The Cameroonian certificate of nationality
The certificate of nationality is the document that proves, before government offices and the courts, that a person is Cameroonian. It is issued by a judge, not by the police or the town hall, under Law No. 1968-LF-3 of 11 June 1968 setting up the Cameroon Nationality Code, still in force in October 2026. This page explains what it is for and how to obtain it, then sums up what the code says: who is Cameroonian by birth, how nationality is acquired (marriage, declaration, naturalisation), how it is lost and how it can be restored.
Information checked on
At a glance
- Governing law
- Law No. 1968-LF-3 of 11 June 1968 (Nationality Code) and Decree No. 1968-DF-478 of 16 December 1968
- Issued by
- The civil-court judge sitting at the sub-divisional headquarters (section 42), in practice the president of the court of first instance
- If refused
- Appeal to the Minister of Justice (section 42)
- Age of majority under the code
- 21 (section 4)
What is the certificate for?
The 1968 code makes it the ordinary proof of nationality: under section 42, the certificate states the legal provision under which the holder is Cameroonian and the documents establishing it, and it is prima facie proof. The implementing decree of 16 December 1968 draws an important consequence: in court, the burden of proof shifts to whoever disputes the nationality of a certificate holder (article 15). An identity card or a passport assumes nationality; the certificate states why it exists.
In practice it is requested for some civil-service entrance exams, for a first passport or for immigration procedures, according to the InfosPratiques.cm guide (2026). Document lists vary and change with reforms: check the one for the procedure concerned (see the pages on the national identity card and the passport).
Where and how to apply
Section 42 of the code gives the civil-court judge sitting at the sub-divisional headquarters exclusive power to issue the certificate. Practical guides today say to apply to the president of the court of first instance (tribunal de premiĂšre instance) of one's place of birth or residence. If the judge refuses, the applicant can refer the matter to the Minister of Justice, who decides whether the certificate should be issued; the refusal is recorded in a written attestation (article 15 of the 1968 decree).
No official list of documents was found online. The InfosPratiques.cm guide (2026) gives the following, to be confirmed with the court registry:
- A handwritten application addressed to the president of the court of first instance
- A certified copy of the birth certificate (or of the court order replacing it)
- A copy of the national identity card
- The parents' birth certificates, which establish Cameroonian parentage
- A certificate of residence
- Four 4 Ă 4 cm passport photos
- Revenue stamps
For a minor, the application is made by the legal guardian. Acquisition by marriage, declaration or naturalisation is proved by its own documents: a registered copy of the declaration or an attestation from the Minister of Justice, a copy of the Official Gazette publishing the naturalisation decree or an attestation from the Keeper of the Seals (articles 16 and 18 of the 1968 decree).
Cost and processing time
No official fee schedule is published online. The InfosPratiques.cm guide (2026) puts the revenue stamps at about 2,000 CFA francs, not counting photocopies and certified copies of supporting documents, and the processing time at one to four weeks depending on the court. These figures do not come from an official text. The guide adds that the certificate does not expire; some offices may nonetheless ask for a recent one.
Abroad, consular posts issue an âattestation of nationalityâ: âŹ10 at the Brussels embassy according to its online fee list; the London High Commission lists it among its certification services. The code, however, reserves the certificate to judges, and we found no text saying whether the consular attestation can replace it. See the page on paperwork from abroad.
Who is Cameroonian by birth?
The 1968 code rests mainly on parentage (jus sanguinis) and secondarily on birth in Cameroon. It uses the categories of its time (âlegitimateâ or âillegitimateâ child); the table sums them up without rewording them.
| Situation | Section | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Both parents Cameroonian | 6 | Cameroonian by operation of law |
| One Cameroonian parent | 7 | Cameroonian, with the right to renounce in the six months before majority if born abroad or entitled to the other parent's nationality |
| Cameroonian mother, father stateless or of unknown nationality | 8 | Cameroonian, with no right to renounce |
| Born in Cameroon to unknown parents (or newborn found in Cameroon) | 9 and 10 | Cameroonian, unless a foreign parentage established during minority gives him that nationality |
| Born in Cameroon to foreign parents, one of whom was also born there | 11 | Cameroonian, with the right to renounce in the six months before majority (except diplomats' children, section 16) |
| Born in Cameroon with no other possible nationality of origin | 12 | Cameroonian (protection against statelessness) |
Parentage only counts if established under Cameroonian law or custom (section 14), hence the importance of the birth certificate: a child born abroad must have the birth declared or transcribed at the consulate. Section 5 automatically extends the grant or acquisition of nationality to the person's unmarried minor children.
Becoming Cameroonian: marriage, declaration, naturalisation
| Route | Who? | Conditions and procedure |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage (ss. 17-19) | A foreign woman marrying a Cameroonian man | Express request, at the latest at the wedding; declaration signed in three copies before a judge or consul. The government may object by decree within six months. |
| Declaration (s. 20) | Born in Cameroon to foreign parents | Declaration in the six months before majority, with at least five years' domicile or residence in Cameroon |
| Declaration (ss. 21-22) | Child adopted by a Cameroonian; children of a restored parent | Declaration before majority and residence in Cameroon for the adoptee; no residence condition for the children of a restored parent |
| Naturalisation (ss. 24-27) | Any foreigner who applies | Aged 21 or over, five consecutive years' habitual residence, main interests in Cameroon, good character, no unspent conviction, sound body and mind. Granted by decree. |
The code only provides for acquisition by marriage for the foreign wife of a Cameroonian man. The foreign husband of a Cameroonian woman must be naturalised, but section 26 then waives the five-year residence period for him, as for a foreigner born in Cameroon or one who has rendered exceptional services to the country.
The naturalisation application is sent to the Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals, with a CV, birth certificate, marriage certificate where relevant and the birth certificates of minor children. The minister orders a police inquiry into the applicant's morals, conduct, loyalty and assimilation, and the applicant also undergoes a medical examination. The 1968 decree set a duty of 30,000 francs payable to the Treasury before the naturalisation decree is signed; we found no more recent amount. The decree is published in the Official Gazette.
A naturalised citizen enjoys all the rights attached to nationality, with one exception: he may not hold any elected office for five years (section 30), unless this bar is lifted by decree. For ten years after acquisition, he may be stripped of nationality by decree if convicted of an offence against state security or for acts harmful to the state (sections 34 and 35).
Losing Cameroonian nationality
| Ground | Section | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| A Cameroonian adult who voluntarily acquires or keeps a foreign nationality | 31(a) | Loss by operation of law, no decree needed |
| Renunciation allowed by law (children with one Cameroonian parent, etc.) | 31(b) | Loss pronounced by decree (section 40) |
| A person holding a post in an international or foreign public body who does not leave it despite a government order to resign | 31(c) | Loss |
| A Cameroonian woman who marries a foreigner and expressly renounces her nationality at the wedding | 32 | Loss, only if the husband's law lets her acquire his nationality; without renunciation she remains Cameroonian |
The most common case is section 31(a): a Cameroonian who becomes French, American or Canadian loses Cameroonian nationality. The debate on dual nationality, the reform projects and their practical consequences (visas, work) are covered on the page on returning from the diaspora. Renunciation declarations are signed before the judge of the sub-division of residence, or before the consul for those living abroad, and must be registered at the Ministry of Justice (sections 36 to 38).
Getting nationality back: restoration
A person who has lost Cameroonian nationality can be restored to it by decree, with no age or probation requirement, on two conditions: proving they were formerly Cameroonian and residing in Cameroon at the time of restoration (section 28). Someone who was stripped of nationality can only be restored after later rendering exceptional services to the country (section 29). Once restored, their married or adult children can claim nationality by declaration, wherever they live (section 22).
- Application addressed to the Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals
- Copy of the instrument granting the foreign nationality
- Any document proving former Cameroonian nationality
- Certificate of residence issued by the mayor or sub-prefect
- CV, birth certificate, marriage certificate or family booklet where relevant, birth certificates of minor children
- Medical certificate less than three months old
This list comes from article 13 of the decree of 16 December 1968. The residence requirement means that, under the text, a member of the diaspora naturalised abroad cannot be restored while living outside the country. No statistics on the number of restorations were found.
Frequently asked questions
Where do you get a certificate of nationality in Cameroon?
From the president of the court of first instance of your place of birth or residence. The 1968 Nationality Code (section 42) reserves its issue to the sub-divisional civil judge.
What documents are needed for a Cameroonian certificate of nationality?
According to practical guides: a handwritten application to the court president, a certified copy of the birth certificate, the ID card, the parents' birth certificates, a certificate of residence, photos and stamps. No official list is published online: check with the registry.
How much does a certificate of nationality cost in Cameroon?
No official fee is published online; a 2026 practical guide puts it at about 2,000 CFA francs in revenue stamps, plus the cost of certified copies.
Is a child with only one Cameroonian parent Cameroonian?
Yes, under section 7 of the 1968 code. He may, however, renounce it in the six months before majority if born abroad or entitled to the other parent's nationality.
Can you become Cameroonian through marriage?
The 1968 code allows it for the foreign wife of a Cameroonian man, on express request at the wedding, unless the government objects within six months. The foreign husband of a Cameroonian woman must apply for naturalisation, without the five-year residence period.
What are the conditions for naturalisation in Cameroon?
Being 21, five consecutive years of habitual residence in Cameroon, having one's main interests there, good character with no unspent conviction, and sound physical and mental health (section 25 of the 1968 code). It is granted by decree.
How can you get Cameroonian nationality back after losing it?
By applying to the Minister of Justice for restoration, granted by decree. The code requires proof of former Cameroonian nationality and residence in Cameroon at the time of restoration (section 28).
Handle with care
The texts cited date from 1968 and refer to the âcivil judge at the sub-divisional headquartersâ; the equivalence with the president of the court of first instance comes from practical guides. The document list, the cost (about 2,000 CFA francs) and the processing time (one to four weeks) come from a private guide, InfosPratiques.cm, as no official text is online. The 30,000-franc naturalisation duty is the one set by the 1968 decree and may have changed since. It is not known whether a consular attestation of nationality can replace a judge's certificate. The code was consulted in the English version published by the Citizenship Rights in Africa Initiative.