Report on Citizenship Law: Nepal
citizenship of Nepal through naturalisation.24 The language used in this sub-section suggests
that it supersedes the previous sub-section, as the phrase "Notwithstanding anything in subsection (1)..." is used. This section also includes a provision that addresses the citizenship
concerns of foundlings. It states that persons found in the territory of Nepal the whereabouts
of whose father and mother are unknown are citizens by descent until their father or mother is
identified.25
Section 4 covers the eligibility criteria for acquiring citizenship by birth. It states that
any person born before 13 April 1990 in the territory of Nepal with permanent domicile in
Nepal is a citizen of Nepal by birth. This provision is no longer applicable in the present as
the certificate of citizenship by birth could only be acquired before the Constituent Assembly
election was held 26 or within two years of the commencement of the act. 27 With the
Constituent Assembly already having been held and more than two years having passed since
the act entered into force, the provision is no longer applicable for any person today.
3.1.2. Acquisition by naturalisation (through marriage, ordinary naturalisation etc.)
The constitutional provisions further classify citizenship by naturalisation into three types.
1.
Citizenship by naturalisation through marriage
A foreign female spouse of a Nepalese man can acquire citizenship by naturalisation.28
However, the same does not apply to a foreign male spouse of a Nepalese woman. The
provision is also not clear regarding any further conditions that need to be met in order
to acquire Nepalese citizenship by naturalisation.
2.
Citizenship by naturalisation for children born to Nepalese women and foreign men
Children born to Nepalese women and foreign men may acquire the citizenship of
Nepal provided that they have permanent domicile in Nepal and have not acquired the
citizenship of the foreign country.29 As mentioned above, if at the time of application
both the parents of such children are Nepali citizens they can acquire citizenship by
descent.
3.
Other kinds of citizenship by naturalisation
The constitution states that the Government of Nepal can confer other kinds of
citizenship by naturalisation on the basis of federal law.30 These legal provisions need
to be determined by the citizenship laws.
Acquisition of citizenship by naturalisation according to the Nepal Citizenship Act, 2006
Section 5 of this act deals with the kinds of naturalised citizenship certificates. Sub-section
(1) even specifies the procedure for obtaining naturalised citizenship through marriage as it
states that a foreign female spouse needs to produce her document of a marriage relationship
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Nepal Citizenship Act, 2006, sec. 3(2).
Nepal Citizenship Act, 2006, sec. 3(3).
Nepal Citizenship Act, 2006, sec. 4(2).
Nepal Citizenship Act, 2006, sec. 4(3).
Article 11(6), Constitution of Nepal, 2015.
Article 11(7), Constitution of Nepal, 2015.
Article 11(8), Constitution of Nepal, 2015.
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