Citizenship of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

1 Citizenship OF THE Republic OFTRINIDAD AND Tobago ACTCHAPTER 1:50 LAWS OF Trinidad AND TOBAGOAct11 of 1976 Amended by25 of 197817 of 198128 of 19814/198523/198521 of 19886 of 199363 of 200066 of 2000 Current Authorised PagesPagesAuthorised(inclusive)by 1/2006 MINISTRY OF LEGAL VERSION UPDATED TO DECEMBER 31ST 2011 Citizenship of theRepublic of Trinidad and TobagoChap. 1:50 LAWS OF Trinidad AND TOBAGO2 Index of Subsidiary LegislationPageCitizenship of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Regulations(GN 126/1978)..16 Delegation of Functions (Immigration and Citizenship ) Order (LN 52/1988)..60 MINISTRY OF LEGAL VERSION UPDATED TO DECEMBER 31ST 20113 Citizenship of theRepublic of Trinidad and TobagoChap. 1:50 LAWS OF Trinidad AND 1/2006 CHAPTER 1:50 Citizenship OF THE Republic OFTRINIDAD AND Tobago ACTARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONSSECTION1.

2 Short References in existing laws to British subject to be construed asincluding references to Commonwealth Existing laws to have effect in relation to citizens of the Republic ofIreland as if they were Commonwealth IACQUISITION OF CITIZENSHIP5. Citizenship by Citizenship on Registration of Commonwealth citizens, citizens of the Republic ofIreland and British protected Registration of minor Dual Effect of certificate of Restriction on registration and IILOSS OF CITIZENSHIP14. Deprivation of (Repealed by Act No. 63 of 2000).16. Renunciation of Citizenship .}(Repealed by Act No. 25 of 1978).MINISTRY OF LEGAL VERSION UPDATED TO DECEMBER 31ST 2011 Citizenship of theRepublic of Trinidad and TobagoChap. 1:50 LAWS OF Trinidad AND TOBAGO417. Retention of Citizenship after renunciation in special IIIMISCELLANEOUS22.

3 Certificate of Citizenship in cases of Form of }(Repealed by Act No. 25 of 1978).ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS ContinuedSECTIONtoMINISTRY OF LEGAL VERSION UPDATED TO DECEMBER 31ST 20115 Citizenship of theRepublic of Trinidad and TobagoChap. 1:50 LAWS OF Trinidad AND 1/2006 CHAPTER 1:50 Citizenship OF THEREPUBLIC OF Trinidad AND Tobago ACTAn Act to re-enact and revise certain laws respecting citizenshipof the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago .[31ST JULY 1976] Act may be cited as the Citizenship of the Republicof Trinidad and Tobago (1) In this Act alien means a person who is not a Commonwealth citizen, aBritish protected person or a citizen of the Republic ofIreland; British protected person means a person who is a Britishprotected person for the purposes of the British NationalityAct, 1948 of the United Kingdom; certificate of naturalisation means a certificate of naturalisationissued under this Act; the Commonwealth and Commonwealth country meanTrinidad and Tobago , any country to which section 18 of theConstitution applies and any dependency of any suchcountry; Commonwealth citizen means a citizen of any country to whichsection 18 of the Constitution applies, and includes a citizenof Trinidad and Tobago .

4 The Constitution means the Constitution of the Republic ofTrinidad and Tobago set out in the Schedule to theConstitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Act; consulate of Trinidad and Tobago means an office of a consularofficer of the Government, or, where there is no such officesuch office as may be prescribed;11 of [17 of 198128 of 1981].11 & 12 Geo. 6c. 56 ( ).Ch. 1 OF LEGAL VERSION UPDATED TO DECEMBER 31ST 2011 Citizenship of theRepublic of Trinidad and TobagoChap. 1:50 LAWS OF Trinidad AND TOBAGO6 foreign country means a country other than the Republic ofIreland that is not part of the Commonwealth; the former Constitution means the Trinidad and TobagoConstitution set out in the Second Schedule to the Trinidadand Tobago (Constitution) Order-in-Council 1962; minor means a person who has not attained the age of eighteenyears; responsible parent in relation to any child means the fatherbut (a)where the father is dead; or(b)where custody of the child has been awarded tothe mother; or(c)paternity of the child is not admitted or establishedin accordance with the Status of Children Act,the expression responsible parent means the mother.

5 Service under the Government means service, whether withinor outside Trinidad and Tobago , under the Government orunder an authority of the Government.(2) For the purposes of this Act, a person shall be (a)of full age, if he attains the age of eighteen years;and(b)of capacity, if he is not mentally ill, within themeaning of the Mental Health Act.(3)(4)(5) Where under this Act a person is required to renouncethe Citizenship of a country but either (a)under the law of that country he is not permittedto do so; or(b)he is unable to establish that he is a citizen of thatcountry,he may make instead the prescribed declaration concerningthat Citizenship .(Repealed by Act No. 17 of 1981).} 1962/1875( ).Ch. 46 28:02 MINISTRY OF LEGAL VERSION UPDATED TO DECEMBER 31ST 20117 Citizenship of theRepublic of Trinidad and TobagoChap.

6 1:50 LAWS OF Trinidad AND 1 reference to a British subject in any law in force inTrinidad and Tobago on the commencement of this Act shall beconstrued so as to include a reference to a Commonwealth law in force in Trinidad and Tobago at the date ofcommencement of this Act and any written law which, althoughmade before that date, comes into operation on or after that dateshall have effect in relation to citizens of the Republic of Irelandwho are not Commonwealth citizens, in like manner as they haveeffect in relation to Commonwealth IACQUISITION OF CITIZENSHIP5.(1) The Minister shall cause a child born outside ofTrinidad and Tobago of a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago bydescent to be granted a certificate of Citizenship of Trinidad andTobago upon receipt of the prescribed application made (a)by the responsible parent or the guardian of suchchild before the child attains full age; or(b)by the child within one year of his attaining hismajority according to the law of the country ofwhich he is a citizen or on his attaining full age.

7 (2) A person to whom a certificate of Citizenship ofTrinidad and Tobago is granted under subsection (1) is a citizen ofTrinidad and Tobago by descent for all the purposes of the lawrelating to Citizenship save that nothing in subsection (1) appliesto a child of a person who became a citizen of Trinidad and Tobagoby reason of that under a law in force in Trinidad and Tobago relatingto the adoption of children, an adoption order is made by acompetent Court in respect of a minor who is not a citizen ofTrinidad and Tobago , then, if the adopter, or in the case of a jointadoption, either of the adopters, is a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago ,the minor shall become a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago as fromthe date of the inexisting laws toBritish subjectto be construedas includingreferences laws tohave effect inrelation tocitizens of theRepublic ofIreland as if bydescent.

8 [25 of 1978]. Citizenship onadoption.[66 of 2000].MINISTRY OF LEGAL VERSION UPDATED TO DECEMBER 31ST 2011 Citizenship of theRepublic of Trinidad and TobagoChap. 1:50 LAWS OF Trinidad AND TOBAGO87.(1) Subject to this section, the Minister may cause anyperson of full age and capacity to whom this section applies to beregistered as a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago if that person makesthe prescribed application for registration to the Minister andsatisfies the Minister (a)that he is of good character;(b)that he has an adequate knowledge of the Englishlanguage and of the duties of a citizen of Trinidadand Tobago ;(c)that he has either resided in Trinidad andTobago or has been in the service of theGovernment, or has had partly such residenceand partly such service, throughout the periodof five years, or such shorter period (not beingless than twelve months) as the Minister mayin the special circumstances of any particularcase accept, immediately preceding the date ofhis application.

9 (2) A person to whom this section applies shall not beregistered under this section unless he takes the oath of allegiance.(3) This section applies to a Commonwealth citizen, acitizen of the Republic of Ireland, and to a British protected (1) The Minister may cause the minor child born outsideTrinidad and Tobago of a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago to beregistered as a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago upon receipt of theprescribed application made by the responsible parent or theguardian of such child.(2) The Minister, in such special circumstances as maybe prescribed, may cause any minor to be registered as a citizen ofTrinidad and Tobago .(3) A person who becomes a citizen of Trinidad andTobago by virtue of this section shall cease to be a citizen ofTrinidad and Tobago one year after attaining full age unless he hastaken the oath of ofCommonwealthcitizens, citizensof the Republicof Ireland andBritish protectedpersons.

10 [25 of 197863 of 2000].Registration ofminor children.[25 of 197863 of 2000].MINISTRY OF LEGAL VERSION UPDATED TO DECEMBER 31ST 20119 Citizenship of theRepublic of Trinidad and TobagoChap. 1:50 LAWS OF Trinidad AND 1/20069.(Repealed by section 6 of Act No. 25 of 1978).10.(Repealed by section 7 of Act No. 25 of 1978).11.(1) Subject to this Act, a citizen of Trinidad and Tobagoshall cease to be such a citizen if he acquires the Citizenship ofanother country by voluntary act other than marriage.(2) The Minister may cause a person who ceased to bea citizen of Trinidad and Tobago other than by birth or descentby reason of the voluntary acquisition of the Citizenship ofanother country, to be granted a certificate of Citizenship wherethat person (a)makes the prescribed application;(b)satisfies the Minister (i) that he is of good character;(ii) that he has adequate knowledge of theEnglish Language and of the duties of acitizen of Trinidad and Tobago ;(c)(Deleted by Act No.)