Jordan

Last Updated: 2026-04-01

Official Portal: Civil Status and Passports Department

Embassy Finder: Jordanian Diplomatic Missions

Quick Facts

Category	Details
Residency for naturalization	15 years for Arab nationals; naturalization of non-Arabs is rare
Language requirement	Knowledge of Arabic (not formally tested)
Civics test	None formalized
Processing time	Highly variable; 12—36+ months; discretionary
Naturalization fee	JOD 1,000+ (approximately USD 1,400+)
Dual citizenship	Conditionally tolerated; Jordanians may acquire some foreign nationalities with prior approval
Citizenship by birth in Jordan	No jus soli; descent-based only
Citizenship by descent	Patrilineal — through the father exclusively
Governing law	Jordanian Nationality Law No. 6 of 1954 (as amended)

Dual Citizenship

Jordan’s position on dual citizenship is complex and politically sensitive, driven largely by the Palestinian-Jordanian dynamic.

Key provisions:

The 1954 Nationality Law does not explicitly prohibit dual citizenship, but a Jordanian citizen who acquires a foreign nationality may lose Jordanian citizenship unless prior approval from the Council of Ministers was obtained.
In practice, Jordan tolerates dual citizenship with many countries, particularly Western nations. Hundreds of thousands of Jordanians hold dual nationality with the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Gulf states.
Dual citizenship with Israel is strictly prohibited and results in automatic loss of Jordanian nationality.
Palestinian-origin Jordanians: Jordan withdrew citizenship from many Palestinian-origin Jordanians beginning in 2004, particularly those holding Palestinian Authority documents. This remains one of the most sensitive political and legal issues in Jordanian nationality law.
Jordanians are advised to seek Council of Ministers approval before acquiring foreign nationality to protect their Jordanian citizenship.

Acquisition of Nationality

By Birth (Jus Soli)

Jordan does not apply jus soli. Birth on Jordanian territory does not confer citizenship. A child born in Jordan to non-Jordanian parents is not entitled to Jordanian nationality, regardless of how long they reside in the country.

The sole exception is the foundling provision: a child of unknown parentage found in Jordan is presumed Jordanian.

By Descent (Jus Sanguinis)

Jordanian citizenship is transmitted exclusively through the father:

A child born to a Jordanian father acquires citizenship automatically, regardless of place of birth or the nationality of the mother.
A child born to a Jordanian mother and non-Jordanian father does not acquire Jordanian citizenship. Despite sustained advocacy campaigns (notably the “My Mother Is Jordanian and Her Nationality Is My Right” movement), the law has not been amended.
Children of Jordanian mothers may receive certain privileges (education, health, residency) but not citizenship.
There is no generational limit on paternal descent-based citizenship.

By Adoption

Jordanian law, following Islamic legal tradition, does not recognize formal adoption. Guardianship (kafalah) does not confer citizenship. A child under kafalah retains the nationality of their biological parents.

By Marriage

A foreign woman who marries a Jordanian man may apply for Jordanian citizenship after 3 years of marriage if residing in Jordan (5 years if residing abroad). She must renounce her prior nationality.
A foreign man who marries a Jordanian woman has no pathway to Jordanian citizenship through marriage. This reflects the strictly patrilineal structure of the nationality law.

By Naturalization

Requirement	Details
Residence	15 years of continuous lawful residence for Arab nationals
Non-Arab nationals	Naturalization is extremely rare and fully discretionary
Character	Good conduct; no criminal record
Financial	Demonstrated financial self-sufficiency
Health	Free of communicable diseases
Renunciation	Must renounce prior nationality
Approval	Granted by the Council of Ministers
Fee	JOD 1,000+

Note: Jordan does not actively encourage naturalization. The process is opaque and approvals are rare outside of specific political decisions (e.g., mass naturalization of Palestinian refugees in the 1950s—1960s).

Loss and Renunciation

Voluntary renunciation: A Jordanian citizen may apply to renounce citizenship with Council of Ministers approval. Conditions:

The applicant must hold or have been assured another nationality.
Must have no pending military service obligations.
Must have no outstanding debts to the state.
Must not be a government employee.

Involuntary loss:

Ground	Details
Acquisition of foreign nationality without approval	May result in loss of Jordanian citizenship at the discretion of the Council of Ministers
Acquisition of Israeli nationality	Automatic and irreversible loss
Service in a foreign government or military	Without prior authorization
Fraud	Citizenship obtained through false information may be revoked
Administrative withdrawal	The government has withdrawn nationality from Palestinian-origin Jordanians holding PA documents since 2004

Restoration of Nationality

Former Jordanian citizens who lost citizenship may apply for restoration through the Ministry of Interior:

Must demonstrate prior Jordanian citizenship
Restoration is discretionary and requires Council of Ministers approval
Applicants who lost citizenship by acquiring a foreign nationality must show they have returned to Jordan and intend to reside permanently
Palestinians whose Jordanian nationality was withdrawn face significant legal and political barriers to restoration

Stateless Persons and Foundlings

Jordan is not a party to the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons or the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

A child of unknown parentage found in Jordan is presumed Jordanian (foundling provision).
Children of Jordanian mothers and non-Jordanian (or stateless) fathers are at heightened risk of statelessness, as Jordan does not transmit citizenship through the maternal line.
Palestinians in Jordan without Jordanian nationality documents face a complex status. Those with Jordanian national numbers retain rights; those whose nationality was withdrawn exist in a legal grey area.
The Bidoon (stateless) population in Jordan, while smaller than in Gulf states, includes displaced persons and those whose documentation was lost during regional conflicts.

Document Checklist

Jordanian national identity card (Hawiyya)

Family book (Daftar al-A’ila)

Birth certificate with certified Arabic translation

Father’s Jordanian identity documents (for descent claims)

Marriage certificate (for spousal applications)

Valid passport (Jordanian or foreign)

Proof of continuous residence in Jordan (for naturalization)

Criminal record clearance from Jordan and country of origin

Medical fitness certificate

Financial statements demonstrating self-sufficiency

Two recent passport-sized photographs

Application form (from Civil Status and Passports Department)

Council of Ministers approval documentation (where applicable)

Sources

Jordanian Nationality Law No. 6 of 1954 (as amended) — Primary nationality legislation. Available through UNHCR Refworld: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6b4ea13.html
Constitution of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (1952, as amended) — Article 5 on nationality: https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Jordan_2016
Civil Status and Passports Department — Documentation and identity services: https://www.cspd.gov.jo/
UNHCR — Jordan — Nationality, statelessness, and refugee documentation: https://www.unhcr.org/jordan.html
Human Rights Watch — Jordan — Reports on nationality withdrawal and gender discrimination: https://www.hrw.org/middle-east/n-africa/jordan

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