# Ordinary naturalisation and conflicting old wording The Citizenship Act's ordinary alien route states seven years of residence or government service including residence throughout the final twelve months, with character, English and citizenship-responsibility requirements. Older subsidiary wording still refers to five years and is not presented as the ordinary statutory minimum. Scope: Adult alien naturalisation under section 8 of the Citizenship Act; not Commonwealth registration, marriage, descent or citizenship by investment. The posted Act and subsidiary regulations require careful separation. Jurisdiction: Dominica. Sources reviewed 2026-09-22; review due 2026-12-21. General information, not legal advice or a finding of eligibility. Requirements depend on the route, applicant and filing date. Verify the official instructions before applying. ## Seven-year Act wording includes the final year Section 8(1) requires residence in Dominica throughout the twelve months before application and residence, government service or a combination throughout seven years immediately before application. The final twelve months fall within that seven-year period, not after it. This wording does not establish a separate permanent-residence-permit holding period. Evidence: conditional. [Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica: Citizenship Act and Regulations, Chapter 1:10](https://www.dominica.gov.dm/laws/chapters/chap1-10.pdf). Source location: Section 8(1)(b)–(c), printed page 8 / PDF page 10. ## Capacity, character, English and civic knowledge The ordinary applicant must be of full age and capacity, with full age defined as 18, of good character, and have adequate knowledge of English and of a Dominican citizen's responsibilities. The Act supplies no numeric CEFR standard or general language-test exemption in these provisions. Evidence: conditional. [Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica: Citizenship Act and Regulations, Chapter 1:10](https://www.dominica.gov.dm/laws/chapters/chap1-10.pdf). Source location: Section 2(2), full-age definition, printed page 6 / PDF page 8; section 8(1)(a), printed page 8 / PDF page 10. ## Future intention and oath before grant The applicant must intend to reside in Dominica or enter or continue government service. Section 8 gives the Minister discretion, including residence adjustments and waiver in special circumstances; these are not the baseline route. An oath or affirmation must precede the naturalisation certificate, and citizenship begins on its date. Evidence: conditional. [Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica: Citizenship Act and Regulations, Chapter 1:10](https://www.dominica.gov.dm/laws/chapters/chap1-10.pdf). Source location: Sections 8(1)(d), 8(2) and 9, printed pages 8–9 / PDF pages 10–11. ## Foreign nationality does not itself bar citizenship Section 6(2) says the Act does not prevent an otherwise qualified person from becoming Dominican because that person is another country's national. This removes that nationality-based bar under Dominican law; it does not determine whether the other country permits retention or guarantee approval of the application. Evidence: conditional. [Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica: Citizenship Act and Regulations, Chapter 1:10](https://www.dominica.gov.dm/laws/chapters/chap1-10.pdf). Source location: Section 6(2), printed pages 7–8 / PDF pages 9–10. ## Registered renunciation and a nationality safeguard An adult of full capacity who is or is about to become another country's citizen or national can renounce Dominican citizenship by registered declaration. If the intended other nationality is not obtained within twelve months after registration, the person is deemed to have remained Dominican. Wartime registration requires the Minister's consent. Evidence: conditional. [Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica: Citizenship Act and Regulations, Chapter 1:10](https://www.dominica.gov.dm/laws/chapters/chap1-10.pdf). Source location: Section 11(1)–(3), printed pages 10–11 / PDF pages 12–13. ## Old five-year wording remains unresolved Subsidiary regulation 11 says a certificate may follow at least five years' residence, while the posted Act's ordinary rule says seven; section 8(2)(b) also retains an older five-year reference within a discretionary provision. These inconsistencies do not establish a generally available five-year route. Current administrative treatment and absence-counting details need confirmation. Evidence: not established. [Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica: Citizenship Act and Regulations, Chapter 1:10](https://www.dominica.gov.dm/laws/chapters/chap1-10.pdf). Source location: Act section 8(1)(c), 8(2)(b), printed page 8 / PDF page 10; Citizenship Regulations 11, printed page 20 / PDF page 22. ## Scope and limitations - The actual government scan is an older revised-law compilation, with the seven-year provision marked as amended in 1991. Current investment regulations are not used to replace ordinary naturalisation conditions. - No complete current ordinary-route checklist, numerical language level, general test exemption or authoritative resolution of the older subsidiary five-year wording was established. Eligibility and any discretionary relaxation require an individual decision. ## Explore this passport - [Passport rank and travel access](https://multipassrank.com/passport/dominica) - [Tax residence & income](https://multipassrank.com/passport/dominica/taxes) - [Country-profile JSON, including sources and scoped requirements](https://multipassrank.com/api/v1/country-profiles/DM) - [Multiple-citizenship policy guide](https://multipassrank.com/dual-citizenship-countries) [Canonical page](https://multipassrank.com/passport/dominica/citizenship)