Skip to main content
Guidance

Rwanda: Knowledge Base profile

Updated 23 March 2026

© Crown copyright 2026

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rwanda-knowledge-base-profile/rwanda-knowledge-base-profile

Version 3.0

About: Rwanda

This document contains useful information about Rwanda which will assist His Majesty’s 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 3.0
  • published for Home Office staff on 16 March 2026

Changes from last version of this document:

This document has been updated with a new section about parental responsibility in Rwanda.

Rwanda: legitimacy and parental responsibility

This section tells HM Passport Office staff about legitimacy in Rwanda.

Legitimacy

Rwanda 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 previously unmarried parents marry after the birth
  • illegitimate if their parents never marry

Parental responsibility

Parental responsibility is shared equally between both parents in Rwanda.

Back to top