How to acquire citizenship of Tajikistan?
Citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan is acquired on the following grounds:
- by birth;
- as a result of admission to Tajikistan citizenship;
- as a result of the restoration of Tajikistan citizenship;
- by choosing the citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan while crossing the State Border of the Republic of Tajikistan.
How to get citizenship by birth?
A child whose parents or only parent is a citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan at the time of his or her birth, is considered a citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan regardless of the place of his or her birth.
In case parents have different citizenships and one of them is a citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan at the time of the birth of the child, the child acquires the citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan, if he or she:
- was born on the territory of the Republic of Tajikistan;
- was born outside the Republic of Tajikistan, and his or her parents or one of them permanently resided in the territory of the Republic of Tajikistan at that time.
In case parents have different citizenships whereby one of them was a citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan, and the other had another nationality at the time of birth, if they reside outside the Republic of Tajikistan, the citizenship of a child born outside the Republic of Tajikistan is determined based on the parents’ consent in writing. If parents do not reach agreement within three months from the birth of the child and if the legislation of the state of his or her birth does not grant him or her citizenship, the child shall be considered a citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan.
A child, one of whose parents was a citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan and his or her other parent was a stateless person, or was an unidentified individual at the time of his or her birth, is considered a citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan regardless of his or her place of birth.
In case of the establishment of paternity of a child whose mother is a stateless person, and whose father is a citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan, the child is acknowledged as a citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan regardless of his or her place of birth.
In case of recognition of the birth of a child by a woman who is a citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan, if his or her father is a stateless person, the child is recognized as a citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan regardless of the place of his or her birth.
A child born in the Republic of Tajikistan from stateless persons is recognized as a citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan if both of his or her parents or one of them permanently resides in the Republic of Tajikistan.
A child born in the Republic of Tajikistan whose parents are unidentified individuals acquires the citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan.
A child born in the Republic of Tajikistan whose parents are foreign citizens, or one of whose parents is a foreign citizen and the other is a stateless person or unidentified individual, shall be considered a citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan if he or she is not granted citizenship by those states in accordance with their legislation.
How to get citizenship by naturalization?
Foreign citizens and stateless persons can be naturalized in the Republic of Tajikistan in accordance with the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Tajikistan on Citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan.
Foreign citizens and stateless persons at the age of eighteen may apply for naturalization to the Republic of Tajikistan regardless of their nationality, race, gender, language, religion, political belief, education, social and/or financial status.
In what cases is the citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan restored?
Persons who have lost citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan due to the change of citizenship of their parents, may, upon application, restore their citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan within five years after reaching the age of eighteen.
Persons who have lost citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan due to adoption, may, upon application, restore their citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan.
Persons who previously were citizens of the Republic of Tajikistan, may, upon application, restore their citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan.
What are the general requirements for admission to citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan?
The general requirements for admission to citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan are:
- permanent uninterrupted residence of foreign citizens and stateless persons on the territory of the Republic of Tajikistan for five years from the date of acquisition of residence permit to the date of application for admission to citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan, if his or her ad-hoc travel outside of the Republic of Tajikistan does not exceed three months during a year, except for study, treatment, and business trips;
- knowledge of the official language at the level of communication;
- not being under criminal prosecution.
Are there circumstances facilitating admission to citizenship?
The Constitutional Law of the Republic of Tajikistan on Citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan provides for a simplified procedure of acquisition of Tajikistan citizenship.
According to the above-mentioned law, the following persons are entitled to simplified procedure for acquisition of citizenship:
- persons with outstanding achievements in the field of science, technology, health and sports, contributions to economic, social and cultural development of the Republic of Tajikistan and implementation of universal values;
- veterans of the World War II possessing citizenship of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and residing in the Republic of Tajikistan;
- a child or a person with disability under the custodianship or trusteeship of a citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan;
- a child or a person with disability under full public custodianship in an educational, medical or social care institution or another similar institution of the Republic of Tajikistan;
- individuals born in the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic, who had the nationality of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, who resided or reside in the member states of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, but have not obtained citizenship of these States and have become stateless persons as a result.
Also, the following individuals may apply for citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan within half of the regular term of permanent (five-year) residence:
- stateless persons;
- foreign citizens, whose father or mother at birth was a citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan, who acquired the citizenship of a foreign country by birth within five years upon reaching the age of eighteen;
- foreign citizens whose father or mother is a citizen of the Republic of Tajikistan;
- individuals who were born in the territory of the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic and had the citizenship of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
What are the reasons for refusal of restoration of the citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan?
The following cases can be reasons for refusal in granting citizenship if the applicant:
- submitted false information and forged documents;
- threatens by his or her acts the national security of the Republic of Tajikistan;
- is a member of a party and other organizations officially banned in the Republic of Tajikistan;
- has been convicted for serious and especially serious crimes;
- is under criminal prosecution;
- has served a prison sentence;
- is a citizen of a foreign country with which the Republic of Tajikistan does not have an intergovernmental agreement on dual citizenship.
Where to apply for citizenship?
Applicants submit their applications for citizenship addressed to the President of the Republic of Tajikistan in two copies filled in by hand or with the use of technical means to the internal affairs authorities of the Republic of Tajikistan in their area of residence. Individuals living outside the country submit their applications to the relevant diplomatic missions and consular offices of the Republic of Tajikistan in other countries.
The Applicant must sign his or her application personally by indicating the date of completion. In case the applicant is not able to personally sign his or her application due to physical disability, illness, illiteracy or for any other reason, at his or her request, the official accepting the application shall click “not able to sign” in the presence of the applicant.
What are the requirements for documents?
You must attach the following documents to the application submitted to diplomatic missions and consular offices of the Republic of Tajikistan abroad:
- originals and photocopies of identity documents of the applicant;
- personal history statement;
- four photos of 4x6cm on white background; and
- receipt of public duty (consular fees) payment;
- criminal record certificate from the State(s) of nationality, and from the State where the applicant lived and lives;
- certificate on family members from residence area authorities;
- certificate on infectious, drugs use and mental diseases.
The documents should be translated into the official (Tajik) language and notarized.
Documents issued by competent authorities of a foreign state must be legalized for validation in the Republic of Tajikistan or be apostilled, unless the international treaties acknowledged by Tajikistan envisage any other requirement.
What is the timeframe for processing of citizenship applications?
The timeframe for processing of applications and proposals on citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan, making decision on acquisition or termination of citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan shall not exceed one year from the date of application, submission of proposal and all necessary documents.
Next/further application for acquisition or termination of citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan is accepted for processing not earlier than one year after the previous decision was made.
In case previously unknown circumstances are revealed, next/further application can be accepted earlier than one-year after the previous decision was made.
What is the date of acquisition or termination of citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan?
The citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan is acquired:
- on the date of birth of child - in accordance with Article 13 of the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Tajikistan on Citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan;
- on the date of child adoption - in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 28 of the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Tajikistan on Citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan;
- in other cases - from the date of issuance of the relevant decree of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan.
Citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan shall be terminated from the date of publication of the relevant decree of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan.
What documents are issued for acquisition or termination of the citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan?
The internal affairs authorities issue passports of a Tajik citizen to individuals living on the territory of the Republic of Tajikistan, who acquired citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan in accordance with the procedures established by the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Tajikistan on Citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan. They will insert records on affiliation with the Tajik citizenship in the documents of children under the age of sixteen. In case it is impossible to make a record in children's documents, they are issued certificate confirming their affiliation with the citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan.
The Tajik foreign affairs authorities issue regular international passports of citizens of the Republic of Tajikistan or laissez passer to individuals living outside the Republic of Tajikistan.
The internal affairs authorities issue residence permits to stateless persons and withdraw identity documents of individuals residing in the Republic of Tajikistan, whose citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan is terminated according to the procedures determined by the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Tajikistan on Citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan, and who are not citizens of another state. The internal affairs authorities issue relevant documents to a stateless person for departure from the Republic of Tajikistan.
The foreign affairs authorities issue a stateless person a certificate processed by internal affairs authorities and withdraw documents confirming the citizenship of individuals residing outside the Republic of Tajikistan, whose citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan is terminated according to procedures determined by the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Tajikistan on Citizenship of the Republic of Tajikistan, and who are not citizens of a foreign state.