Guidance

Sudan: Knowledge Base profile

Published 1 May 2024

About: Sudan

This document contains useful information about Sudan which will assist HM Passport Office staff process passport applications.

Contacts

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Publication

Below is information on when this version of the document was published:

• version 2.0
• published for Home Office staff on 18 April 2024

Changes from last version of this document

This document has been updated with minor formatting changes.

Sudan: names

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about names in Sudan.

Names in Sudan consist of:

• a forename
• the father’s name
• the grandfather’s name
• the great grandfather’s name

Surnames do not exist in Sudan; it is common practice to take the male grandparent’s name in place of a surname.

It is mandatory for males to have their father and grandfather’s names in their Sudan passport. The passport:

• will always show 4 names written in Arabic and English
• cannot be changed to reduce or increase the number of names

Change of name

Name changes are allowed in Sudan.

When a woman gets married in Sudan, they will keep their birth name.

A Sudan citizen can amend the 4 names used on their Sudan passport. This can be done be contacting the Sudan Embassy.

Name alignment

HM Passport Office will not ask a customer to align their Sudan passport if the only difference is when they have added any names on their British passport application to the 4 names on their Sudan passport.

Sudan: nationality

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about nationality in Sudan.

Dual nationality is allowed in Sudan for all countries except the Republic of South Sudan.

Sudan: legitimacy

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about legitimacy in Sudan.

Legitimacy

Sudan recognises a difference between legitimate and illegitimate births.

A child will be considered:

• legitimate:
  • if their parents were married at the time of the birth
  • from the time of the marriage, if the parents marry after the birth and the mother was not already married to someone else at the time of conception
• illegitimate if their parents never marry

Sudan: adoption

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about adoption in Sudan.

Adoption is not allowed for Muslim children in Sudan.

Sudan: surrogacy

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about surrogacy in Sudan.

Surrogacy is illegal in Sudan.

Sudan: gender recognition

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about gender recognition in Sudan.

Transgender citizens are not recognised in Sudan.

Sudan: civil partnerships and marriage

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about civil partnerships and marriage in Sudan.

Civil partnerships are illegal in Sudan.

Both civil and religious marriages are recognised in Sudan.

Polygamous marriage is legal, and men are allowed to have up to 4 wives.

Sudan: documents

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about documents in Sudan.

Birth certificates

Birth certificates are issued to all children in Sudan.

There are several types of birth certificate in circulation in Sudan.

Health authorities at local levels are held responsible (up to the age of 3 months) for sending a copy of a birth notification to the Secretary of Civil Registry in the local area where the birth took place. They must do this within 15 days of the birth and no more than 30 days after the birth.

Late registration is allowed. The Minister of Interior for Sudan allows birth registration up until a child turns 15 years old in exceptional circumstances. A magistrate signs an affidavit in a court, witnessed by two people before the birth can be registered with the Civil Registry.

Some Sudan citizens born prior to 2000 may not hold a birth certificate. This is because birth certificates were not available at the time of their birth in rural towns or villages. A person who does not have a birth certificate can obtain a document from the Birth Registry to confirm there is no record of their birth on the registry database. The person can then take this document to the health commission, where a substitute health document will be issued to show the persons age.

The substitute health document will not show where the person was born. It will usually show the person’s date of birth as 1 January, with the estimated year of when they were born.

Marriage certificates

Sudan recognises both civil and religious ceremonies, these must be properly documented to be legal:

• an Islamic marriage contract (certificate) provided by the Mosque or the Registrar General of the Sharia Court. Two witnesses are required to attend:
  • The Ministry of Foreign Affairs may authenticate the contract (certificate)
• a non-Islamic marriage contract (certificate) provided by the Church or the Registrar General of the Sharia Court. Two witnesses are required to attend:
  • The Ministry of Foreign Affairs may authenticate the contract (certificate)
• a civil marriage contract procedure officiated by a ma’azuun (a religious official who is usually appointed by the government), a qadi (judge) or a legal proxy and witnessed by two men or two women and one man. A woman may appoint a guardian to sign the contract on her behalf.

A copy of the signed marriage contract is given to the couple, and another is kept in the town or city archives. The marriage will be recorded in the Court Registrar’s Office. All marriages should be registered within 3 months. Where a marriage involves a Sudanese and a foreign national, a duplicate is also filed at the Office for Certification of Foreign Marriages in Khartoum, a part of the Judiciary.

Death certificates

Following a death in Sudan, the Department of Statistics, Birth and Death Register in Khartoum will register the death and can issue a death certificate.

The relatives of a deceased person can apply to the authorities for a registration and document of confirmation, if the death happened:

• a long time ago and was not registered at the time
• outside of a hospital

Sudan death certificates differ depending on the deceased’s religion.

Identity documents

Identity cards are issued by the Ministry of Interior Affairs to Sudan citizens when they reach 18 years old.

Passports are issued valid for 5 years and can be renewed at:

• the Ministry of Interior Affairs
• Sudan embassy overseas

A Sudan passport can only include a maximum of 4 names.

Certificates of nationality are required for a citizen of Sudan to obtain a passport. Without a certificate of nationality, a person will not be able to obtain a passport. The certificate is issued by the Ministry of Interior Affairs upon application.