Guidance

Botswana: Knowledge Base profile

Published 13 May 2024

About: Botswana

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

Contacts

If you have any questions about the document and your line manager or senior caseworker cannot help you or you think that the document has factual errors then email the Guidance team.

If you notice any formatting errors in this document (broken links, spelling mistakes and so on) or have any comments about the layout or navigability of the document then you can email the Guidance team.

Publication

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

• version 2.0
• published for Home Office staff on 8 May 2024

Changes from last version of this document

This document has been updated with minor formatting changes.

Botswana: names

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

All names are confirmed by birth.

Change of name

Name changes are allowed in Botswana if the person changing the name is:

• 21 or older and applying themselves
• 20 or younger and their parent or guardian applies on their behalf

When a person changes their name in Botswana, the registrar must be satisfied that the person intends to use the new name instead of or in addition to the name on the birth certificate.

Married women take their husbands surname after marriage.

Botswana: nationality

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

Dual nationality is illegal in Botswana for anyone over the age of 21. If a child is born a dual national they can retain this until the age of 21 years.

Botswana nationality will be lost by a dual national when they reach 21 years unless they have already:

• renounced the citizenship of the foreign country
• taken the oath of allegiance to Botswana
• made a declaration of intentions concerning residence

Botswana: legitimacy and parental responsibility

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about legitimacy and parental responsibility in Botswana.

Legitimacy

Botswana recognises a difference between legitimate and illegitimate births.

A child will be considered:

• legitimate:
  • if the parents are married at the time of birth
  • if the parents marry after the date of birth and the child’s surname is changed to the father’s
• illegitimate if the parents never marry

Parental responsibility

Both parents have parental responsibility if they:

• were married at the time of the birth
• marry after the birth

An unmarried father can get parental responsibility through a court order. Loco parentis can only be given by a court.

Botswana: adoption

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

Adoption is legal in Botswana.

Botswana: surrogacy

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

Surrogacy is not legal in Botswana.

Botswana: gender recognition

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

Transgender customers are recognised in Botswana. Documents can be changed to show a change in gender. The change of gender is recorded in the Registrar of National Registration in the area where the customer is registered.

Where the registrar believes a change in the personal details affects the registration record, they will record the change and inform the Registrar of National Registration, recommending the customer is issued with a new identity card.

Any new passport will be issued with the details recorded in the Register of National Registration.

Botswana: civil partnerships and marriage

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

Civil partnerships are not recognised in Botswana.

Same sex relationships are illegal in Botswana.

There are 3 types of marriages that take place in Botswana:

• Civil
• Religious
• Customary

Only civil marriage certificates are acceptable for HM Passport Office purposes.

Botswana: documents

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about documents from Botswana.

Birth certificates

Birth certificates are issued for every person born in Botswana. All births must be registered within 3 months. Late registrations are allowed.

Before 2002 short birth certificates were issued automatically. Parents could obtain a full certificate by applying to Home Affairs. Since 2002 a full birth certificate is issued automatically.

The old version of a birth certificate does not include father’s name; the newer versions include his name. Short birth certificates are not acceptable for HM Passport Office purposes.

If an error is found on a certificate it will be re-issued with a note of replacement.

Marriage certificates

Only a civil marriage certificate issued by the Botswana government is acceptable for HM Passport Office purposes.

Death certificates

Death certificates are issued for every person who dies in Botswana. The death must be registered within 3 months.

Identity documents

There is a mandatory identity card for all citizens of Botswana.