access to consular protection abroad and may be issued a certificate for return to Bulgaria if their documents have expired, are lost, stolen, or damaged while abroad. Family reunification In several countries, including Bulgaria, Georgia, and Italy, stateless people do not have the right to family reunification unless they have a residence permit based on another status. In Hungary, family reunification is subject to conditions such as proof of means of livelihood, accommodation, and health insurance; and family members applying to join a relative in Hungary are required to be lawfully resident in the country from which they apply. In Switzerland, family reunification is discretionary for holders of a temporary residence permit, but non-discretionary for permanent residents, and various conditions apply. Good practice: statelessness protection in Spain Recognition of statelessness in Spain results in automatic permission to stay and a permanent right to reside. Identity and travel documents are issued. Identity cards are renewable every five years, and stateless persons’ travel documents are valid for two years. Stateless people have the right to family reunification, work, education up to tertiary education, social security, and healthcare. The law also sets out specific situations in which statelessness status ceases or can be revoked, such as absence from the European Union for one year or Spanish territory for six years, fraud, or acquisition of a nationality. Right to vote In most countries, recognised stateless people have very limited political rights, if any. The right to vote tends to be reserved to nationals and/or EU citizens in the case of EU Member States. Stateless people are usually excluded from voting in national elections. However, recognised stateless people have the right to vote in Belgium, in Cantonal and local elections in Switzerland, and in devolved national elections in parts of the United Kingdom (Scotland and Wales only). In Hungary, recognised stateless people have the right to vote in municipal elections, but only if they hold permanent residence, refugee status, or subsidiary protection. Revocation of statelessness status Any revocation or cessation of residence rights based on statelessness (if the person acquires a nationality) should be subject to a proportionality test under international human rights law. In most Index countries, statelessness status may be revoked without a proportionality assessment. For example, if a recognised stateless person subsequently acquires or reacquires the nationality of another State this may justify the cancellation of a residence permit on the basis of statelessness. Nonetheless, a proportionality assessment should be caried out, including to consider the impact of such a decision on the individual’s right to a private and family life. Examples of the conditions under which some countries permit revocation of statelessness status include acquisition of a nationality (e.g. in Georgia, Hungary, Kosovo, and Türkiye), receiving protection under the 1954 Convention from another country (Georgia), acquisition of statelessness status by fraud (Bulgaria, Georgia, Hungary, Switzerland, Türkiye, and the United Kingdom), or if the person is considered to pose a danger to public safety or security (Georgia, Türkiye, and the United Kingdom). In most countries revocation of statelessness status requires a proportionality assessment (e.g. in Georgia, Switzerland, and Bulgaria), although it is not always explicitly required in law.