Human Rights
Countries Where You're Not Allowed to Renounce Citizenship 2026
Prohibition Type
De facto
De jure
Prohibition Type
20 countries
11 countries
Country | Prohibition Type↓ | |
|---|---|---|
 | Brazil | De jure |
 | Mexico | De jure |
 | Argentina | De jure |
 | Yemen | De jure |
 | Angola | De jure |
 | Morocco | De jure |
 | Guatemala | De jure |
 | Ecuador | De jure |
 | Bolivia | De jure |
 | Haiti | De jure |
 | Dominican Republic | De jure |
 | Honduras | De jure |
 | Cuba | De jure |
 | Nicaragua | De jure |
 | El Salvador | De jure |
 | Costa Rica | De jure |
 | Panama | De jure |
 | Eritrea | De jure |
 | Qatar | De jure |
 | Vatican City | De jure |
 | Egypt | De facto |
 | Iran | De facto |
 | Iraq | De facto |
 | Saudi Arabia | De facto |
 | Syria | De facto |
 | Jordan | De facto |
 | United Arab Emirates | De facto |
 | Lebanon | De facto |
 | Oman | De facto |
 | Kuwait | De facto |
 | Bahrain | De facto |
- Terms in use:
- “De jure” means “by law.” The rule is written in the legal system. If a country has a de jure prohibition on citizenship renunciation, the law itself explicitly does not allow it.
- “De facto” means “in practice.” The law technically allows citizenship renunciation, but in actuality it does not happen (or is extremely rare and/or difficult) due to government discretion, administrative/ barriers, or routine refusal.
