Somalia permits dual nationality, and for a diaspora largely formed by people who left during and after the civil war, that matters: acquiring American citizenship does not cost you the Somali one. The practical question is documenting a status you already hold.
Quick facts
The route runs through documents rather than applications: obtain a birth certificate, complete the integrated passport and identity card process, and the status is recorded. Where records were lost, the mission’s ability to issue a birth certificate is what makes it possible.
The sequence
| Step | What it produces | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate | Proof of identity and origin | Local authority or a mission |
| Non-criminal record certificate | Required for the file | Authorities in Somalia or a mission |
| Integrated application | Passport and national ID | Embassy appointment |
| Interview and verification | Confirmation of eligibility | At the appointment |
| Children born abroad | Documented through the parents | Same route |
Note that the process includes an interview and document verification to confirm identity and eligibility. It is designed to establish who you are, which is the right approach in a system rebuilding its records.
How to proceed
- Gather whatever Somali documents the family still holds.
- Request a birth certificate from the mission if none can be obtained in Somalia.
- Obtain the non-criminal record certificate.
- Book the integrated appointment and choose the correct city.
- Attend the interview with consistent and accurate details.
- Pay digitally and keep the proof.
Required documents
- Birth certificate, from a local authority or a Somali mission.
- Certificate of non-criminal record.
- Any previous Somali passport or identity card.
- Proof of status in the United States.
- Photographs and completed forms.
- Proof of digital payment.
Where to apply
At the embassy in Washington or another city covered by its appointment system.
Additional notes
Naturalising elsewhere does not end it
Somali nationality is not lost by taking another citizenship, which is why so many Somali-Americans hold both.
Children born in the United States
Their file follows the parents’ documented status, so establishing the parents’ records first is the efficient order.
Somaliland
Documents and arrangements there differ. Families with connections to the region should establish which authority issued what before starting.
Be consistent
Where family members have used different spellings or dates over the years, agree one version before anyone files.