As part of an ongoing effort to ensure that its citizens who have married foreign nationals and renounced their citizenship do not cut ties with their next of kin, Botswana has introduced a card that will enable them to stay indefinitely in the country.
According to the Permanent Secretary the Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs Kebonye Moepeng, the Botswana Blue Card would allow persons who have renounced Botswana citizenship to retain the right to unlimited stay in the country.
“Botswana Blue Card holders will have the right to visit, live and work in Botswana,” Moepeng said.
She, however, such individuals would not be entitled to identify cards and the Botswana passport.
In order to qualify for the card, an individual should be a person who was a citizen of Botswana by birth or descent prior to renunciation of Botswana citizenship.
Moepeng said foreign spouses of Botswana Blue Card holders would not qualify “unless they were also citizens of Botswana by birth or descent.”
“Children born after the Botswana Blue Card holder has renounced Botswana citizenship do not qualify for the Botswana Blue Card,” said Moepeng.
Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs Minister Ngaka Ngaka said the electronic card was being introduced to cater for citizens married to foreigners and had moved to countries that do not allow dual citizenship.
“The card will not have an expiry date and will be produced by the holder at any gazetted entry point. Please those affected by the dual citizenship issue should apply for this card,” Ngaka said.
He said it would be unfair to treat Batswana citizens the same as foreigners who are given a 90-day permit to stay in Botswana.
“If someone comes to Botswana to visit a sick relative, nobody knows when they are going to be better; therefore, the government cannot put a timeframe for them to have left the country, which is of their origin,” the minister said.
He added: “Doing that is tantamount to infringing on their rights to live in their native country where their ancestors are.”
He said the card would give holders access into Botswana anytime they wished to do so.
However, the move has elicited mixed feelings among Batswana.
“It is a welcome development although dual citizenship could have been ideal,” said Catherine Pule-Jakata who is married to a foreign national.
Another citizen, Monkgogi Otlhogile, concurred with Pule-Jakata.
“Why do all of this when you could just introduce dual citizenship? Dual citizenship is the way to go,” Otlhogile said.
KO/jn/APA