Tanzanian nationality law is regulated by the Constitution of Tanzania, as amended; the Tanzania Citizenship Act, and its revisions; and various international agreements to which the country is a signatory. These laws determine who is, or is eligible to be, a national of Tanzania. The legal means to acquire nationality, formal legal membership in a nation, differ from the domestic relationship of rights and obligations between a national and the nation, known as citizenship. Nationality describes the relationship of an individual to the state under international law, whereas citizenship is the domestic relationship of an individual within the nation. Commonwealth countries, including Tanzania, often use the terms nationality and citizenship as synonyms, despite recognising their legal distinction and the fact that they are regulated by different governmental administrative bodies. For much of Tanzania's history racist policy curtailed domestic rights and nationality. Tanzanian nationality is typically obtained under the principle of jus soli, i.e. by birth in the territory, or jus sanguinis, i.e. by birth in Tanzania or abroad to parents with Tanzanian nationality. It can be granted to persons with an affiliation to the country, or to a permanent resident who has lived in the country for a given period of time through naturalisation.
Acquisition of nationality
Persons can acquire nationality in Tanzania by birth or later in life through naturalisation.
By birth Any child born within the borders of the United Republic of Tanzania, on or after Union Day, 26 April 1964, is granted Tanzanian nationality, except for children of a father who has diplomatic immunity, or parents who were enemy aliens and the territory was under enemy occupation. In practice, for a child to acquire nationality at birth one of its parents must be Tanzanian, or the parents must be unknown, as in the case of an abandoned child. A person born outside Tanzania also has the right to Tanzanian nationality by birth provided that at least one of their parents is Tanzanian by birth or naturalization. However, Tanzanian fathers born abroad are not able to pass their nationality on to their children, meaning that if a child's father acquired nationality by birth abroad, his child can only acquire nationality through naturalisation. The same rule does not apply to children born abroad to Tanzanian mothers who have acquired nationality by birth abroad.
By naturalisation Any foreign national with no ancestry or birth ties with Tanzania may apply for naturalisation. In order for a foreign national to become Tanzanian they must have resided in the territory for a sufficient period of time to confirm they understand either Swahili or the English language and the customs and traditions of the society. General provisions are that applicants must be of the age of majority and have legal capacity; have good character; have the ability to contribute to the growth of the social and cultural advancement of the country; and intend to permanently reside in the territory. Residency for the full year preceding an application is required, as well as evidence that over the preceding ten-year period, the applicant has cumulatively lived in Tanzania for at least seven years. Following the lodging of the application and paying fees to the Ward Executive Secretary or Zanzibari Sheha, local village administrators, the application is sent to the District Immigration Office. The applicant must publish a notice of intention to naturalise in two consecutive issues of the registered newspapers. After the application has been scrutinised by various officials, a final recommendation is made to the Minister of Home Affairs. If the application is successful, applicants must renounce foreign nationality and take an oath of allegiance. Besides foreigners meeting the criteria, other persons who may be naturalized include:
Children born abroad to a father who acquired nationality by descent because of his birth abroad may naturalise without meeting other requirements; Minor children may be naturalised simultaneously with their parents; Adoptees may apply for naturalisation upon completion of a legal adoption; Any minor may be naturalised at the discretion of the Minister of Home Affairs if special circumstances exist; The wife of a Tanzanian husband may upon request become naturalised, if she is willing to renounce other nationality and take an oath of allegiance, unless she previously was denaturalised or renounced Tanzanian nationality; or Wives who previously lost Tanzanian nationality must obtain approval from the Minister of Home Affairs.
Loss of nationality Tanzanian nationals can voluntarily renounce it by registering a request, providing proof of other nationality, surrendering their Tanzanian passport, and obtaining approval from the Minister of Home Affairs. Nationals by birth or naturalisation may be denaturalized in Tanzania for obtaining other nationality. Those who acquired Tanzanian status by naturalisation may have their citizenship revoked for acting in a foreign country in a manner, such as voting or holding elected office, which is an exclusive right of a citizen; for fraud in a naturalisation application; for criminal convictions carrying a sentence of at least twelve months within five years of naturalisation; for disloyal behaviour or crimes against the state; or for five years residence abroad without registering with authorities their intention to retain Tanzanian nationality. Re-acquisition of nationality that has been lost through renunciation by a woman who married a foreigner, may be granted at the discretion of the Minister of Home Affairs.
Dual nationality Tanzania does not allow its nationals to hold dual nationality, except in the case of persons under the age of eighteen who had multiple nationality from birth. Multiple nationals automatically lose their Tanzanian citizenship at majority, unless they renounce all other nationality.
Commonwealth citizenship The State of Tanganyika became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations on 9 December 1961 and Zanzibar joined the Commonwealth on 10 December 1963. Since 26 April 1964, following the merger of the Tanganyika and Zanzibar, the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar (known as the United Republic of Tanzania since 29 October 1964) was a Commonwealth country. Being that it is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, in the United Kingdom, Tanzanian citizens are also Commonwealth citizens, a status which entitles them to certain rights and benefits in that country. Amongst some of the benefits, in some countries without Tanzanian consular representation, citizens of the United Republic may enquire or seek assistance with the United Kingdom's High Commission. Tanzanians may not hold office, vote, or enter or work in other Commonwealth countries without visas or permits.
East African Community citizenship In 1967, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda signed the Treaty for East African Cooperation, creating the East African Community. It collapsed in 1977, but negotiations continued until 1984 on final dissolution because of an inability to reach agreement on the distribution of the organizations assets and liabilities. In November 1999, the three countries signed a new treaty to reestablish the organization effective on 7 July 2000. The community expanded to include Burundi, Rwanda and since 2016, has included South Sudan. The organization has a shared East African Legislative Assembly, East African Court of Justice and issues an East African Passport to assist in free movement of EAC citizens in member countries. National identity cards can also be used to verify that an individual is a national of a member country. It also has developed policies to assist local business in facilitating trade and attracting foreign investments, through a common market system launched in 2010. Under the terms of the common market treaty capital, goods, labour and services were to be allowed free movement within the member countries, meaning tariff barriers and obstacles to trade were removed; workers and their family members would not be subject to discriminatory labour laws or permits; and business, communication, distribution, education, financial, tourist, and transport services would operate freely among members.
History Humans began settling in the region some ten thousand years establishing small villages throughout the eastern part of the Rift Valley. The first known people were Khoisan-speakers, who were joined by Cushitic migrants from Ethiopia around 1000 BC, and later Bantu peoples who arrived in the western region around 1000 AD. These various groups had little interaction. By the tenth century, semi-nomadic Nilotic peoples had begun to settle in the north and northwestern region. Most of these Nilotic people settled in permanent villages and intermarried with Bantu people, but some groups, like the Maasai people retained their nomadic traditions. Through the eighteenth century, most settlements in the region were scattered and independently governed. Between 1000 and 1300 AD Persian and Arab merchants began settling along the Swahili coast and offshore islands, establishing villages and Afro-Arab trade networks. By the fifteenth century, these trade networks dominated the coastal area.
African and outsider contact (1498–1884) In 1498, Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama reached the African Great Lakes coast, and landed at Quelimane, before proceeding north to encounter hostile Arab sultanates, which were aligned with the Kilwa Sultanate. In 1500, Pedro Álvares Cabral landed on Kilwa Island and two years later, da Gama returned to the island and claimed it for Portugal. In 1503 or 1504, Ruy Lourenço Marques Ravasco (also known as Rui Lourenço Ravasco) landed on Unguja and engaged in a battle with the local inhabitants. Defeating the local ruler, Portugal laid claim to Zanzibar. In 1505, Francisco de Almeida seized the island and began construction of a trading fort at São Thiago. In 1652, Omani tribesmen from Muscat attacked the Portuguese settlements on Pemba Island and Zanzibar. They continued attacks along the coast to the Ruvuma River in the 1660s and by 1698 had captured Fort Jesus, on Mombasa Island. By the late eighteenth century the Omani Empire had established control over Kilwa and the coastal region.
Few foreign explorers or merchants attempted to travel into the interior until the eighteenth century. By 1800, Nyamwezi people had begun participating in trade with the coast. Between 1811 and 1820, the Sultan of Zanzibar sent caravans inland in search of ivory and slaves. By 1830, Arab-Swahili merchants had networks running from the coastal towns to trading posts in Tabora and as far west as Ujiji and from Lake Tanganyika in the south to the Kingdom of Buganda in the north. Increased activity from Europeans and Americans began in the early nineteenth century. Britain signed the Moresby Treaty with the Sultan of Zanzibar, outlawing the sale of slaves to Christian merchants. Further treaties were conclude in 1833 with the United States, 1844 with France, and 1858 with Germany to allow trade in the region. By the end of the nineteenth century, Germany and Britain were competing for control of the area.
Tanganyika German rule (1884–1922)