How to get your citizenship certificate (by descent)
वंशजको आधारमा नागरिकता कसरी लिने
Apply for Nepali citizenship at your District Administration Office from age 16, with a ward recommendation and a parent's citizenship. Rs 10 stamp, same day.
- Cost
- Rs 10 stamp
- A Rs 10 postage stamp on the application. There is no other official fee.
- How long
- Same day
- Once your documents are complete.
- Where
- District Administration Office
- Last checked
- 8 Oct 2026
- Against the official source
What it is
Your citizenship certificate (नागरिकताको प्रमाणपत्र) is the first document almost every other process asks for. Passports, PAN, National ID, licences and bank accounts all start with it.
Most people get it by descent (वंशज), which means you are Nepali because a parent is. It's issued by the District Administration Office of your permanent address. The ward only recommends you.
Every District Administration Office publishes its own service charter. The rules are national but the details here come from district charters, so check your own district's charter if something doesn't match.
Who needs it
- Nepali citizens aged 16 or older who have never been issued a certificate.
- In practice almost everyone. You need it for a passport, PAN, National ID, a driving licence, a bank account, land and most government jobs.
What you need
- Official
Application form (Schedule-1) certified by your ward chairperson, with a recent photo attached
- Official
Father's and mother's citizenship certificates
If these aren't available, an elder brother's or a relative's within three generations can be used along with a relationship certificate.
- Official
Two recent passport-size photos showing your full face and both ears
- Official
Proof of birth: birth registration, a school certificate showing your date of birth or a minor ID card
- Official
A parent (or a relative from the same lineage) to verify you in person
- Official
Originals and photocopies of everything
The office checks the originals and keeps the copies.
- Official
If you're a married woman: marriage registration and your husband's citizenship
- Official
If you've moved districts: migration certificate and proof of property or residence
How it works
- 1
Get the ward recommendation
Go to the ward office of your permanent address. They certify the Schedule-1 form and confirm your birthplace and relationship. Many local governments now send this recommendation to the District Administration Office online.
- 2
Put the file together
Bring the originals and copies of every document above plus the two photos. Make sure names and dates of birth match across your birth registration, school certificate and your parents' certificates. Mismatches are the most common reason a file gets held up.
- 3
Go to the District Administration Office
Take the file to the citizenship section along with the parent or relative who is verifying you.
- 4
Verification and signature
An officer checks the lineage and your verifier confirms who you are. The Chief District Officer then signs the certificate.
- 5
Collect it the same day
When the documents are complete the certificate is issued on the day you apply. Check every spelling before you leave the counter.
Where to go
District Administration Office (जिल्ला प्रशासन कार्यालय)
Citizenship section, in the district of your permanent address
Find the nearest DAO
Straight-line distance. Directions open in Google Maps.
Cost and time
- Official fee
- Rs 10 stamp
- A Rs 10 postage stamp on the application. There is no other official fee.
- Processing time
- Same day
- Once your documents are complete.
Common problems
My birth registration and school certificate show different dates of birth.
Fix the mismatch before you apply because the office won't pick one for you. Birth registration corrections are made at the ward. School records go through the school or the examination board.
My parents' citizenship was issued in another district.
Bring a migration certificate and proof of property or residence. The office may need records from the district that issued your parents' certificates, which can add a few days.
My father is abroad or has passed away.
You can still apply by descent through him. Bring his citizenship copy, and your mother, an elder brother or a relative within three generations verifies you in person with a relationship certificate.
I want citizenship through my mother, not my father.
That is a separate route with its own form and a local verification report (सर्जमिन मुचुल्का). See the page on citizenship in the mother's name.
I'm under 16. Can I apply early?
No. Citizenship by descent is issued from age 16. Until then, a minor identity card from the District Administration Office works as your ID for things like a passport.
I'm the child of a government employee posted in another district.
Families of government employees, teachers and staff of public corporations can apply in the district where the employee works. Bring a recommendation letter from the employee's office and a copy of their staff ID.
Real experiences
Been through this recently? Tell the next person which office you went to and what they asked for. Reports are published as community notes, apart from the official information.
Share your experienceSources
- Citizenship by descent, DAO Ilam service charterdaoilam.moha.gov.np
- Citizenship and duplicate section, DAO Bardiya service charterdaobardiya.moha.gov.np
- Citizenship in the name of the mother, DAO Ilamdaoilam.moha.gov.np
- DAO Kalikot citizen charter: citizenship by descent and staff familiesdaokalikot.moha.gov.np
- Nepal Citizenship Rules 2063, rule 16: families of government employeesmoha.gov.np
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