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Republic of Naoero · citizenship naturalisation

Citizenship through birth in the Republic and qualifying residence

By · Last reviewed:

Guidance updated 15 November 2026. Full-review date shown above.

Section 11 requires birth in the Republic to non-citizen parents and 20 continuous years of residence; it is not a general residence-only naturalisation route.

Qualifying citizenship basis and authority evidence; not employer sponsorshipCitizenship claim or grantCitizenship status or grant under the actual qualifying provision; no visa validity periodIn flux
Processing time
No case-specific decision time established; evidence investigation and the competent status/grant process must be completed.
Government fees
AUD 250 application fee; separate AUD 100 grant and AUD 100 citizenship-certificate fees under Schedule 3. Confirm the actual assessment and any other document charges. The application fee is not the total cost; no ordinary passport price is established here.
Typical duration
Citizenship status or grant under the actual qualifying provision; no visa validity period
Filing and qualifying evidence
Qualifying citizenship basis and authority evidence; not employer sponsorship
Outcome
Citizenship status or grant; see qualifying basis
Reviewed RONLAW — Naoero's Online Legal Database ↗

In short

Section 11 requires birth in the Republic to non-citizen parents and 20 continuous years of residence; it is not a general residence-only naturalisation route. Guidance updated 15 November 2026. Costs, application stages and eligibility conditions are set out with their sources below.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/nauru/citizenship-birth-and-residence#answer

What is the Citizenship through birth in the Republic and qualifying residence in Republic of Naoero?

Qualifying citizenship basis and authority evidence; not employer sponsorship. This is a citizenship procedure. Indicative government fees are AUD 250 application fee; separate AUD 100 grant and AUD 100 citizenship-certificate fees under Schedule 3. Confirm the actual assessment and any other document charges. The application fee is not the total cost; no ordinary passport price is established here; indicative processing time is No case-specific decision time established; evidence investigation and the competent status/grant process must be completed; typical duration is Citizenship status or grant under the actual qualifying provision; no visa validity period. This procedure concerns citizenship status or a citizenship grant, rather than a permanent residence visa.

Primary guidance checked with RONLAW — Naoero's Online Legal Database on 15 November 2026.

Overview

A person born in the Republic to non-citizen parents may apply under section 11 after at least 20 continuous years of residence, with temporary absences not affecting continuity under that provision. Foreign birth plus 20 years of residence does not meet this particular basis. Stateless birth needs separate assessment: Constitution Article 73 describes Cabinet discretion, while the 2017 Act’s section 4(d) uses citizenship wording; this guide does not resolve that difference or promise automatic status.

Additional sources

Eligibility

Typical criteria

Common blockers

Typical evidence

Application pathway

  1. Check the route fit

    Identify section 11 eligibility or the separate constitutional/stateless-birth issue before choosing the form.

  2. Build the evidence pack

    Document local birth, parents’ status and the complete residence history, including absences.

  3. Submit through the official channel

    Submit the correct application and assessed fee to the Secretary; complete investigation and the competent Minister/Cabinet decision.

  4. After approval

    Following approval, complete the applicable oath and certificate process; arrange identity/passport documents separately.

After a successful citizenship decision

For Citizenship through birth in the Republic and qualifying residence, use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Check whether an oath, registration, certificate or passport application remains outstanding. Do not assume that approval of citizenship is itself a travel document.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Check passport-use obligations and the effect on any other nationality before renouncing or using another passport.
Official Citizenship through birth in the Republic and qualifying residence instructionsBuild my moving plan for this routeMoving to Naoero (Nauru)

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceApplicant
    Read Citizenship and Adoption Division — actual citizenship and adoption procedures ↗

    Use the current Division instructions to establish the legal basis, correct form, evidence, fee and submission process.

    Department of Justice and Border Control · verified

  2. Official guidanceApplicant
    Read Naoero Citizenship Act 2017, Forms and Fees Regulations and 30 October 2026 oath rules — Service 6 ↗

    Read the actual provision, prescribed form and fee schedule; a legal PDF does not lodge a claim.

    RONLAW — Naoero's Online Legal Database · verified

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Frequently asked questions

Can anyone naturalise after living here for 20 years?+

Not under this provision. Section 11 also requires birth in the Republic to non-citizen parents. Other Acts have separate rules and cannot be substituted for this condition.

Does birth to stateless parents automatically settle the case?+

The current Constitution’s Article 73 and the 2017 Act’s section 4(d) use different formulations. Establish the precise facts and obtain an authority or legal assessment; this guide does not resolve that conflict as an automatic entitlement.

Can the oath be taken remotely?+

Where an oath is required, section 20 provides a ceremony before the Chief Justice or a Supreme Court Judge unless the Minister exempts it. The 30 October 2026 rules allow audiovisual participation at judicial discretion, with identity/connection checks, immediate signing before a foreign notary or Chief Justice-approved person, certification and transmission. Remote participation is not an automatic entitlement.

Does applying establish citizenship or a right to travel?+

No. Establish the actual status or obtain the required grant and certificate through the competent authority. Citizenship documentation and passport/entry arrangements are separate. Section 16 allows dual citizenship under Naoero law, but the other country’s rules must be checked. Cancellation provisions can apply; citizenship is not promised to be irrevocable.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

Find a regulated advisor in Naoero (Nauru)

How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: RONLAW — Naoero's Online Legal Database

Last checked: 15 November 2026

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