Naturalization is the legal act or process by which a non-national of a country acquires the nationality of that country after birth. The definition of naturalization by the International Organization for Migration of the United Nations excludes citizenship that is automatically acquired or is acquired by declaration. Naturalization usually involves an application or a motion and approval by legal authorities. The rules of naturalization vary from country to country but typically include a promise to obey and uphold that country's laws and taking and subscribing to an oath of allegiance,and may specify other requirements such as a minimum legal residency and adequate knowledge of the national dominant language or culture. To counter multiple citizenship,some countries require that applicants for naturalization renounce any other citizenship that they currently hold,but whether this renunciation actually causes loss of original citizenship,as seen by the host country and by the original country,will depend on the laws of the countries involved. Arguments for increasing naturalization include reducing backlogs in naturalization applications and reshaping the electorate of the country.
The British Overseas Territories Act 2002 (c.8) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which superseded parts of the British Nationality Act 1981. It makes legal provision for the renaming of the British Dependent Territories as British Overseas Territories,and the renaming of associated citizenship.
Canadian nationality law details the conditions by which a person is a national of Canada. The primary law governing these regulations is the Citizenship Act,which came into force on February 15,1977 and is applicable to all provinces and territories of Canada.
United States nationality law details the conditions in which a person holds United States nationality. In the United States,nationality is typically obtained through provisions in the U.S. Constitution,various laws,and international agreements. Citizenship is established as a right under the Constitution,not as a privilege,for those born in the United States under its jurisdiction and those who have been "naturalized". While the words citizen and national are sometimes used interchangeably,national is a broader legal term,such that a person can be a national but not a citizen,while citizen is reserved to nationals who have the status of citizenship.
The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952,also known as the McCarran–Walter Act,codified under Title 8 of the United States Code,governs immigration to and citizenship in the United States. It came into effect on June 27,1952. The legislation consolidated various immigration laws into a single text. Officially titled the Immigration and Nationality Act,it is often referred to as the 1952 law to distinguish it from the 1965 legislation. This law increased the quota for Europeans outside Northern and Western Europe,gave the Department of State authority to reject entries affecting native wages,eliminated 1880s bans on contract labor,set a minimum quota of one hundred visas per country,and promoted family reunification by exempting citizens' children and spouses from numerical caps.
Nationality law is the law of a sovereign state,and of each of its jurisdictions,that defines the legal manner in which a national identity is acquired and how it may be lost. In international law,the legal means to acquire nationality and formal membership in a nation are separated from the relationship between a national and the nation,known as citizenship. Some nations domestically use the terms interchangeably,though by the 20th century,nationality had commonly come to mean the status of belonging to a particular nation with no regard to the type of governance which established a relationship between the nation and its people. In law,nationality describes the relationship of a national to the state under international law and citizenship describes the relationship of a citizen within the state under domestic statutes. Different regulatory agencies monitor legal compliance for nationality and citizenship. A person in a country of which he or she is not a national is generally regarded by that country as a foreigner or alien. A person who has no recognised nationality to any jurisdiction is regarded as stateless.
This article concerns the history of British nationality law.
Malaysian nationality law details the conditions by which a person is a citizen of Malaysia. The primary law governing nationality requirements is the Constitution of Malaysia,which came into force on 27 August 1957.
The history of Canadian nationality law dates back over three centuries,and has evolved considerably over that time.
Chinese nationality law details the conditions by which a person holds nationality of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The primary law governing these requirements is the Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China,which came into force on September 10,1980.
Japanese Nationality Law details the conditions by which a person holds nationality of Japan. The primary law governing nationality regulations is the 1950 Nationality Act.
Philippine nationality law details the conditions by which a person is a national of the Philippines. The two primary pieces of legislation governing these requirements are the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines and the 1939 Revised Naturalization Law.
Taiwanese nationality law details the conditions in which a person is a national of the Republic of China,commonly known as Taiwan. The Nationality Act is based on the principle of jus sanguinis,children born to at least one Taiwanese parent are automatically nationals at birth. Foreign nationals with residency in Taiwan may naturalize after continuously living in the country for at least five (5) years. Certain foreign immediate family members of Taiwanese nationals may naturalize after continuously living in the country for at least three (3) years.
Bhutanese nationality law is the law governing the acquisition,transmission and loss of Bhutanese citizenship. The Bhutanese Citizenship Act of 1985 was introduced by the Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck,on June 10,1985,modifying the definition of a Bhutanese citizen. The Act was implemented as part of a new national policy of Driglam Namzha,national customs and etiquette. Because of its emphasis on Bhutanese culture,the Act is also referred to as the "One Nation,One People Act." The 1985 Act was amended by the Immigration Act of 2007 and then superseded in 2008 by the Constitution of Bhutan insofar as previous laws are inconsistent;where not inconsistent,the provisions of the 2007 Act,the 1985 Act,and previous Acts relating to immigration continue in effect.
Lebanese nationality law governs the acquisition,transmission and loss of Lebanese citizenship. Lebanese citizenship is the status of being a citizen of Lebanon and it can be obtained by birth or naturalization. Lebanese nationality is transmitted paternally. Therefore,a Lebanese man who holds Lebanese citizenship can automatically confer citizenship to his children and foreign wife. Under the current law,descendants of Lebanese emigrants can only receive citizenship from their father and women cannot pass on citizenship to their children or foreign spouses.
The Bhutanese Citizenship Act of 1958,officially the Nationality Law of Bhutan,1958,is a decree by the Druk Gyalpo King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck,recognizing the definition of a Bhutanese citizen. The Act was amended in 1977 and then superseded by the Citizenship Act of 1985.
Multiple citizenship is a person's legal status in which a person is at the same time recognized by more than one country under its nationality and citizenship law as a national or citizen of that country. There is no international convention that determines the nationality or citizenship status of a person,which is consequently determined exclusively under national laws,that often conflict with each other,thus allowing for multiple citizenship situations to arise.
A national without household registration (NWOHR) is a person with Republic of China nationality who does not have household registration in Taiwan. Nationals with this status may be subject to immigration controls when entering the Taiwan Area,do not have automatic residence rights there,cannot vote in Taiwanese elections,and are exempt from conscription. Most individuals with this status are children born overseas to Taiwanese citizens. About 60,000 NWOHRs currently hold Taiwanese passports with this status.
The Nationality Act of 1940 revised numerous provisions of law relating to American citizenship and naturalization. It was enacted by the 76th Congress of the United States and signed into law on October 14,1940,a year after World War II had begun in Europe,but before the U.S. entered the war.
