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Travel & Immigration

How to Apply for Malawian Citizenship in Malawi

updated on : Monday, 5 Oct, 2026 · 2 min read · from 5 official sources

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Table of contents
  • Non-commonwealth citizens must have lived in Malawi for over 7 years and speak English and a local language to apply for naturalisation4
  • You must show good character and be financially solvent to qualify for Malawi citizenship4
  • For dual citizenship notification, you need a covering letter, completed forms, two passport photos, certified birth certificate copies, and a K100,000 fee3
  • All documents must be submitted in duplicate to immigration offices3

There are three main ways to become a Malawi citizen: through naturalisation if you are a foreign national who meets residence and language requirements, through notification and registration if you have acquired another country’s citizenship, or through restoration if you lost your Malawi citizenship when acquiring citizenship of another country.2

Naturalisation (for non-commonwealth citizens)

You must have lived in Malawi for over 7 years.4 You also need to speak English and at least one local language.4 You must show good character suitable to be a citizen of Malawi, and you must be financially solvent.4

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Dual citizenship notification and registration

If you are a Malawian citizen by birth or descent and have acquired citizenship of another country, you can notify and register for dual citizenship.2 You must be of full age.2 You will use Form AA for this application.2

What you need (for dual citizenship)

  • A covering letter3
  • Fully completed application forms3
  • Two passport size photographs3
  • Certified photocopies of your birth certificate3
  • Certified photocopies of your National ID3
  • All documents in duplicate3
  • A prescribed fee of K100,0003
  • Your email address and phone number3
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Restoration of citizenship

If you lost your Malawi citizenship when you acquired citizenship of another country under the old law that did not allow dual citizenship, you can apply for restoration.2 This also requires Form AA and similar documentation.2

Where to apply

Contact the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services, which falls under the Ministry of Home Affairs.10 Immigration offices are located in Blantyre, Lilongwe, and Mzuzu.6

Official sources

  1. Dual Citizenship immigration.gov.mw
  2. Notification of Dual citizenship checklist immigration.gov.mw · PDF
  3. Categories of citizenship immigration.gov.mw
  4. New Passport Issuing immigration.gov.mw
  5. Home Page – Robert immigration.gov.mw

Every fact in this guide comes from these official Government of Malawi pages, numbered to match. Fees, dates and rules change: confirm on the official site before you go. Spotted an error? Tell us.

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