CITIZENSHIP OF ZIMBABWE ACT
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(ii) his mother is interned in a place set aside for the internment of enemy aliens or the birth occurs in a place then
under occupation by the enemy;
or
at the time of his birth, his father or, in the case of an illegitimate child, his mother is residing in Zimbabwe in
contravention of the provisions of any law:
Provided that, if subsequent to his birth his father or mother, as the case may be, is accepted for permanent residence
in Zimbabwe under any law in force in Zimbabwe, he shall be a citizen of Zimbabwe by birth; or
at the time of his birth, his father or, in the case of an illegitimate child, his mother is—
(i) not a citizen of Zimbabwe; and
(ii) not ordinarily resident in Zimbabwe.
(2) A person born outside Zimbabwe on or after the appointed day shall be a citizen of Zimbabwe by birth if —
his father, or, in the case of an illegitimate child, his mother is at the time of his birth—
(i) a citizen of Zimbabwe and resident outside Zimbabwe by reason of the service of his father or his mother, as
the case may be, under the Government; or
(ii) lawfully ordinarily resident in Zimbabwe;
and
his birth is registered in accordance with the law relating to the registration of births.
6. Save as is otherwise provided by section 5 (2), a person born outside Zimbabwe on or after the appointed day shall
be a citizen of Zimbabwe by descent if—
his father or, in the case of an illegitimate child, his mother is at the time of his birth a citizen of Zimbabwe otherwise
than by descent; and
his birth is registered in accordance with the law relating to the registration of births.
7. (1) Any person who, immediately before the appointed day, possessed such qualifications prescribed by the law
then in force relating to citizenship as would have entitled the Minister as defined in that law, upon application duly
made and subject to the applicant satisfying the Minister as to certain matters, to authorize his registration as a citizen
shall be entitled—
upon making application at any time during the period of five years from the appointed day in such manner as may
be prescribed by or under an Act of Parliament; and
after satisfying the Minister for the time being responsible for citizenship as to those matters;
to be registered as a citizen of Zimbabwe.
(2) Any woman who—
is, on the appointed day, married to a person who—
(i) is, on the appointed day, a citizen of Zimbabwe by virtue of the provisions of section 4; or
(ii) after the appointed day, becomes a citizen of Zimbabwe while the marriage still subsists;
or
prior to the appointed day, was married to a person who—
(i) is, on the appointed day, a citizen of Zimbabwe by virtue of the provisions of section 4; or
(ii) having died before the appointed day, would, but for his death, have been a citizen of Zimbabwe by virtue of
the provisions of section 4;
or
on or after the appointed day, marries a person who is a citizen of Zimbabwe or who becomes a citizen of Zimbabwe
while the marriage still subsists;
shall be entitled, upon making application in such manner as may be prescribed by or under an Act of Parl iament, to be
registered as a citizen of Zimbabwe.
(3) Any person, one of whose parents is a citizen of Zimbabwe at the date of his application, shall be entitled,
upon making application in such manner as may be prescribed by or under an Act of Parliamen t, to be registered as a
citizen of Zimbabwe:
Provided that, if the person is not of full age and capacity, the application shall be made on his behalf by his respo nsible parent or by his guardian or other lawful representative.
(4) A person adopted on or after the appointed day by order made under the law relating to the adoption of
children who was not, at the date of the order, a citizen of Zimbabwe shall become a citizen of Zimbabwe on the date of
the order if the adopter or, in the case of a joint adoption, the male adopter was, at the date of the order, a citizen of
Zimbabwe, and such adopted person shall be regarded as a citizen of Zimbabwe by registr ation.
(5) The registration as a citizen of Zimbabwe of a person referred to in subsection (1), ( 2) or (3) who is of full
age shall not be effected unless and until the person has taken and subscribed the oath of loyalty in the form set out in
Schedule 1, and such person shall be registered and become a citizen of Zimbabwe by registration on the date he takes
and subscribes the oath of loyalty.
(6) A person referred to in subsection (1) who has not been registered as a citizen of Zimbabwe shall, for the
period referred to in that subsection, enjoy the same rights and privileges, other than those which relate to the acquisition of citizenship or which relate to qualifications for members of Parliament or voters, as a citizen of Zimbabwe.
(7) In subsection (3), “responsible parent”, in relation to a child, means—
if the father is dead or the mother has been given custody of the child by order of a court or has custody of the child
by virtue of the provisions of a law relating to the guardianship of children or the child is illegitimate, the mother of
the child;
Reissue July 2001
[Chapter 4:01]