# Ordinary naturalisation and residence permission

Grenada's ordinary alien naturalisation route combines a residence permit and the final twelve months of residence with an earlier residence or government-service period, plus character, English, future-intention and oath requirements. Meeting the conditions does not make the grant automatic.

Scope: Adult alien or British-protected-person naturalisation under section 7 of the Citizenship Act, read with Act 20 of 2012; not Commonwealth or Irish registration, spouse, descendant or investment routes.

Jurisdiction: Grenada. 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.

## Permit and final twelve months

The 2012 amendment requires the applicant to hold a permit of residence issued by the Minister responsible for immigration and to have resided in Grenada throughout the twelve months immediately before applying. The text says a residence permit; it does not label this as a specified number of years of permanent residence.

Evidence: conditional. [Parliament of Grenada: Citizenship Act, Chapter 54, posted base text](https://grenadaparliament.gd/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Cap54-CITIZENSHIP-ACT.pdf); [Parliament of Grenada: Citizenship Amendment Act 20 of 2012](https://grenadaparliament.gd/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Act-No.-20-of-2012-Citizenship-Amendment-Act.pdf). Source location: Act section 7(1)(b), PDF page 4, replaced by Act 20 of 2012 section 3, PDF page 4.

## Five years within the earlier seven-year window

During the seven years before that final twelve-month period, the applicant must have at least five years in aggregate of Grenadian residence, government service, or a combination. Government service can include service abroad. This earlier period and the final twelve months are separate requirements, not a five-year total residence shortcut.

Evidence: conditional. [Parliament of Grenada: Citizenship Act, Chapter 54, posted base text](https://grenadaparliament.gd/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Cap54-CITIZENSHIP-ACT.pdf). Source location: Sections 2(1), service under the Government, and 7(1)(c), PDF pages 2 and 4.

## Adult capacity, character and English

The applicant must be at least 18, of full capacity and good character, and have adequate knowledge of English. The cited Act does not assign a CEFR level or establish a particular examination format or general exemption. The Minister must be satisfied that these conditions are met.

Evidence: conditional. [Parliament of Grenada: Citizenship Act, Chapter 54, posted base text](https://grenadaparliament.gd/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Cap54-CITIZENSHIP-ACT.pdf). Source location: Sections 2(2), 5(1)(a)–(b) and 7(1)(a), PDF pages 3–4.

## Future intention, discretion and oath

The applicant must intend to reside in Grenada or enter or continue government service. Section 7 provides ministerial discretion to adjust residence periods and a separately prescribed exceptional route requiring both Houses' approval. The ordinary grant requires an oath; citizenship begins on the certificate date, with the oath or permitted affirmation attested by a magistrate.

Evidence: conditional. [Parliament of Grenada: Citizenship Act, Chapter 54, posted base text](https://grenadaparliament.gd/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Cap54-CITIZENSHIP-ACT.pdf). Source location: Sections 7(1)(d), 7(2)–(4), 8 and 12, PDF pages 4 and 6.

## Voluntary renunciation has a registration step

An adult of full capacity who is or is about to become another country's citizen can make a prescribed declaration renouncing Grenadian citizenship. Loss occurs upon registration; wartime withholding of registration is possible. This provision is not, by itself, proof of every foreign-nationality retention condition on initial naturalisation.

Evidence: conditional. [Parliament of Grenada: Citizenship Act, Chapter 54, posted base text](https://grenadaparliament.gd/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Cap54-CITIZENSHIP-ACT.pdf). Source location: Section 10(1), PDF pages 5–6.

## Scope and limitations

- The Parliament-hosted base Act lists amendments through 2002 and is read with the actual 2012 permit amendment. The separately read 2016 amendment adds a descendant-registration route, not a replacement ordinary naturalisation clock.
- No numerical English framework, comprehensive absence policy or current ordinary-route foreign-nationality retention guarantee was established. Section 7(2)'s unusual printed timing language is not silently rewritten into a broader absence allowance.

## Explore this passport

- [Passport rank and travel access](https://multipassrank.com/passport/grenada)
- [Tax residence & income](https://multipassrank.com/passport/grenada/taxes)
- [Country-profile JSON, including sources and scoped requirements](https://multipassrank.com/api/v1/country-profiles/GD)
- [Multiple-citizenship policy guide](https://multipassrank.com/dual-citizenship-countries)

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