Citizenship by Descent (Jus Sanguinis)

Traditional Citizenship (Jus Sanguinis)

Under the Beninese Nationality Code (Loi N° 2022-32), nationality is transmitted automatically by parentage.

• Parental Link: You qualify if at least one of your parents (mother or father) was a Beninese citizen at the time of your birth.
• Gender Equality: Following the 2022 reforms, Beninese mothers and fathers transmit nationality under identical conditions, regardless of whether the child was born in Benin or abroad.

Nationality by Recognition (Afro-Descendants)

This pathway is specifically for the African Diaspora. To qualify, you must meet the following criteria:

• Definition: You must be an Afro-descendant, defined as any person of sub-Saharan African descent whose ancestors were forcibly deported during the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
• Age: You must be at least 18 years old.
• African Nationality Restriction: You are ineligible if you already hold the nationality of another African country (e.g., a person holding both US and Nigerian citizenship cannot apply for this specific Beninese pathway).
• Exclusion: This is not a general naturalization for all foreigners; it is strictly for those who can prove ancestral deportation from the region.