JULY – DECEMBER 2025
were unable
citizenship.
to
acquire
their
husband’s
Between July and December 2025 in the
Dominican Republic, UNHCR’s advocacy
carried out in coordination with civil society
organizations, enabled the issuance of
Dominican birth certificates to 420 beneficiaries
under Law 169-14 (Group B)—a category that
grants special naturalization to individuals born in
the country before 2007 to foreign parents without
a residence permit. Of these, 330 individuals
additionally obtained Dominican identity and
electoral cards, thereby securing comprehensive
civil documentation. The continued issuance of
documentation during the second semester
confirms
the
effective
and
sustained
implementation of Law 169‑14 by the Central
Electoral Board (JCE) and consolidates pathways
to full legal recognition. This progress enhances
prospects for additional naturalized persons to
finalize their recognition as Dominican nationals,
reinforcing legal certainty and durable inclusion.
On 1 and 30 August, in Thailand UNHCR joined
Deputy Minister of Interior in Chiang Mai and
Kanchanaburi Province to kick off the
implementation of the 2024 Cabinet Resolutions
which seeks to accelerate pathways to nationality
and permanent residence for long-term residents
and their children born in the country. Since the
implementation guidelines were issued on 30
June 2025, over 100,000 stateless individuals
have already secured Thai nationality (13,626) or
permanent residence (90,985). The latter permits
them to apply for nationality in five years. This
achievement not only restores legal identity and
dignity but also unlocks access to rights for
thousands of people who had lived in limbo for
decades. UNHCR continues to provide technical
and operational support, including IT equipment
to sustain this momentum and ensure that no one
is left behind.
In Kenya, on 5 and 6 December 2025, the
Parliamentary Committee on Administration and
Internal Security, supported by UNHCR and NGO
partner Haki Centre, held a public participation
exercise with Rundi and Rwandan stateless
communities in Kwale, to update them on the
progress on amendment of the Kenya Citizenship
and Immigration Act. The amendment will provide
a legal framework for registration of stateless
individuals in Kenya. The Committee committed
to push for an expedited process and make
recommendations on interim measures for
protection and access to services for stateless
individuals pending their registration as citizens.
Albania, Italy, Peru, Slovenia, Spain, Uruguay
and the United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA), joined the Global Alliance to End
Statelessness, reaffirming their commitment to
ending statelessness. The Global Alliance
continues to grow and now brings together more
than 180 members, including 28 governments,
five
UN
agencies
and
12
regional
intergovernmental
organizations,
alongside
numerous civil society and stateless-led
organizations
and
academic
institutions.
Governments and other stakeholders can join
online or through a letter submitted to the Global
Alliance Secretariat, hosted by UNHCR, at
stalliance@unhcr.org.
Government counterparts and international experts
gathered in Issyk-Kul to exchange lessons on
accession to the 1954 and 1961 UN Statelessness
Conventions, supporting the Kyrgyz Republic’s efforts
to prevent statelessness and strengthen legal
safeguards. ©UNHCR/Alisher
Action 2. Ensure that no child is born
stateless
against statelessness in line with the 1961
Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.
On 15 August 2025, Peru adopted Law No.
32421, establishing a new Nationality Act that
systematizes the criteria for acquiring nationality
and maintains existing standards for nationality
by birth. Notably, the law expressly recognizes
nationality by birth for children adopted by
Peruvian parents, thereby reinforcing safeguards
In December, Hungary adopted amendments to
the Citizenship Act (Act CXXXVI of 2025)
introducing strengthened safeguards to prevent
statelessness at birth. The reforms establish a
rebuttable presumption that children born to
foreign parents who are left in healthcare
institutions and registered as of “unknown
nationality” will be considered Hungarian citizens,
UNHCR / DIPS Statelessness Section
2
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