Descent — generational limit (anti-indefinite-descent)
Citizenship in Grenada
- Eligibility
- Descent does not transmit where the Grenadian parent is a citizen only by descent (Constitution s.97 read with s.94(3)); the first-generation-abroad limiter caps indefinite jus sanguinis.
- Timeline
- automatic
Overview
Descent does not transmit where the Grenadian parent is a citizen only by descent (Constitution s.97 read with s.94(3)); the first-generation-abroad limiter caps indefinite jus sanguinis.
Who qualifies
- Generational limit (one-generation descent abroad): s.97 transmission is excluded where the Grenadian parent is a citizen of Grenada ONLY 'by virtue of this section [s.97] or section 94(3)'. A parent who is Grenadian solely by descent (s.97) — or solely by the colonial out-of-Grenada CUKC-descent route at independence (s.94(3)) — does NOT transmit citizenship to a child born abroad. Thus citizenship-by-descent abroad does not cascade indefinitely across successive foreign-born generations; the chain stops after one generation born abroad to a descent-only parent. - Transitional descent at independence (s.94(3)) and its non-transmitting character: a person born OUTSIDE Grenada who was, on 6 February 1974, a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies became a citizen of Grenada on 7 February 1974 if his or her father or mother became (or would but for death have become) a Grenadian citizen under s.94(1) or s.94(2). This is the colonial-descent conversion route at independence — and citizenship acquired via s.94(3) is itself NON-transmitting under the s.97 limiter, so a person Grenadian by s.94(3) cannot pass citizenship to a child born abroad. Together with s.97's self-exclusion this defines the generational ceiling on out-of-Grenada descent.
Legal basis
Primary statute: Constitution Cap 128A s.97 + s.94(3). Operative 1974-02-07–present. Authority: Ministry of Home Affairs.
Example scenarios
Not eligible by automatic descent — the one-generation-abroad limiter blocks transmission.
Constitution s.97, read with s.94(3), excludes transmission where the Grenadian parent is a citizen 'only by descent' (s.97) or only by the colonial out-of-Grenada route (s.94(3)). The mother is Grenadian by descent only, so she cannot pass citizenship by automatic descent to her own foreign-born child. The chain stops after one generation born abroad. The grandchild's realistic path is statutory grandchild registration (GD-DSC-03, s.5A / SRO 68/2016), not automatic descent.
Eligible by descent — the limiter is parent-specific and the father is Grenadian otherwise than by descent.
The s.97 generational limiter excludes transmission only where the relevant Grenadian parent is a citizen 'only by descent/s.94(3)'. s.97 requires merely that 'a parent' be Grenadian otherwise than by descent. The father is Grenadian by birth, so he qualifies as the transmitting parent and the child is a citizen by descent. The mother's descent-only status is irrelevant once one qualifying parent exists.
Not eligible by automatic descent (and not by s.5A grandchild registration either, as the link is too remote).
Automatic descent under s.97 caps at one generation born abroad to a parent who is Grenadian otherwise than by descent; a great-grandparent link with two intervening foreign-born descent-only generations cannot transmit. The statutory s.5A/SRO 68/2016 route (GD-DSC-03) extends to a grandchild of a Grenadian, not a great-grandchild. Absent a qualifying grandparent link, no descent/registration route is available; only ordinary naturalisation (5/7-yr residence, s.7) would remain.
Not eligible by automatic descent — s.94(3)-acquired citizenship is itself non-transmitting under the s.97 limiter.
GD-DSC-02 establishes that citizenship acquired via s.94(3) (the colonial out-of-Grenada CUKC-descent conversion at independence) is non-transmitting under the s.97 limiter — the parent is treated like a descent-only citizen and cannot pass citizenship to a child born abroad. The child must look to the s.5A/SRO 68/2016 grandchild registration route if a qualifying Grenadian-born grandparent exists.
Informational summary compiled from primary legal sources — not legal advice. Citizenship law changes; verify with the competent authority before acting. Last verified 2026-06-14.
Track changes to this route
Descent and naturalization rules change. We'll email you in plain English when anything affecting Grenada updates — no spam.