Under article 6 of Law No. 61-645 of 14 December 1961 amended by Law No. 72-852 of 21 December 1972 respecting Ivorian nationality, a person is a citizen of Côte d'Ivoire if the person is:

[translation]

1) A legitimate or legitimized child born in Côte d'Ivoire, unless both parents are foreigners;

2) A child born outside marriage in Côte d'Ivoire, unless his filiation is legally established in respect of two foreign parents or only one foreign parent (Côte d'Ivoire 14 Dec.1961).

Article 7 provides that a person is a citizen of Côte d'Ivoire if the person is:

[translation]

1) A legitimate or legitimized child born abroad of an Ivorian parent;

2) A child born outside marriage abroad whose filiation is legally established in respect of one Ivorian parent (ibid.).

This information was confirmed during a telephone interview with the First Secretary of the Embassy of Côte d'Ivoire in Ottawa (10 Oct. 2003). Moreover, the Constitution of Côte d'Ivoire of September 2000 does not make any reference to the question of nationality (Constitutions of the Countries of the World Sept. 2000).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Constitutions of the Countries of the World. September 2000. Vol. 5. "Republic of Côte d'Ivoire." Edited by Gisbert H. Flanz. Dobbs Ferry, NY: Oceana Publications.

Côte d'Ivoire. 14 December 1961. Loi no 61-415 du 14 décembre 1961 relative à la nationalité ivoirienne. Document attached to correspondence sent on 5 January 1993 by the Ivorian Ambassador to Canada.

Embassy of Côte d'Ivoire, Ottawa. 10 October 2003. Telephone interview with the First Secretary.