The Directorate of Immigration and Emigration is urging people who had earlier applied for citizenship to come and clarify their files.

On October 12, the directorate published in the media a list of 96 applicants whose applications had not been approved before a presidential order transferred the services from the Ministry of Justice to the directorate months ago. 

"That list is simply about cases of those who had earlier applied for nationality when the service was still being handled by the Ministry of Justice,” Innocent Niyonsenga, the Directorate’s spokesperson told The New Times Tuesday.

"When the services were transferred here, getting to them was difficult since their files did not have contact details and yet their application dossiers had not been completed.”
The list is sub-divided into four categories – nationality by birth on Rwandan territory, filiations, marriage and by naturalization.

A May 29 Presidential Order placed the responsibility of approving foreigners interested in acquiring Rwandan citizenship to the department of Immigration and Emigration.

This came following a July 2008 law determining the conditions of acquisition, enjoyment and deprivation of Rwandan nationality.

Under the law, "majority age” or the authorized age for anyone applying for nationality is at least 18 years and, any foreigner born on Rwandan territory from alien parents may acquire nationality if he or she applies for it.

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