The Plight of the Rightless: Mapping and Understanding Statelessness in Tripoli-V1.3 Figure 6-Types of stateless in Lebanon A non-registered person is defined as a person born to a Lebanese father and whose birth has not been registered by neither of their parents. Non-registered persons lack personal status records. However, they can file a late birth registration lawsuit to gain the Lebanese citizenship, once all required documents are available. Illegitimate children of Lebanese parents are also included in this category. Maktoum Al Qayd (MAQ) refers to a person born to a stateless father or unknown parents, either of Lebanese or non-Lebanese origins but has been residing in Lebanon a for long period. MAQ persons lack identification papers and are not enrolled in any official Lebanese censuses, which renders their nationality unknown. They thus do not have any bond with Lebanon nor their country of origin.26 They could be children of non-registered fathers, with Lebanese grandparents or great grandparents, but with no current proof of their lineage with their Lebanese relatives. Foundlings are also included in this category. Both the non-registered and MAQ persons are considered before the Lebanese Public Administration as non-existent. They are neither Lebanese nor foreigners. As an element of proof, non-registered and MAQ persons are not even allowed to work in fields and domains that are permitted to foreigners as per the annual decision rendered by the Minister of Labour.27 Under-study is a category that refers to persons of various unspecified nationalities and whose original nationality is pending, under study by the General Directorate of General Security.28 These persons were not accounted for neither in the 1932 census nor in any subsequent statistical initiatives in Lebanon. As such, they were initially granted official cards mentioning that they were of an “undefined nationality”. After the entry into force of the Law dated 10/7/1962 regulating Entry to, Residence in and Exit from Lebanon, these cards were replaced by residency cards stating 26 Frontiers Ruwad, Invisible Citizens (2011), p.98-99. The Government of Lebanon, The Ministry of Labor, Karar Rakem 29/1, Yata’allak Bil A’amal Wal Mihan Wal Hiraf Wal Waza’if, Al Wajib Hasrouha Bil Loubnaniyyin Fakat, 2018, Beirut. http://www.labor.gov.lb/Temp/Files/74a11682-051a-4d83-a8fe-905a54b3968f.pdf. (Accessed March 01, 2019). 28 Frontiers Ruwad, Invisible Citizens (2011), p.100. 27 24