NextSpring

Marrying a Citizen of Grenada

Answer

The general rule applies to you

No exception is recorded for citizens of Trinidad and Tobago on this topic. That is the answer, not a gap - everything below is the rule you get, unchanged.

91 exceptions recorded across 34 countries · none match Trinidad and Tobago to Grenada · Residency through marriage

Marriage to a Grenadian is one of the strongest claims in this comparison, and it skips residence entirely. The Constitution itself says a person married to a citizen is entitled to be registered as a citizen, and so does the Citizenship Act; both use the word entitled rather than may, and neither imposes a waiting period, a residence requirement or a language test. The constitutional provision goes further still - it reaches a person who has been married to someone who was a citizen during the marriage, so a widow or widower, and a divorced spouse, keep the claim. The only conditions are the oath of allegiance for an alien and an application in the manner Parliament prescribes. There is one exception, and it is in the grandparent route.

Verified with official sourceMonitor - can change2026-10-05

At a glance

Qualifying period
None

Neither section 98 of the Constitution nor section 5(3) of the Citizenship Act imposes one. Compare the ordinary registration route, which needs five years of residence, and naturalisation, which needs a residence permit plus twelve months plus five years in seven.

Residence in Grenada
Not required

Section 98 of the Constitution and section 5(3) of the Citizenship Act, both quoted here, make the entitlement turn on the marriage and mention residence nowhere. Section 98 being constitutional, Parliament may prescribe the manner of application but not add a qualifying condition.

Character of the right
An entitlement

Both provisions say the person shall be entitled to be registered, which is the language of right rather than of ministerial discretion.

After the death of the Grenadian spouse
Claim survives

Section 98 of the Constitution covers a person who has been married to a person who was, during the subsistence of the marriage, a citizen of Grenada.

Capacity
Full age not required

Section 5(3) of the Citizenship Act registers a married person whether or not that person is of full age and capacity, which is unusual and is a 1976 provision.

Exception
Spouse of a citizen registered through a grandparent

Section 5A(4) of the Citizenship Act, inserted by Act 4 of 2016, expressly removes both marriage routes for that one class.

Immigration status pending registration
Not provided for

Nothing in the Immigration Act gives the spouse of a citizen a right of entry or residence. The claim is to citizenship directly, not to a residence permit first.

Requirements

  • A subsisting marriage to a citizen of Grenada, or a marriage that subsisted while the other party was a citizen
  • An application in the prescribed manner to the Minister responsible for citizenship
  • The oath of allegiance, if you are an alien or a British protected person
  • Nothing else: no qualifying period, no residence in Grenada, no language or knowledge test, no minimum duration of the marriage

In detail

Entitled, not eligible

The word that carries the weight is entitled. Section 98 of the Constitution and section 5(3) of the Citizenship Act both use it, and both set the conditions out exhaustively: an application in the prescribed manner, and the oath if the applicant is an alien or a British protected person. There is no qualifying period, no residence, no interview written into either provision, and no discretion to refuse on the merits. Among the eighteen countries covered here this is at the generous end - most require one to three years of marriage, residence, or both.

The claim outlives the marriage

The constitutional provision reaches a person who has been married to someone who was a citizen during the marriage. On its face that covers a widow or widower and also a divorced spouse, since what matters is that the other party was a citizen while the marriage subsisted rather than that the marriage still exists. The Citizenship Act's own subsection does not have that limb, so an applicant in that position should be relying on section 98. We have not found a Grenadian decision interpreting it and we state what it says rather than what a court has held.

One class of citizen whose spouse gets nothing

Act 4 of 2016 created the grandparent registration route and, in the same section, disapplied both marriage provisions for its beneficiaries. A person registered under section 5A has a Grenadian passport and a spouse with no marriage claim at all - that spouse must qualify under some other section of the Act, which in practice means five years of residence under section 5(1) if they are a Commonwealth or Irish citizen, or naturalisation under section 7 if they are not. It is a deliberate limit on a route that was expected to be used by people with no other connection to the country, and it is the only place in Grenadian law where the constitutional marriage entitlement is cut back.

Citizenship, but not a visa

The entitlement is to be registered as a citizen. There is no spousal residence permit in the Immigration Act, no bridging status and no right of entry for the spouse of a citizen while the application is pending. In a country where a visitor can be admitted for up to twelve months at a time that is less pressing than it would be elsewhere, but it is worth saying plainly: marrying a Grenadian gives you a claim on citizenship and gives you nothing at the airport.

What applies to you

Nothing changes for a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago

We have no rule recorded that treats your citizenship differently here, so the general rule above is the one that applies to you. That is an answer, not a gap.

What the law says

Text layer - verbatim verifiedConstitution of Grenada, s. 98 · Section 98 · consolidated to 2010
«Any person who is married to a citizen of Grenada or who has been married to a person who was, during the subsistence of the marriage, a citizen of Grenada shall be entitled, upon making application in such manner as may be prescribed by or under a law enacted by Parliament, and if he or she is a British protected person or an alien taking the oath of allegiance, to be registered as a citizen of Grenada.»

A constitutional entitlement, so Parliament may prescribe the manner of application but not add qualifying conditions to it. The past tense limb is what preserves the claim after death or divorce.

Read it at the source
About this source

The Government of Grenada's law portal. Publishes the Continuous Revised Edition of 2010 arranged by Chapter, each Chapter printing the Act with its subsidiary legislation, and separately a year-by-year run of Acts and Statutory Rules and Orders as enacted from 2011.

Standing: Maintains the text in force

Cannot be cited for: A Chapter must never be cited for what the law is now, and nothing on the page says so: the Immigration Chapter is amended only to 2007 and lacks the OECS indefinite stay and the Schengen visa waiver; the Citizenship Chapter stops at 2002 and shows section 5A as repealed when an Act of 2016 has since filled it; the Income Tax Chapter prints 30 per cent when three Orders have made it 28 and 10; the Banking Chapter is an Act repealed in 2015. Subsidiary legislation printed inside a Chapter is equally frozen - the CARICOM skills Qualifications Order is shown as amended to 2008 and the 2015 amendment that added artisans and domestic workers is invisible. It must also not be cited for completeness after 2025: the 2026 collections hold five Acts and three instruments, and an amendment the investment agency publicly relied on in August 2026 is in neither. The Citizenship by Investment Act is not in the revised edition at all and has no consolidated text anywhere. Year listings paginate twenty at a time, so reading only the first page loses instruments.

We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source

Text layer - verbatim verifiedCitizenship Act, Cap. 54, s. 5(3) · Section 5(3) · consolidated to 2010
«A person married to a citizen shall be entitled, on making application therefor to the Minister in the prescribed manner, and, if that person is a British protected person or an alien, on taking the oath of allegiance, to be registered as a citizen whether or not that person is of full age and capacity.»

The statutory counterpart. It omits the past-tense limb that the Constitution has, so a widowed or divorced applicant relies on section 98 rather than on this subsection.

Read it at the source
About this source

The Government of Grenada's law portal. Publishes the Continuous Revised Edition of 2010 arranged by Chapter, each Chapter printing the Act with its subsidiary legislation, and separately a year-by-year run of Acts and Statutory Rules and Orders as enacted from 2011.

Standing: Maintains the text in force

Cannot be cited for: A Chapter must never be cited for what the law is now, and nothing on the page says so: the Immigration Chapter is amended only to 2007 and lacks the OECS indefinite stay and the Schengen visa waiver; the Citizenship Chapter stops at 2002 and shows section 5A as repealed when an Act of 2016 has since filled it; the Income Tax Chapter prints 30 per cent when three Orders have made it 28 and 10; the Banking Chapter is an Act repealed in 2015. Subsidiary legislation printed inside a Chapter is equally frozen - the CARICOM skills Qualifications Order is shown as amended to 2008 and the 2015 amendment that added artisans and domestic workers is invisible. It must also not be cited for completeness after 2025: the 2026 collections hold five Acts and three instruments, and an amendment the investment agency publicly relied on in August 2026 is in neither. The Citizenship by Investment Act is not in the revised edition at all and has no consolidated text anywhere. Year listings paginate twenty at a time, so reading only the first page loses instruments.

We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source

Text layer - verbatim verifiedCitizenship Act, Cap. 54, s. 5A(4), as inserted by Act 4 of 2016 s. 2 · Section 5A(4)
«(4) A person married to a citizen registered under subsection (1) shall not be entitled to be registered as a citizen, unless the person is qualified to be registered as a citizen of Grenada under–»

The exceptions named are a section of the Act other than section 5, and a section of the Constitution other than section 98. Those are precisely the two marriage provisions, so nothing is left of the marriage claim.

Read it at the source
About this source

The Government of Grenada's law portal. Publishes the Continuous Revised Edition of 2010 arranged by Chapter, each Chapter printing the Act with its subsidiary legislation, and separately a year-by-year run of Acts and Statutory Rules and Orders as enacted from 2011.

Standing: Maintains the text in force

Cannot be cited for: A Chapter must never be cited for what the law is now, and nothing on the page says so: the Immigration Chapter is amended only to 2007 and lacks the OECS indefinite stay and the Schengen visa waiver; the Citizenship Chapter stops at 2002 and shows section 5A as repealed when an Act of 2016 has since filled it; the Income Tax Chapter prints 30 per cent when three Orders have made it 28 and 10; the Banking Chapter is an Act repealed in 2015. Subsidiary legislation printed inside a Chapter is equally frozen - the CARICOM skills Qualifications Order is shown as amended to 2008 and the 2015 amendment that added artisans and domestic workers is invisible. It must also not be cited for completeness after 2025: the 2026 collections hold five Acts and three instruments, and an amendment the investment agency publicly relied on in August 2026 is in neither. The Citizenship by Investment Act is not in the revised edition at all and has no consolidated text anywhere. Year listings paginate twenty at a time, so reading only the first page loses instruments.

We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source

Text layer - verbatim verifiedCitizenship Act, Cap. 54, s. 5(1) · Section 5(1) · consolidated to 2010
«Upon application made to the Minister in the prescribed manner, the Minister may cause any person of full age and capacity who is a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland to be registered as a citizen if the Minister is satisfied—»

The route a Commonwealth or Irish spouse would otherwise use, and the contrast that shows how much the marriage subsection gives: this one needs good character, English, five years and an intention to reside.

Read it at the source
About this source

The Government of Grenada's law portal. Publishes the Continuous Revised Edition of 2010 arranged by Chapter, each Chapter printing the Act with its subsidiary legislation, and separately a year-by-year run of Acts and Statutory Rules and Orders as enacted from 2011.

Standing: Maintains the text in force

Cannot be cited for: A Chapter must never be cited for what the law is now, and nothing on the page says so: the Immigration Chapter is amended only to 2007 and lacks the OECS indefinite stay and the Schengen visa waiver; the Citizenship Chapter stops at 2002 and shows section 5A as repealed when an Act of 2016 has since filled it; the Income Tax Chapter prints 30 per cent when three Orders have made it 28 and 10; the Banking Chapter is an Act repealed in 2015. Subsidiary legislation printed inside a Chapter is equally frozen - the CARICOM skills Qualifications Order is shown as amended to 2008 and the 2015 amendment that added artisans and domestic workers is invisible. It must also not be cited for completeness after 2025: the 2026 collections hold five Acts and three instruments, and an amendment the investment agency publicly relied on in August 2026 is in neither. The Citizenship by Investment Act is not in the revised edition at all and has no consolidated text anywhere. Year listings paginate twenty at a time, so reading only the first page loses instruments.

We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source

Text layer - verbatim verifiedCitizenship Act, Cap. 54, s. 4 · Section 4 · consolidated to 2010
«Where under a law in force in Grenada relating to the adoption of children an adoption order is made by a court in respect of a minor who is not a citizen then, if the adopter, or in the case of a joint adoption either adopter, is a citizen the minor shall become a citizen as from the date of the order.»

The adoption route, included here because it is the other family relationship that confers citizenship automatically. One adopter being a citizen is enough.

Read it at the source
About this source

The Government of Grenada's law portal. Publishes the Continuous Revised Edition of 2010 arranged by Chapter, each Chapter printing the Act with its subsidiary legislation, and separately a year-by-year run of Acts and Statutory Rules and Orders as enacted from 2011.

Standing: Maintains the text in force

Cannot be cited for: A Chapter must never be cited for what the law is now, and nothing on the page says so: the Immigration Chapter is amended only to 2007 and lacks the OECS indefinite stay and the Schengen visa waiver; the Citizenship Chapter stops at 2002 and shows section 5A as repealed when an Act of 2016 has since filled it; the Income Tax Chapter prints 30 per cent when three Orders have made it 28 and 10; the Banking Chapter is an Act repealed in 2015. Subsidiary legislation printed inside a Chapter is equally frozen - the CARICOM skills Qualifications Order is shown as amended to 2008 and the 2015 amendment that added artisans and domestic workers is invisible. It must also not be cited for completeness after 2025: the 2026 collections hold five Acts and three instruments, and an amendment the investment agency publicly relied on in August 2026 is in neither. The Citizenship by Investment Act is not in the revised edition at all and has no consolidated text anywhere. Year listings paginate twenty at a time, so reading only the first page loses instruments.

We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source

Practical notes

Nothing we read sets a fee for registration by marriage, a processing time, or an evidential standard beyond the prescribed form. The Citizenship Regulations are published only as subsidiary legislation to Chapter 54 and were amended in 2016 and 2025 for the descendant form and the certificate respectively.

Neither provision addresses a marriage that is found to have been entered into for the purpose of acquiring citizenship. Section 9 of the Citizenship Act allows deprivation where registration was obtained by fraud, false representation or concealment of a material particular, which is the nearest thing.

Grenada's Marriage Act was amended by Act 15 of 2025 and we have not read that Act. This record is about the citizenship consequence of a marriage and not about the formalities of contracting one in Grenada.

A person registered under section 5(3) or section 98 is a citizen by registration, so section 99(2) of the Constitution permits Parliament to provide for depriving them of it. Citizens by birth in Grenada and by descent from a parent are outside that power.

Sources3 · all accessed 2026-10-05
  • consolidates
    Grenada Constitution Act, Chapter 128A, Continuous Revised Edition of the Laws of Grenada 2010

    Laws of Grenada · consolidated to 2010

    About this source

    The Government of Grenada's law portal. Publishes the Continuous Revised Edition of 2010 arranged by Chapter, each Chapter printing the Act with its subsidiary legislation, and separately a year-by-year run of Acts and Statutory Rules and Orders as enacted from 2011.

    Standing: Maintains the text in force

    Cannot be cited for: A Chapter must never be cited for what the law is now, and nothing on the page says so: the Immigration Chapter is amended only to 2007 and lacks the OECS indefinite stay and the Schengen visa waiver; the Citizenship Chapter stops at 2002 and shows section 5A as repealed when an Act of 2016 has since filled it; the Income Tax Chapter prints 30 per cent when three Orders have made it 28 and 10; the Banking Chapter is an Act repealed in 2015. Subsidiary legislation printed inside a Chapter is equally frozen - the CARICOM skills Qualifications Order is shown as amended to 2008 and the 2015 amendment that added artisans and domestic workers is invisible. It must also not be cited for completeness after 2025: the 2026 collections hold five Acts and three instruments, and an amendment the investment agency publicly relied on in August 2026 is in neither. The Citizenship by Investment Act is not in the revised edition at all and has no consolidated text anywhere. Year listings paginate twenty at a time, so reading only the first page loses instruments.

    We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source

  • consolidates
    Citizenship Act, Chapter 54, Continuous Revised Edition of the Laws of Grenada 2010

    Laws of Grenada · consolidated to 2010

    About this source

    The Government of Grenada's law portal. Publishes the Continuous Revised Edition of 2010 arranged by Chapter, each Chapter printing the Act with its subsidiary legislation, and separately a year-by-year run of Acts and Statutory Rules and Orders as enacted from 2011.

    Standing: Maintains the text in force

    Cannot be cited for: A Chapter must never be cited for what the law is now, and nothing on the page says so: the Immigration Chapter is amended only to 2007 and lacks the OECS indefinite stay and the Schengen visa waiver; the Citizenship Chapter stops at 2002 and shows section 5A as repealed when an Act of 2016 has since filled it; the Income Tax Chapter prints 30 per cent when three Orders have made it 28 and 10; the Banking Chapter is an Act repealed in 2015. Subsidiary legislation printed inside a Chapter is equally frozen - the CARICOM skills Qualifications Order is shown as amended to 2008 and the 2015 amendment that added artisans and domestic workers is invisible. It must also not be cited for completeness after 2025: the 2026 collections hold five Acts and three instruments, and an amendment the investment agency publicly relied on in August 2026 is in neither. The Citizenship by Investment Act is not in the revised edition at all and has no consolidated text anywhere. Year listings paginate twenty at a time, so reading only the first page loses instruments.

    We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source

  • consolidates
    Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2016 (Act No. 4 of 2016)

    Laws of Grenada

    About this source

    The Government of Grenada's law portal. Publishes the Continuous Revised Edition of 2010 arranged by Chapter, each Chapter printing the Act with its subsidiary legislation, and separately a year-by-year run of Acts and Statutory Rules and Orders as enacted from 2011.

    Standing: Maintains the text in force

    Cannot be cited for: A Chapter must never be cited for what the law is now, and nothing on the page says so: the Immigration Chapter is amended only to 2007 and lacks the OECS indefinite stay and the Schengen visa waiver; the Citizenship Chapter stops at 2002 and shows section 5A as repealed when an Act of 2016 has since filled it; the Income Tax Chapter prints 30 per cent when three Orders have made it 28 and 10; the Banking Chapter is an Act repealed in 2015. Subsidiary legislation printed inside a Chapter is equally frozen - the CARICOM skills Qualifications Order is shown as amended to 2008 and the 2015 amendment that added artisans and domestic workers is invisible. It must also not be cited for completeness after 2025: the 2026 collections hold five Acts and three instruments, and an amendment the investment agency publicly relied on in August 2026 is in neither. The Citizenship by Investment Act is not in the revised edition at all and has no consolidated text anywhere. Year listings paginate twenty at a time, so reading only the first page loses instruments.

    We re-read it every 60 days. More about this source