Second Pass

Reacquiring Lost Citizenship in Egypt

The Verdict: Clear Path

You very likely never lost Egyptian nationality, so there is nothing to reacquire. Renew or replace your Egyptian documents, through a consulate or the Civil Status Organisation.

Under Article 10 of the Egyptian Nationality Law (Law 26 of 1975), an Egyptian who takes another nationality without the Interior Ministry's permission remains Egyptian "in every respect and in all cases". One given permission to keep it keeps it too, provided they declared that wish within a year of naturalising, so if that is you, find that declaration.

One caveat if you did not ask permission: Article 16 lets the Cabinet strip nationality, by a reasoned decision, from someone who naturalised abroad without it. It is discretionary, rarely used (one study counted 26 cases from 1998 to 2003), and never automatic.

Article 24 treats an Egyptian birth certificate, national ID card or military service certificate as proof of nationality. Your children born since are Egyptian through you under Article 2 and can be registered once your own record is current.

Email yourself a summary

Send your result and every answer you gave to your inbox, so you have it when you need it. We're copied on the email, so if you'd like our team to take a closer look, just reply.