Hosam Hawamdeh
07-03-2009, 02:02 PM
Chapter 1 - General Provisions
Article 1
This Law may be cited as the Jordanian Nationality Law, 1954, and shall come into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
Article 2
In this Law, except where the context otherwise requires:
"Jordanian" means any person who by virtue of this Law possesses Jordanian nationality;
"Foreigner" means any person who is not a Jordanian;
"Arab" means, for the purposes of this Law, any person whose father was of Arab origin and who is a national of a State Member of the League of Arab States;
"Emigrant" means any Arab born in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan or in the ursurped part of Palestine who emigrated from or left the country or a child, wherever born, of such a person;
"Incapacity" means the condition of any person who is a minor or of unsound mind or mentally defective or incapable at law;
"Full age", in all matters pertaining to the application of this Law, means the age of 18 solar years.
Article 3
The following shall be deemed to be Jordanian nationals:
(1)Any person who has acquired Jordanian nationality or a Jordanian passport under the Jordanian Nationality Law, 1928, as amended, Law No. 6 of 1954 or this Law;
(2)Any person who, not being Jewish, possessed Palestinian nationality before 15 May 1948 and was a regular resident in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan between 20 December 1949 and 16 February 1954;
(3)Any person whose father holds Jordanian nationality;
(4)Any person born in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan of a mother holding Jordanian nationality and of a father of unknown nationality or of a Stateless father or whose filiation is not established;
(5)Any person born in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan of unknown parents, as a foundling in the Kingdom shall be considered born in the Kingdom pending evidence to the contrary;
(6)All members of the Bedouin tribes of the North mentioned in paragraph (j) of article 25 of the Provisional Election Law, No. 24 of 1960, who were effectively living in the territories annexed to the Kingdom in 1930.
Article 4
Any Arab who has resided continuously in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for not less than 15 years may acquire Jordanian nationality, by decision of the Council of Ministers taken on a proposal by the Minister of Internal Affairs, if he renounces his nationality of origin and the law of his country permits him to do so, provided that:
(1)He is of good conduct and has never been convicted of an offence involving his honour or morals;
(2)He has lawful means of livelihood;
(3)He is of sound mind and does not suffer from any impairment that would make him a burden on society;
(4)He takes an oath of allegiance and loyalty to his Majesty before a justice of the peace.
Article 5
His Majesty may, with the approval of the Council of Ministers, grant Jordanian nationality to any emigrant who submits a written declaration of option therefor, on condition that he relinquishes any other nationality possessed by him at the time of application.
Article 6
(1)Save as otherwise provided in this Law, any declaration or application shall be submitted to the Minister of the Internal Affairs or his deputy.
(2)Any application which under this Law may be granted only if certain requirements have been complied with shall be accompanied by certificates or documents proving compliance with that requirement.
Article 7
For the purposes of articles 4, 5 and 6 a person shall be deemed to be a Jordanian national as from the date of his receipt of notice that his application has been granted by the competent authority.
Chapter 2 - Nationality of dependants
Article 8
(1)Subject to the approval of the Minister of Internal Affairs, a foreign woman who marries a Jordanian national may acquire Jordanian nationality if she so wishes by making a written statement to that effect:
(a)Three years after her marriage if she is an Arab;
(b)Five years after her marriage if she is not an Arab.
(2)A Jordanian woman who marries a non-Jordanian and who acquires the nationality of her husband may retain her Jordanian nationality unless she renounces it in accordance with the provisions of this Law, in which case she may subsequently recover her Jordanian nationality by making an application therefor if her marriage is dissolved for any reason.
(3)A Jordanian woman whose husband was or is being naturalized to acquire the nationality of another country because of special circumstances may retain her Jordanian nationality.
Article 9
The children of a Jordanian man shall be Jordanian wherever they are born.
Article 10
A minor child whose father has acquired a foreign nationality shall retain his Jordanian nationality.
Article 11
Where a foreign widow or divorced woman marries a Jordanian her children born before her marriage to him shall not automatically acquire Jordanian nationality by reason of such marriage.
Chapter 3 - Naturalization
Article 12
Any person other than a Jordanian who is not incapable by law may apply to the Council of Ministers for grant of a certificate of Jordanian naturalization if:
(1)He has been regularly resident in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for a period of four years preceding the date of his application;
(2)He intends to reside in the Hashemite Kingdom of the Jordan.
Article 13
(1)The Council of Ministers may grant or reject an application for naturalization under article 12 of this Law.
(2)The Council of Ministers may, subject to the approval of his Majesty the King, waive the requirement of four years' previous residence if the applicant is an Arab or if, for some special reason, his naturalization is in the public interest.
(3)A certificate of Jordanian naturalization shall not be granted to any person unless he loses by such naturalization the nationality he possessed at the date thereof.
(4)A certificate of naturalization shall not be granted to any person who acquired Jordanian nationality by naturalization and who later lost the same by opting to acquire the nationality of a foreign State.
(5)A certificate of naturalization granted by the Council of Ministers shall bear the signature of the Minsiter of Internal Affairs or his deputy.
Article 14
A person who acquires Jordanian nationality shall be deemed to be a Jordanian in every respect, but he may not hold any political or diplomatic position or any public office prescribed by the Council of Ministers and may not become a member of the State Council for at least 10 years after acquiring Jordanian nationality. He shall be eligible for nomination to a municipal or village council or to trade union office only after a period of at least five years has elasped as from his acquisition of Jordanian nationality.
Chapter 4 - Renunciation of nationality
Article 15
Any Jordanian may with the approval of the Council of Ministers renounce his Jordanian nationality and acquire the nationality of a foreign State.
Article 16
Any Jordanian may renounce his Jordanian nationality and acquire the nationality of an Arab State.
Article 17
(a)A Jordanian who acquires the nationality of a foreign State may retain his Jordanian nationality unless he renounces it in accordance with the provisions of this Law.
(b)The Council of Ministers may, on a proposal of the Minister of Internal Affairs, restore Jordanian nationality to a Jordanian who has renounced his Jordanian nationality to acquire another nationality in accordance with the provisions of this Law and who applies to the Minister of Internal Affairs for his nationality to be restored.
Chapter 5 - Loss of Jordanian nationality
Article 18
(1)Any person who enters the military service of a foreign State without the prior permission or leave of the Jordanian Council of Ministers and refuses to leave the same when so directed by the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of the Jordan shall lose his nationality.
(2)The Council of Ministers may, with the approval of His Majesty, declare that a Jordanian has lost Jordanian nationality if:
(a)He enters the civil service of a foreign State and refuses to leave the same when so directed by the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of the Jordan;
(b)He enters the service of an enemy State;
(c)He commits or attempts to commit an act deemed to endanger the peace and security of the State.
Article 19
The Council of Ministers may, with the approval of His Majesty, cancel a certificate of naturalization granted to any person if:
(1)He has committed or attempted to commit any act deemed to endanger the peace and security of the State;
(2)He has lost Jordanian nationality through misrepresentation in the evidence on the strength of which he was granted a certificate of naturalization.
Article 20
A Jordanian who loses Jordanian nationality shall not thereby be exempted from any obligation incurred by him as result of any act done by him before he lost Jordanian nationality.
Article 21
The Council of Ministers may make regulations for giving effect to the provisions of this Act and for the collection of fees payable thereunder and may make orders relating to the form and registration of:
(1)Certificates of naturalization;
(2)Declarations of option for nationality;
(3)Acquisition and renunciation of Jordanian nationality.
Article 22
(1)The Council of Ministers may make regulations respecting the issue of identity cards for Jordanians and non-Jordanians, prescribe the form of and procedure for their registration, and determine the amount of charges payable therefor and exemptions in respect of persons who cannot afford to pay such charges.
(2)Any person who fails to obtain an identity card in accordance with paragraph (1) of this article shall be liable to a fine of not more than 10 dinars.
Chapter 6 - Repeals
Article 23
Any Ottoman or Jordanian or Palestinian enactment published before this Law in the Official Gazette shall, in so far as it conflicts with the provisions hereof, be repealed.
Article 24
The Prime Minister and the other Ministers shall be entrusted with the application of this
Article 1
This Law may be cited as the Jordanian Nationality Law, 1954, and shall come into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
Article 2
In this Law, except where the context otherwise requires:
"Jordanian" means any person who by virtue of this Law possesses Jordanian nationality;
"Foreigner" means any person who is not a Jordanian;
"Arab" means, for the purposes of this Law, any person whose father was of Arab origin and who is a national of a State Member of the League of Arab States;
"Emigrant" means any Arab born in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan or in the ursurped part of Palestine who emigrated from or left the country or a child, wherever born, of such a person;
"Incapacity" means the condition of any person who is a minor or of unsound mind or mentally defective or incapable at law;
"Full age", in all matters pertaining to the application of this Law, means the age of 18 solar years.
Article 3
The following shall be deemed to be Jordanian nationals:
(1)Any person who has acquired Jordanian nationality or a Jordanian passport under the Jordanian Nationality Law, 1928, as amended, Law No. 6 of 1954 or this Law;
(2)Any person who, not being Jewish, possessed Palestinian nationality before 15 May 1948 and was a regular resident in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan between 20 December 1949 and 16 February 1954;
(3)Any person whose father holds Jordanian nationality;
(4)Any person born in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan of a mother holding Jordanian nationality and of a father of unknown nationality or of a Stateless father or whose filiation is not established;
(5)Any person born in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan of unknown parents, as a foundling in the Kingdom shall be considered born in the Kingdom pending evidence to the contrary;
(6)All members of the Bedouin tribes of the North mentioned in paragraph (j) of article 25 of the Provisional Election Law, No. 24 of 1960, who were effectively living in the territories annexed to the Kingdom in 1930.
Article 4
Any Arab who has resided continuously in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for not less than 15 years may acquire Jordanian nationality, by decision of the Council of Ministers taken on a proposal by the Minister of Internal Affairs, if he renounces his nationality of origin and the law of his country permits him to do so, provided that:
(1)He is of good conduct and has never been convicted of an offence involving his honour or morals;
(2)He has lawful means of livelihood;
(3)He is of sound mind and does not suffer from any impairment that would make him a burden on society;
(4)He takes an oath of allegiance and loyalty to his Majesty before a justice of the peace.
Article 5
His Majesty may, with the approval of the Council of Ministers, grant Jordanian nationality to any emigrant who submits a written declaration of option therefor, on condition that he relinquishes any other nationality possessed by him at the time of application.
Article 6
(1)Save as otherwise provided in this Law, any declaration or application shall be submitted to the Minister of the Internal Affairs or his deputy.
(2)Any application which under this Law may be granted only if certain requirements have been complied with shall be accompanied by certificates or documents proving compliance with that requirement.
Article 7
For the purposes of articles 4, 5 and 6 a person shall be deemed to be a Jordanian national as from the date of his receipt of notice that his application has been granted by the competent authority.
Chapter 2 - Nationality of dependants
Article 8
(1)Subject to the approval of the Minister of Internal Affairs, a foreign woman who marries a Jordanian national may acquire Jordanian nationality if she so wishes by making a written statement to that effect:
(a)Three years after her marriage if she is an Arab;
(b)Five years after her marriage if she is not an Arab.
(2)A Jordanian woman who marries a non-Jordanian and who acquires the nationality of her husband may retain her Jordanian nationality unless she renounces it in accordance with the provisions of this Law, in which case she may subsequently recover her Jordanian nationality by making an application therefor if her marriage is dissolved for any reason.
(3)A Jordanian woman whose husband was or is being naturalized to acquire the nationality of another country because of special circumstances may retain her Jordanian nationality.
Article 9
The children of a Jordanian man shall be Jordanian wherever they are born.
Article 10
A minor child whose father has acquired a foreign nationality shall retain his Jordanian nationality.
Article 11
Where a foreign widow or divorced woman marries a Jordanian her children born before her marriage to him shall not automatically acquire Jordanian nationality by reason of such marriage.
Chapter 3 - Naturalization
Article 12
Any person other than a Jordanian who is not incapable by law may apply to the Council of Ministers for grant of a certificate of Jordanian naturalization if:
(1)He has been regularly resident in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for a period of four years preceding the date of his application;
(2)He intends to reside in the Hashemite Kingdom of the Jordan.
Article 13
(1)The Council of Ministers may grant or reject an application for naturalization under article 12 of this Law.
(2)The Council of Ministers may, subject to the approval of his Majesty the King, waive the requirement of four years' previous residence if the applicant is an Arab or if, for some special reason, his naturalization is in the public interest.
(3)A certificate of Jordanian naturalization shall not be granted to any person unless he loses by such naturalization the nationality he possessed at the date thereof.
(4)A certificate of naturalization shall not be granted to any person who acquired Jordanian nationality by naturalization and who later lost the same by opting to acquire the nationality of a foreign State.
(5)A certificate of naturalization granted by the Council of Ministers shall bear the signature of the Minsiter of Internal Affairs or his deputy.
Article 14
A person who acquires Jordanian nationality shall be deemed to be a Jordanian in every respect, but he may not hold any political or diplomatic position or any public office prescribed by the Council of Ministers and may not become a member of the State Council for at least 10 years after acquiring Jordanian nationality. He shall be eligible for nomination to a municipal or village council or to trade union office only after a period of at least five years has elasped as from his acquisition of Jordanian nationality.
Chapter 4 - Renunciation of nationality
Article 15
Any Jordanian may with the approval of the Council of Ministers renounce his Jordanian nationality and acquire the nationality of a foreign State.
Article 16
Any Jordanian may renounce his Jordanian nationality and acquire the nationality of an Arab State.
Article 17
(a)A Jordanian who acquires the nationality of a foreign State may retain his Jordanian nationality unless he renounces it in accordance with the provisions of this Law.
(b)The Council of Ministers may, on a proposal of the Minister of Internal Affairs, restore Jordanian nationality to a Jordanian who has renounced his Jordanian nationality to acquire another nationality in accordance with the provisions of this Law and who applies to the Minister of Internal Affairs for his nationality to be restored.
Chapter 5 - Loss of Jordanian nationality
Article 18
(1)Any person who enters the military service of a foreign State without the prior permission or leave of the Jordanian Council of Ministers and refuses to leave the same when so directed by the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of the Jordan shall lose his nationality.
(2)The Council of Ministers may, with the approval of His Majesty, declare that a Jordanian has lost Jordanian nationality if:
(a)He enters the civil service of a foreign State and refuses to leave the same when so directed by the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of the Jordan;
(b)He enters the service of an enemy State;
(c)He commits or attempts to commit an act deemed to endanger the peace and security of the State.
Article 19
The Council of Ministers may, with the approval of His Majesty, cancel a certificate of naturalization granted to any person if:
(1)He has committed or attempted to commit any act deemed to endanger the peace and security of the State;
(2)He has lost Jordanian nationality through misrepresentation in the evidence on the strength of which he was granted a certificate of naturalization.
Article 20
A Jordanian who loses Jordanian nationality shall not thereby be exempted from any obligation incurred by him as result of any act done by him before he lost Jordanian nationality.
Article 21
The Council of Ministers may make regulations for giving effect to the provisions of this Act and for the collection of fees payable thereunder and may make orders relating to the form and registration of:
(1)Certificates of naturalization;
(2)Declarations of option for nationality;
(3)Acquisition and renunciation of Jordanian nationality.
Article 22
(1)The Council of Ministers may make regulations respecting the issue of identity cards for Jordanians and non-Jordanians, prescribe the form of and procedure for their registration, and determine the amount of charges payable therefor and exemptions in respect of persons who cannot afford to pay such charges.
(2)Any person who fails to obtain an identity card in accordance with paragraph (1) of this article shall be liable to a fine of not more than 10 dinars.
Chapter 6 - Repeals
Article 23
Any Ottoman or Jordanian or Palestinian enactment published before this Law in the Official Gazette shall, in so far as it conflicts with the provisions hereof, be repealed.
Article 24
The Prime Minister and the other Ministers shall be entrusted with the application of this