Citizenship by Descent (Proclamation No. 378/2003)

Eligibility Quiz

Documents Required

You must provide clear evidence of your parental link to Ethiopia. Because many older records are paper-based, the consistency of names and spellings is vital.

Identity and Lineage Documents

Original Birth Certificate: Your full birth certificate clearly listing your parents' names.
Proof of Parent’s Nationality: You must provide at least one of the following for your Ethiopian parent:
- A current or expired Ethiopian Passport.
- An Ethiopian National ID card (Kebele card).
- An Ethiopian Birth Certificate.
Foreign Passport: A copy of your current foreign passport (if applicable).
Photographs: Two recent passport-sized color photographs.

Supporting Evidence

Renunciation Documents: If you are re-acquiring citizenship, you will eventually need official proof that you have surrendered your other nationality.
Local Records: If your parents left Ethiopia many years ago, you may need to source records from their specific Kebele (local neighborhood) in Ethiopia to verify their identity in the national registry.

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Citizenship by Descent (Proclamation No. 378/2003)

Eligibility Quiz

Was at least one of your parents an Ethiopian citizen at the time of your birth?

Documents Required

You must provide clear evidence of your parental link to Ethiopia. Because many older records are paper-based, the consistency of names and spellings is vital.

Identity and Lineage Documents

Original Birth Certificate: Your full birth certificate clearly listing your parents' names.
Proof of Parent’s Nationality: You must provide at least one of the following for your Ethiopian parent:
- A current or expired Ethiopian Passport.
- An Ethiopian National ID card (Kebele card).
- An Ethiopian Birth Certificate.
Foreign Passport: A copy of your current foreign passport (if applicable).
Photographs: Two recent passport-sized color photographs.

Supporting Evidence

Renunciation Documents: If you are re-acquiring citizenship, you will eventually need official proof that you have surrendered your other nationality.
Local Records: If your parents left Ethiopia many years ago, you may need to source records from their specific Kebele (local neighborhood) in Ethiopia to verify their identity in the national registry.

Eligibility Quiz

Was at least one of your parents an Ethiopian citizen at the time of your birth?

What's Happening

Dec 10, 2025

Ethiopia has fully implemented the "Fayda" National ID system, which is now a mandatory digital identity for all residents and diaspora members to access financial services and register property.

livingethio.com ↗

Nov 13, 2025

New reports highlight that despite legal equality, mothers of Ethiopian descent still face significant bureaucratic hurdles and excessive documentation requirements when registering citizenship for children born to foreign fathers.

citizenshiprightsafrica.org ↗

Apr 1, 2024

The Immigration and Citizenship Service (ICS) updated the Ethiopian Origin ID requirements, setting the service fee at 300 USD for regular processing and 400 USD for urgent applications.

ics.gov.et ↗