Introduction
Egyptian law allows a citizen to acquire a foreign nationality while continuing to hold Egyptian nationality, but this does not occur merely by acquiring the other nationality. The principle established by Article 10 of Egyptian Nationality Law No. 26 of 1975 is that permission from the Minister of Interior must first be obtained to naturalize in a foreign nationality, and such permission may include authorization to retain Egyptian nationality.
This procedure is particularly important for Egyptians residing abroad or whose professional or family circumstances are connected with obtaining the nationality of another state while wishing to preserve their legal status as Egyptians.
However, there are important distinctions between permission to naturalize while retaining Egyptian nationality, permission to naturalize without retaining it, and an application to retain nationality within the one-year period for a person who was previously granted permission without retention. Confusing these routes may result in taking a procedure that does not correspond to the legal status of the person concerned.
First: Legal Basis – Article 10 of the Nationality Law
Article 10 of the Egyptian Nationality Law provides that an Egyptian may not naturalize in a foreign nationality without first obtaining permission to do so by decision of the Minister of Interior.
If an Egyptian acquires a foreign nationality without obtaining such permission, the person does not automatically lose Egyptian nationality, but remains regarded as Egyptian in all respects and in all circumstances unless the Council of Ministers decides to deprive the person of nationality pursuant to Article 16 of the Law.
If permission to naturalize is obtained, the general rule is that acquisition of the foreign nationality results in loss of Egyptian nationality unless the permission expressly allows the person to retain it.
This is the basis for the two routes implemented by the General Administration of Passports, Immigration and Nationality:
- An application for permission to naturalize in a foreign nationality while retaining Egyptian nationality.
- An application for permission to naturalize in a foreign nationality without retaining Egyptian nationality.
Second: What Does “Naturalization While Retaining Egyptian Nationality” Mean?
It means that a decision of the Minister of Interior is issued allowing the Egyptian citizen to acquire a foreign nationality while continuing to retain Egyptian nationality.
The person thereby becomes a dual national after actually acquiring the foreign nationality, without this resulting in the loss of Egyptian nationality.
Merely submitting the application or receiving preliminary approval from a foreign authority is not sufficient to say that the person has become a dual national. The foreign nationality itself must actually have been acquired.
Current guidance indicates that a person in whose favor the ministerial decision has been issued is not considered to have become a dual national in practice until actual acquisition of the foreign nationality is established, usually through a foreign passport or a naturalization document, depending on the system of the other state.
Third: Must Egyptian Permission Be Obtained Before Acquiring the Foreign Nationality?
This is the general rule established by law.
Article 10 begins with a clear rule that an Egyptian may not naturalize in a foreign nationality without first obtaining permission to do so.
Accordingly, if the person is still undergoing naturalization procedures before the foreign state, it is legally preferable to commence the Egyptian permission procedures before completing foreign naturalization rather than waiting until the other nationality has been acquired and then attempting to regularize the position later.
A person who has already acquired a foreign nationality without obtaining Egyptian permission occupies a different legal position. The person remains, in principle, Egyptian as a matter of law unless a decision depriving the person of nationality has been issued, and the General Administration of Passports, Immigration and Nationality should then be consulted to determine the appropriate procedure.
Fourth: Must the Foreign Nationality Be Obtained Before Submitting the Application?
The requirement of prior Egyptian permission should not be confused with the documents that may already be available to the applicant.
The general rule is that Egyptian permission precedes naturalization, and therefore it is not correct to state as a general rule that an application may only be submitted after final acquisition of the foreign nationality.
On the other hand, if the person concerned already possesses a foreign passport or naturalization certificate, the administration may require it to be submitted as part of the file in order to determine the person’s legal status and establish the nationality already acquired.
Fifth: The Difference Between Permission “With Retention” and an Application for Retention Within One Year
There is an important practical distinction here.
1. Permission to Naturalize While Retaining Nationality
Under this route, the person applies from the outset for permission to acquire the foreign nationality while continuing to retain Egyptian nationality.
Ministerial decisions in this case are issued in clear terms permitting naturalization in the foreign nationality while retaining Egyptian nationality.
2. Permission to Naturalize Without Retention Followed by a Change of Intention
The General Administration of Passports, Immigration and Nationality has designated another separate service entitled:
“Application to Retain Egyptian Nationality Within One Year from the Issuance of the Decision or Actual Acquisition of the Foreign Nationality for Persons Previously Authorized to Renounce It.”
This route is available to a person who was previously granted permission to naturalize without retaining Egyptian nationality and who subsequently wishes to benefit from the possibility of retaining it within the period permitted by law.
Accordingly, it should not be stated that every person who originally obtained a decision permitting “naturalization with retention” must necessarily submit a second retention application after acquiring the foreign nationality. The current administrative system distinguishes between the two routes from the outset.
Sixth: What Happens If an Egyptian Naturalizes Without Permission?
One of the most widespread misconceptions is that an Egyptian automatically loses Egyptian nationality merely upon obtaining a foreign passport without referring to the Egyptian authorities.
This is incorrect.
Article 10 expressly provides that a person who naturalizes in a foreign nationality without obtaining permission remains Egyptian in all respects and in all circumstances unless the Council of Ministers decides to deprive the person of nationality pursuant to Article 16.
However, continued possession of Egyptian nationality does not mean that failure to follow the procedure prescribed by law may simply be ignored. A person in this position should therefore determine their legal status before the General Administration of Passports, Immigration and Nationality before taking subsequent steps concerning passports, military service, or proof of dual nationality.
Seventh: Who May Submit an Application for Permission?
According to the guidance relating to the service, the application may be submitted by:
- The person concerned.
- The person’s legal agent in accordance with the prescribed rules.
- The father if the application concerns a minor child, depending on the circumstances.
Where submission takes place from outside Egypt, the procedures may be completed through the competent Egyptian embassy or consulate in accordance with the consular instructions in force in the state where the person concerned resides.
Eighth: Basic Documents
The basic documents currently associated with this service include:
- The applicant’s birth certificate.
- The birth certificate of the applicant’s father, and additional birth documents may be requested in certain cases to establish the chain of Egyptian nationality.
- A valid Egyptian passport.
- A valid Egyptian national identification card.
- The foreign passport, if already issued.
- The foreign naturalization certificate or document, if available.
- Recent personal photographs in accordance with the requirements of the authority through which the application is submitted.
Certain details and additional documentary requirements may differ between submission inside Egypt and submission through a consular mission abroad, and the updated instructions should therefore be reviewed at the time of filing the application.
Ninth: Is the Father’s or Grandfather’s Birth Certificate Always Required?
Not all files are identical.
Official and consular guidance indicates that the applicant’s father’s birth certificate may be required, while the grandfather’s birth certificate or that of another family member may also be requested in cases where the administration needs to complete proof of the chain of Egyptian nationality.
It is therefore preferable to prepare these documents early, especially where birth certificates are old or contain differences in names or other data.
Tenth: The Wife and Minor Children
Article 10 provides for the possibility that permission may include retention of Egyptian nationality by the person granted permission, the spouse, and minor children.
However, current administrative and consular practice requires further distinction.
Minor Children
Consular guidance indicates that permission issued to the father extends in practice to minor children according to their legal status, whereas children who are no longer minors are not included and each must submit an independent application.
The Wife
Despite the wording of Article 10, current consular guidance treats the wife in practice as having an independent application if she also wishes to naturalize in a foreign nationality while retaining Egyptian nationality.
Article 11 also establishes that the loss of Egyptian nationality by the husband due to naturalization does not, by itself, result in its loss by the wife. An Egyptian wife does not lose her nationality merely because her husband changes his nationality.
Accordingly, it should not be assumed that the husband’s application is sufficient in every case without separately examining the wife’s legal status.
Eleventh: Electronic Submission of the Application
The General Administration of Passports, Immigration and Nationality includes the service “Application for Permission to Naturalize in a Foreign Nationality While Retaining Egyptian Nationality” among its electronic nationality services.
The applicant may enter the required information and commence the procedures electronically, but submission through the website does not mean that every stage of the application is completed remotely.
The person concerned or an agent may still be required to attend, depending on the circumstances, submit original documents for inspection, and complete the prescribed fees or stamp duties.
The electronic service should therefore be regarded as part of the procedure rather than a substitute for review of original documentation before the administration.
Twelfth: How Long Do the Permission Procedures Take?
Published guidance from the General Administration of Passports, Immigration and Nationality has indicated an estimated administrative period of approximately three months for issuance of the ministerial decision.
Some consular missions, however, indicate different periods for receiving the Ministry of Interior’s response depending on the place of submission and the movement of correspondence.
The three-month period should therefore not be treated as a guaranteed deadline in every file. The procedures may take longer if the administration requests additional documents or if issues arise concerning data or foreign documents.
Thirteenth: Fees
The method of collecting fees varies depending on the place and method of submitting the application.
Some consular guidance states that there is no consular fee for the service itself, while electronic submission, authentications, document issuance, or stamp duties may involve separate costs.
We therefore do not recommend stating a fixed amount such as “EGP 20” in the article as the final cost of the service, because administrative and electronic fees are subject to change.
The more accurate approach is to review the fees displayed at the time of submission or inquire with the competent embassy or consulate.
Fourteenth: Does the Decision Require Security Approval?
Nationality applications are, by their nature, subject to review by the competent authorities before the ministerial decision is issued.
However, the matter should not be presented as though every application is subject to an undefined standard allowing refusal merely on the basis of any unspecified “suspicion.”
The final decision is issued within the framework of the Nationality Law and the statutory powers of the Ministry of Interior, and any serious dispute concerning the legality of an administrative decision relating to nationality ultimately remains subject to judicial review in accordance with the applicable rules.
Fifteenth: Recent Practical Application
This route continues to be regularly used in practice.
For example, in 2026, a decision was issued by the Ministry of Interior authorizing a number of Egyptian citizens to naturalize in various foreign nationalities while retaining Egyptian nationality.
The continued issuance of such decisions confirms that dual nationality is not, in itself, a prohibited exceptional status, but rather a legally permissible status where naturalization and retention procedures are completed in accordance with the Nationality Law.
Sixteenth: Does Retaining Nationality Mean Exemption from Military Service?
Exemption should not be regarded as an automatic consequence merely of holding dual nationality.
The Military and National Service Law imposes military service, as a general rule, on Egyptian males subject to its provisions and then regulates the cases of exclusion.
A dual national is subject to special rules in determining military service status, and acquisition of a foreign nationality while retaining Egyptian nationality may constitute a basis for proceeding with exclusion procedures from military service in accordance with Article 6 of the Military and National Service Law and the decisions issued in implementation thereof.
The General Administration of Passports, Immigration and Nationality already provides a separate service for notifying the Conscription Administration of the legal nationality status of persons previously authorized to naturalize in a foreign nationality while retaining Egyptian nationality, for the purpose of obtaining a travel permit or completing exclusion procedures or regularizing military service status.
Military service procedures must therefore be pursued independently, and the nationality decision itself should not be treated as an exemption certificate.
Seventeenth: What About a Person Residing in Egypt and a Person Residing Abroad?
This distinction is particularly significant in relation to military service.
Historically, the rules concerning exclusion addressed Egyptians residing in a foreign state who acquired that state’s nationality while retaining Egyptian nationality, whereas a person residing in Egypt may have their status reviewed by the competent authorities to determine whether they qualify for exclusion from service or must complete conscription procedures.
Accordingly, one result should not be generalized to all dual nationals without considering residence, age, the date of acquisition of the foreign nationality, and the person’s previous military service status.
Eighteenth: Does Acquiring a Foreign Nationality Create New Tax Obligations in Egypt?
Nationality alone is not the criterion that determines liability to Egyptian tax.
Tax obligations are determined primarily according to tax residence, source of income, the provisions of the Income Tax Law, and international double taxation agreements.
It is therefore incorrect to state that retaining Egyptian nationality in itself results in the continuation or creation of a tax obligation on all income earned abroad.
The person’s tax status should be examined separately if the person lives, works, or invests between more than one state.
Nineteenth: What If the Foreign State Does Not Permit Dual Nationality?
Approval by the Egyptian authorities to retain Egyptian nationality does not bind the foreign state to recognize dual nationality.
Some states permit it with few restrictions, others impose conditions or exceptions, and some may require renunciation of the previous nationality in certain naturalization cases.
The law of the state whose nationality the person wishes to acquire should therefore be reviewed before selecting the route of retaining Egyptian nationality, so that Egyptian permission is not issued only for it later to become apparent that the foreign law prevents completion of naturalization while the original nationality is retained.
Twentieth: The Most Common Practical Problems
- Naturalizing before obtaining Egyptian permission: This creates a legal status that requires review instead of following the ordinary route before acquiring the foreign nationality.
- Differences in names: The spelling of the name may differ between the Egyptian birth certificate and foreign documents.
- Missing old birth certificates: The administration may request documents relating to the father or grandfather to establish the chain of nationality.
- Confusing permission with retention and permission without retention: These are two entirely different services in terms of their legal effects.
- Believing that the wife is automatically included in the husband’s application: Administrative practice may require her to submit an independent application.
- Treating the nationality decision as military exemption: Military service status requires separate procedures.
- Failing to review the law of the foreign state: It may be the foreign state itself that does not permit dual nationality.
Twenty-First: Practical Steps Before Submitting the Application
- Confirm that the foreign state permits dual nationality in the applicant’s circumstances.
- Do not complete foreign naturalization before examining the need to obtain Egyptian permission.
- Determine whether the application should be “with retention” or “without retention” of Egyptian nationality.
- Obtain the necessary Egyptian birth certificates early.
- Review the consistency of the name and date of birth across all documents.
- Prepare the Egyptian passport and national identification card.
- Prepare any available foreign documents relating to the nationality application or its acquisition.
- Examine the status of the wife and children separately.
- For males, review military service status and do not rely solely on the dual-nationality decision.
- Follow the application until the ministerial decision is issued and do not treat submission of the application as final approval.
Twenty-Second: Frequently Asked Questions
Does Egyptian law permit dual nationality?
Yes, where permission to naturalize is obtained with authorization to retain Egyptian nationality in accordance with Article 10.
Do I lose Egyptian nationality if I acquire another nationality without permission?
Not automatically. You remain Egyptian in all respects unless the Council of Ministers decides to deprive you of nationality pursuant to Article 16.
Does the mere issuance of permission by the Minister of Interior make me a dual national?
No. You must actually acquire the foreign nationality.
Do the wife and children automatically obtain the same status?
Minor children are subject to special rules, while it should not be assumed that the husband’s application is sufficient for the wife. Current consular practice treats her, in naturalization cases, as having an independent application.
Must retention be declared within one year after issuance of permission “with retention”?
The Nationality Law provides for a mechanism connected with the one-year period, but the current administrative system distinguishes from the outset between permission “with retention” and permission “without retention.” The separate service for retention within one year is expressly designated for persons who were previously authorized to naturalize without retaining Egyptian nationality and then wished to change their position.
Does dual nationality automatically exempt me from military service?
No. Military service status must be regularized before the competent conscription authorities, and the legally prescribed decision or certificate must be obtained depending on the circumstances.
Can the application be submitted from outside Egypt?
Yes, through the competent Egyptian embassy or consulate in accordance with its instructions.
Conclusion
Permission to naturalize in a foreign nationality while retaining Egyptian nationality is the regulated legal route for a person who wishes to combine Egyptian nationality with another nationality without becoming involved in issues concerning loss of nationality or the need to restore it later.
Its importance lies in following the procedures in the correct sequence: first reviewing the law of the foreign state, then determining the intention to retain Egyptian nationality, completing the application for permission before the Ministry of Interior, and separately reviewing the status of the wife, children, and military service position.
A distinction must also be made between a person who applies from the outset to naturalize while retaining Egyptian nationality and a person who was previously granted permission without retaining it and then wishes, within the statutory period, to change that position. Each is subject to a different service and procedure.
As the Office of Dr. Mostafa El Rouby – Attorneys and Legal Consultants, we advise anyone intending to acquire a foreign nationality to review their legal status before completing naturalization, verify the effect of the new nationality on Egyptian nationality, military service status, and the status of family members, and ensure that Egyptian and foreign documents are prepared consistently from the outset.
Written and Prepared by Dr. Mostafa El Rouby