in which he or she is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for refusing the application.
    (2) An application for registration under subsection (1) shall be made in such manner as may be prescribed, as respects that application, by or under a law enacted by Parliament and, in the case of a person under the age of eighteen years, it shall be made on his or her behalf by his or her parent or guardian:
    Provided that, if any such person is or has been married, he or she may make the application himself or herself.
    … (Sec. 92)
Citizenship and Nationality
  • English
    (1) If a person who is a citizen of some other country or entitled to be registered as such is entitled to registration as a citizen under section 92, he or she shall not, by reason only that he or she is or may become a citizen of that other country, be refused registration under that section or be required to renounce his or her citizenship of that country as a condition of being registered under that section.
    … (Sec. 93)
Citizenship and Nationality
  • English
    There shall be such provision as may be made by Parliament
    (a) for the naturalization as citizens of persons who are not entitled to become citizens under section 92;
    (b) for the renunciation by any person of his or her citizenship;
    … (Sec. 94)
Citizenship and Nationality
  • English
    (1) In this Constitution, unless the context otherwise requires,

    "parent", in relation to any other person, includes
    (a) any person who has adopted him or her in a manner recognized by law; and
    (b) in the case of a person born out of wedlock and not legitimated, his or her mother and the person (if any) who acknowledges and can show that he or she is his or her father or has been found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be his or her father;
    But, in the case of a person who has been adopted, it does not include any person who has relinquished his or her parental rights over him or her as a consequence of the adoption;

    (d) for depriving of his or her citizenship any person who has become a citizen by virtue of registration or naturalisation if his or her citizenship was obtained by false representation or fraud or wilful concealment of material facts or if he or she is convicted under any law of an act of treason or sedition:
    Provided that any law enacted for the purposes of paragraph (d) shall include provisions under which the person concerned shall have a right of appeal to a court of law of competent jurisdiction or other independent authority and shall be permitted to appear before the court or authority in person or, at his or her own expense, to be represented by a legal practitioner of his or her own choice. (Sec. 119)
Links to all sites last visited 1 March 2024
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Chapter II on Protection of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.
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The Nevis Island Administration.
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The Nevis Island Administration.
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Chapter II on Protection of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.