T H E G L O B A L S TAT E O F C I T I Z E N S H I P cretionary part of the procedure, conducted by immigration officials or even the police, without integration professionals, sufficient support, clear guidelines, alternative documentation options or strong judicial review. Exemptions are few, for minors, the elderly or persons with severe mental or physical disabilities. Half of the world’s foreign-born live in the 107 countries where ordinary immigrants must be economically ‘self-sufficient’ to become citizens. Under these requirements, immigrants must often do much more than simply meet their basic needs and secure their livelihood. Indeed, only around one in five countries require immigrants to have a basic income and pay their tax obligations. The majority further restrict ordinary naturalisation to immigrants with ‘sufficient’ employment income to cover their family’s costs, often without any state support, such as unemployment benefits or social assistance. In some countries, ordinary naturalisation is only open to those with accommodation or property ownership or to individuals with exceptional contributions. For example, Tanzania requires ordinary applicants to prove their ‘contribution to the national economy, scientific and technological advancement and the national social and cultural welfare.’ Data on procedures in Europe suggests that few legal exemptions are allowed for these requirements. While ‘self-sufficiency’ requirements can be criticised as implicitly discriminatory, at least two dozen countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East are explicitly discriminatory on age and disability grounds by rejecting applicants based on their physical health, mental health, incapacities or disabilities. Economic self-sufficiency Over time, immigrants’ economic and financial links usually become stronger with their country of residence than with their country of origin. Still, effective economic participation does not always mean economic ‘independence’. Requiring economic ‘self-sufficiency’ for citizenship challenges democratic and non-discrimination principles. Not all citizens are working, university-educated, financially independent or homeowners. A person’s socio-economic status is influenced by their gender, age, education, health/disability status and belonging to discriminated social groups. Universal suffrage has, for nearly a century, secured that a person’s socio-economic situation is no longer a condition for the full and equal franchise. However, since voting rights in national elections remain tied to citizenship status in nearly all countries, denial of access to citizenship on the grounds of lack of economic means amounts to perpetuating inequalities of economic class in political participation rights. 3.3 ECONOMIC REQUIREMENT IN RESIDENCE-BASED NATURALISATION, 2024 Share of global migrants that must meet economic requirement to naturalise 94 M No. of global migrants (in millions) 81 M 50% 290 M 78 M 65% 47% 28 M 24% 68% 9M 0% Europe Economic requirement Asia Americas YES Africa Oceania NO Source: GLOBALCIT Citizenship Law Dataset, v3, mode: A06e | Population data from UN Population Division”) 22 World