Village Citizenship gives diaspora Africans a documented place inside a specific village: a name in the register, a defined relationship with the village council, and standing to take part in village life, land access discussions, and future embedments.
Every village retains its own customs and final authority. DR standardises the process so it is fair, documented, and portable across all 54 member states — the stages below are the common spine every application follows.
You submit your background: known lineage to a village, or, for those without a traceable lineage, an affinity application to an adoptive village open to accepting new citizens. DR staff verify what can be verified and prepare a file for the village council.
The receiving village's council or traditional authority reviews the file. Councils may request a visit, an elder interview, or supporting testimony before deciding. This stage is run entirely on the village's own terms — DR does not decide on the village's behalf.
On approval, the village sets out what citizenship includes locally — land considerations, seasonal obligations, participation in council matters — and what it does not. These terms are recorded alongside the application.
Your name is entered into the village's own register and mirrored in the ACW-SEDCI central system under the village's register number. You receive a citizenship certificate bearing the DR seal.
| Route | Who it's for | What's required |
|---|---|---|
| Lineage Citizenship | Diaspora members who can trace ancestry to a specific village, region, or clan. | Family records, oral history, DNA-region reference (optional, supporting only), or a named living relative in the village who can confirm the connection. |
| Adoptive Citizenship | Diaspora members without a traceable lineage, or whose lineage villages are not yet partnered with DR. | A statement of intent, a completed embedment or documented visit where required by the village, and council endorsement. |
Recognition, a register entry, and a defined relationship with the village council — the foundation for everything else DR offers.
Citizens are prioritised for embedment placements in their own village of citizenship.
Village citizenship is a village-level standing. Land access and national civic citizenship, where relevant, follow separate legal processes and are not guaranteed by this register.
