South Sudan’s nationality law permits citizens to hold another nationality, and nationality itself runs through descent and origin: having a parent, grandparent or great-grandparent belonging to one of the country’s indigenous communities. That ancestral basis is unusual and matters for families documenting a claim.
Quick facts
Because the claim can rest on a grandparent or great-grandparent, family knowledge matters as much as paperwork, and older relatives are often the best source before anyone approaches a consular counter.
What to establish
| Question | Why it matters | Where to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Do you hold a nationality certificate? | It anchors the file | The consular section |
| Which ancestor establishes origin? | The claim can go back generations | Family knowledge |
| What documents survive? | Determines what can be filed | Family records |
| Your U.S. immigration position | May bear on what you should do | An immigration lawyer |
| Land at home | Largely community land | A lawyer in South Sudan |
Anyone whose own position in the United States is unresolved should take immigration advice before approaching any consular authority. That is sound practice generally and matters more where conditions at home are difficult.
What to do
- Take immigration advice first if your position here is unresolved.
- Establish through family which ancestor grounds the claim.
- Gather every document the family holds, whatever its origin.
- Write to the consular section explaining the position.
- Document the children alongside the adults.
- Take separate advice on land and inheritance.
Required documents
- Nationality certificate where one exists.
- Parents’ or grandparents’ documents establishing origin.
- Passports, South Sudanese or older Sudanese.
- Birth and marriage certificates where obtainable.
- U.S. naturalisation certificate where relevant.
- Completed forms from the embassy.
Where to apply
At the embassy in Washington; decisions rest with the authorities in South Sudan.
No offices currently listed.
Additional notes
Ask the elders first
Where a claim rests on a grandparent or great-grandparent, family knowledge is the starting point and is not written down anywhere else.
Advice first where status is unresolved
An immigration lawyer is the right person to ask before any step involving your country’s authorities.
Community land
Most land is held by communities rather than individuals, so inheritance questions involve more than a title document.
Take proper advice
A lawyer familiar with South Sudanese law is the right source for anything consequential.