Children with father's identity unknown can now acquire Nepali citizenship in mother's name

Kathmandu: A legal provision has come into force that allows children whose father’s identity is unknown to obtain Nepali citizenship through their mother’s name, officials said on Thursday.

The provision was implemented following the government's approval to the Nepal Citizenship (Fourth Amendment) Rules, 2082 BS (Bikram Samvat) through a cabinet meeting and published in the Nepal Gazette.

“With this, the concerned provisions of the Nepal Citizenship Act, 2006 have been formally enforced,” the officials said.

The Nepal Citizenship (Second Amendment) Act, 2082 was certified by the President on October 22, 2025 to facilitate citizenship for children born to Nepali mothers. The Citizenship Rules, 2006 were revised for the fourth time to operationalise the amended law.

The amended rules were earlier approved by the Cabinet on December 25 and published in the Gazette on January 4, after which the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a circular for all 77 District Administration Offices, officials said.

Under the revised rules, children whose father or mother had obtained citizenship by descent, but where one parent died or became untraceable before acquiring citizenship, can now get naturalised Nepali citizenship after completing the required procedures and filling forms.

Similarly, individuals born abroad to a Nepali mother, who have not acquired foreign citizenship or a foreign passport, cannot identify their father, and have permanent residence in Nepal, are also eligible for naturalised citizenship after fulfilling the specified conditions.

The amendment gives recognition to self-declaration as a key basis for issuing citizenship, in addition to documents specified in the rules, and introduces a standardised format for such declarations, the officials said.

Welcoming the revised regulations, senior human rights activist Charan Prasai told PTI that it would provide relief to thousands of people who are deprived of their citizenship certificates despite being qualified to become a Nepali citizen.