90 SECTION II.B –– Vietnam codified a definition of ‘stateless person’ in their nationality law in 2008, in consonance with the definition in the 1954 Convention. This was accompanied by provisions establishing a clear and simplified procedure for naturalisation, after five years of permanent residence. The 2008 law also provides facilitated naturalisation for stateless persons who do not have adequate identity papers but have been residing in Vietnam for 20 years or longer.144 –– Tajikistan introduced a new law allowing irregular migrants and stateless persons to obtain residence permits, which also enables them to apply for citizenship after three years.145 –– In 2000, Greece amended its laws to reduce the period of residency required for stateless people to be eligible for naturalisation. Similarly, Brazil halved the residency requirements to facilitate naturalisation of stateless persons.146 –– Thailand amended its nationality laws in 2008 to provide Thai citizenship to all persons born in Thailand before 1992.147 –– Uzbekistan conferred citizenship to registered stateless persons who were granted permanent residency before 1995, via a new provision in their citizenship law.148 –– Bosnia and Herzegovina adopted a law waiving the proof of mastery of language and livelihood.149 Such provisions 144 UNHCR ‘Submission by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees For the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Compilation Report – Universal Periodic Review: Socialist Republic of Viet Nam’ (2013) <https://www.refworld.org/docid/51c946514.html> accessed 5 April 2020. 145 UNHCR, ‘UNHCR welcomes Tajikistan’s new law tackling statelessness’ (UNHCR, 30 January 2020) <https://www.unhcr.org/news/press/2020/1/5e32a8e74/unhcr-welcomes-tajikistans-new-lawtackling-statelessness.html> accessed 5 April 2020. 146 UNHCR ‘Good Practices in Nationality Laws for the Prevention and Reduction of Statelessness Handbook for Parliamentarians’ (n 129). 147 UNHCR ‘Good Practices: Addressing Statelessness in South East Asia’ (2011) <https://www.refworld. org/docid/4d6e0a792.html> accessed 18 March 2020. 148 UNHCR, ‘Uzbekistan to end statelessness for 50,000 people’ (UNHCR, 17 March 2020) <https://www. unhcr.org/news/press/2020/3/5e70b9474/uzbekistan-end-statelessness-50000-people.html> accessed 5 April 2020. 149 UNHCR ‘Good Practices in Nationality Laws for the Prevention and Reduction of Statelessness Handbook for Parliamentarians’ (n 129). SECURING CITIZENSHIP