KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 4): The automatic granting of citizenship to children born overseas to Malaysian mothers and foreign fathers is expected to come into force by mid- or end of next year, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
Saifuddin said a key prerequisite for enforcement is the review and amendment of the Citizenship Regulations 1964, which contain 57 provisions that must be carefully scrutinised and updated.
In addition, the current application system — particularly at Malaysian missions abroad — still uses outdated forms and formats, he noted.
“We also need to go through several procurement processes and then amend the relevant forms, as the application process will eventually be made available online,” Saifuddin said.
He added that the government aims to finalise the amendments to the regulations by September or October this year, before proceeding with form updates and procurement exercises.
“All of this must be done with care. We do not expect enforcement to go beyond the end of next year, or at the latest, the middle of next year,” he said, noting that the timeline also depends on receiving royal assent.
In October last year, the Dewan Rakyat passed the constitutional amendments on citizenship with more than the required two-thirds majority support.
The amendments aim to address long-standing issues surrounding Malaysian citizenship, including the automatic conferral of citizenship to children born overseas to Malaysian mothers — a right previously limited to Malaysian fathers.
As the automatic provision has not yet come into effect, Saifuddin said mothers in this category may still apply for their children’s citizenship under Article 15(2) of the Federal Constitution.
Applications can be submitted at any National Registration Department office nationwide, or at Malaysian missions overseas.
Saifuddin also noted that the ministry approved 1,980 applications under Article 15(2) between 2024 and 2025, with none of them rejected.
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