Constitution of Kiribati 1979, as amended to 2018
Citizenship and Nationality
  • English
    1. Every person of I-Kiribati descent who, having been born in Kiribati, is on the day prior to Independence Day a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies shall become a citizen of Kiribati on Independence Day.
    2. Every person not of I-Kiribati descent who, having been born in Kiribati, is an eligible person shall become a citizen of Kiribati on Independence Day.
    3. Every person who is of I-Kiribati descent or an eligible person and who acquired the status of citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies under the British Nationality Acts 1948 to 1965 [FN: 1948 c. 56; 1958 c. 10; 1964 c. 22; 1964 c. 54; 1965 c. 34.] by virtue of having been naturalised or registered under those Acts, or naturalised as a British subject before 1949, while resident in Kiribati, shall become a citizen of Kiribati on Independence Day. (Sec. 20)
Citizenship and Nationality
  • English

    1. Every person of I-Kiribati descent2 who having been born outside Kiribati is on the day prior to Independence Day a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies shall, if his father becomes or would but for his death or renunciation of his citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies have become a citizen of Kiribati by virtue of subsection (1) or (3) of the preceding section, become a citizen of Kiribati on Independence Day.
    2. Every person not of I-Kiribati descent who having been born outside Kiribati is an eligible person shall, if his father becomes or would but for his death have become a citizen of Kiribati by virtue of subsection (2) or (3) of the preceding section, become a citizen of Kiribati on Independence Day. (Sec. 21)

Citizenship and Nationality
  • English
    Every woman who, having been married to a person who becomes, or would become, or would but for his death or renunciation of his citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies have become, a citizen of Kiribati by virtue of section 20 or 21 of this Constitution, acquired the status of citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies, automatically or by registration, on the grounds of that marriage and who possesses that status on the day prior to Independence Day, shall become a citizen of Kiribati on Independence Day. (Sec. 22)
Citizenship and Nationality
  • English
    Every person of I-Kiribati descent who does not become a citizen of Kiribati on Independence Day by virtue of section 20, 21, or 22 of this Constitution shall, at any time thereafter, be entitled upon making application in such manner as may be prescribed to be registered as a citizen of Kiribati. (Sec. 23)
Citizenship and Nationality
  • English
    Any person, other than a person of I-Kiribati descent, who—
    a. has attained the age of eighteen years before Independence Day;
    b. becomes a citizen of Kiribati by virtue of section 20 or 21 of this Constitution; and
    c. is on Independence Day a national of some other country, shall cease to be a citizen of Kiribati at the expiry of a period of two years after Independence Day or such longer period as may be prescribed, unless before the expiry of that period he has renounced or lost his nationality of that other country or, if the law of that other country makes no provision for or does not permit him to renounce his nationality of that other country, made such a declaration as may be prescribed. (Sec. 24)
Citizenship and Nationality
  • English
    1. Every person born in Kiribati after the day prior to Independence Day shall become a citizen of Kiribati at the date of his birth unless on that date, not being a person of I-Kiribati descent or a person whose father is a citizen of Kiribati, he becomes a citizen of some other country: provided that a person shall not become a citizen of Kiribati by virtue of this subsection if at the time of his birth—
    a. his father possesses such immunity from suit and legal process as is accorded to any envoy of a foreign sovereign power accredited to Kiribati and neither of his parents is a citizen of Kiribati; or
    b. his father is a citizen of a country with which Kiribati is at war and the birth occurs in a place then under occupation of such country.
    2. Every person born outside Kiribati after the day prior to Independence Day shall become a citizen of Kiribati at the date of his birth if at that date his father is, or would but for his death have been, a citizen of Kiribati. (Sec. 25)
Citizenship and Nationality
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    Any women who after the day prior to Independence Day marries a person who is or become a citizen of Kiribati shall be entitled, upon making application in such manner as may be prescribed, to be registered as a citizen of Kiribati. (Sec. 26)
Citizenship and Nationality
  • English
    The Maneaba ni Maungatabu may make provision—
    a. for the acquisition of citizenship of Kiribati by persons who are not eligible or who are no longer eligible to become citizens of Kiribati by virtue of this Chapter;
    b. for the renunciation by any person of his citizenship of Kiribati;
    c. for the maintenance of a register of citizens of Kiribati who are also citizens of other countries;
    d. for depriving of his citizenship of Kiribati—
    i. any person not of I-Kiribati descent who is a citizen of Kiribati otherwise than by virtue of this Chapter;
    ii. any other person not of I-Kiribati descent who being a citizen of Kiribati has after the day prior to Independence Day acquired another nationality. (Sec. 28)
Citizenship and Nationality
  • English
    1. For the purpose of this Chapter—

    c. any reference to the father of a person shall, in relation to a person born out of wedlock, be construed as a reference to the mother of that person;
    … (Sec. 29)
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2

Sec. 55 as amended by 2018 Amendment.

3

Sec. 40 as amended by 2016 Amendment.

4

Sec. 55 as amended by 2018 Amendment.