By Nakwam Rose
Government has suspended issuance of nationality certificates to foreign nationals by marriage.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) for South Sudan National Police Services (SSNPS), Gen. Abraham Manyuat Peter, issued an order, citing malpractices.
The IGP said in the order that the procedures for processing nationality IDs to foreign nationals who are married to South Sudanese women were being carried out unlawfully.
He described the practice which had been implemented by the Directorate of civil Registry, Nationality, Passport and Immigration (DCRNPI) for quite long as “illegal”.
“It has come to my notice that there are illegal procedures carried out by the DCRNP for obtaining Nationality by Marriage and there is also a desire among citizenship seekers for Nationality by marriage especially foreigners who are married South Sudanese ladies” Manyuant argued.
The IGP observed that the procedures have been misused by foreigners who only marry South Sudanese ladies with the sole intention of getting the nationality certificate by marriage and later divorce the woman after fulfilling his objectives.
“Their main goal is to acquire Nationality by marriage and divorce after they acquire the nationality” Manyuant stated in his order citing twenty-three files of nationality acquisition application by marriage.
The Inspector General of Police expressed grave concerns over these foreigners who marry South Sudanese ladies for the sake of acquiring Nationality or Citizenship, thus prompting his action to fix the irregularities.
‘’Therefore, pursuant to the powers vested upon me by the South Sudan National Police Service Act 2009 as Amended 2022, I Gen. Abraham Manyuat Peter, the Inspector General of Police, (IGP), do hereby issue this Order for suspension of Nationality by marriage until further directives” the order partly read.
The order comes into effect on the date of its signature by the Inspector General of Police dated 12 of March, 2025.
With this order in place the directorate of civil registry, nationality, passport and immigration will henceforth cease processing nationality certificates to foreign married to South Sudanese women who seek to get citizenship by marriage.