MPs to declare citizenship to parliament

Federal MPs will be required to declare to parliament they are not a citizen of another country, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has announced.

"I want to say that this is not an audit," he told reporters in Canberra on Monday of new measures the government intends to put to both chambers of parliament.

"The obligation is on each member and each senator to make a full disclosure."

Within 21 days of the parliament approving the measure, MPs will be required to provide to the registrar of members' interests a declaration that he or she was not, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, a citizen of any country other than Australia.

They will also be required to declare the birthplace of their parents.

If they had been a dual citizen, MPs would need to provide details and evidence of the time and manner in which their foreign citizenship was renounced or otherwise came to an end.

"Members and senators have been put squarely on notice now," Mr Turnbull said.

"I think it is important for people to be alert to this and start getting prepared."

The prime minister said the High Court would remain the sole body that determined whether an MP was ineligible to sit in parliament.