American University of Nigeria

EXPATRIATE CITIZENSHIP

An expatriate can be defined as an alien who has taken up a job or employment of any kind in a country other than their country of origin. The Immigration Act defines an Alien pursuance to Section 52(1) as: any person not a commonwealth citizen or a citizen of Eire. The commonwealth countries as stated in the Diplomatic immunities & Privileges Act, Cap.D9, LFN 2004 as follows: UK & colonies, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Malaysia, Singapore, Cyprus, Sierra Lean, Tanzania, Uganda, Jamaica, Ireland and others as the Minister may by order in the Federal Gazette.

From an immigration officer at the Immigration service here in Yola, Adamawa State, he defined an expatriate as an alien who is employed to work here in Nigeria. So to be called an expatriate, you should first and foremost be an Alien. This is putting it simply.

In the American context, an expatriate is an employee working in a country other than their country of origin. This information is gotten from http://definitions.uslegal.com/e/expatriate.

CITIZENSHIP IN NIGERIA

Citizenship of Nigeria Comes in three ways: By birth, by registration and by naturalization from the Constitution of Nigeria as shown below:

25. (1) The following persons are citizens of Nigeria by birth-namely:

(a) every person born in Nigeria before the date of independence, either of whose parents or any of whose grandparents belongs or belonged to a community indigenous to Nigeria; Provided that a person shall not become a citizen of Nigeria by virtue of this section if neither of his parents nor any of his grandparents was born in Nigeria.

(b) Every person born in Nigeria after the date of independence either of whose parents or any of whose grandparents is a citizen of Nigeria; and

(c) Every person born outside Nigeria either of whose parents is a citizen of Nigeria.

(2) In this section, “the date of independence” means the 1st day of October 1960.

26. (1) Subject to the provisions of section 28 of this Constitution, a person to whom the provisions of this section apply may be registered as a citizen of Nigeria, if the President is satisfied that -

(a) He is a person of good character;

(b) He has shown a clear intention of his desire to be domiciled in Nigeria; and

(c) He has taken the Oath of Allegiance prescribed in the Seventh Schedule to this Constitution.

(2) The provisions of this section shall apply to:

(a) Any woman who is or has been married to a citizen of Nigeria; or

(b) Every person of full age and capacity born outside Nigeria any of

Whose grandparents is a citizen of Nigeria.

27. (1) Subject to the provisions of section 28 of this Constitution, any person who is qualified in accordance with the provisions of this section may apply to the President for the same of a certificate of naturalization.

(2) No person shall be qualified to apply for the grant of a certificate or naturalization, unless he satisfies the President that:

(a) he is a person of full age and capacity;

(b) he is a person of good character;

(c) he has shown a clear intention of his desire to be domiciled in

Nigeria;

(d) he is, in the opinion of the Governor of the State where he is or he proposes to be resident, acceptable to the local community in which he is to live permanently, and has been assimilated into the way of life of Nigerians in that part of the Federation;

(e) he is a person who has made or is capable of making useful contribution to the advancement; progress and well-being of Nigeria;

(f) he has taken the Oath of Allegiance prescribed in the Seventh Schedule to this Constitution; and

(g) he has, immediately preceding the date of his application, either-

(i) resided in Nigeria for a continuous period of fifteen years; or

(ii) resided in Nigeria continuously for a period of twelve months, and during the period of twenty years immediately preceding that period of twelve months has resided in Nigeria for periods amounting in the aggregate to not less than fifteen years.