I-Kiribati nationality law is regulated by the 1979 Constitution of Kiribati, as amended; the 1979 Citizenship Act, and its revisions; and various British Nationality laws.[1][2] These laws determine who is, or is eligible to be, a national of Kiribati. I-Kiribati nationality is typically obtained either on the principle of jus soli, i.e. by birth in Kiribati or under the rules of jus sanguinis, i.e. by birth abroad to parents with I-Kiribati nationality.[3] It can be granted to persons with an affiliation to the country, or to a permanent resident who has lived in the country for a given period of time through naturalisation.[4] Nationality establishes one's international identity as a member of a sovereign nation.[5] Though it is not synonymous with citizenship, for rights granted under domestic law for domestic purposes, the United Kingdom, and thus the Commonwealth, have traditionally used the words interchangeably.[6]
Citizens of Kiribati are also Commonwealth citizens as well.