Sample laws and good practices Facilitated naturalization entails the elimination or minimization of legal and practical hurdles to accessing citizenship. Each State has a right to impose conditions for naturalization in accordance with national law, provided the conditions comply with customary international legal standards (e.g. non-discrimination). The 1954 Convention encourages States to reduce or eliminate such conditions for recognized stateless persons. For example, where a State normally requires applicants for naturalization to have lived on the territory for a certain period of time, to provide proof of lawful residence or to show mastery of the national language, a best practice in line with the 1954 Convention is to include separate, relaxed standards for recognized stateless individuals and their kin. A number of States have already incorporated such provisions into their nationality codes. The following are a few notable examples. 1. Laws that reduce residency requirements for stateless persons Greece is one of the growing number of States that have reduced the period of residency required for stateless persons to be eligible for naturalization. Article 5 of the reformed nationality code (Law 3838/2010) stipulates that “a foreign national who wishes to become a Greek citizen by naturalization should… have lawfully resided in Greece for seven continuous years before the submission of the application for naturalisation”57, but also provides, in section (1)(d), that recognized refugees and stateless persons need only have lawfully resided in Greece for a period of three consecutive years. Brazil has moved its nationality law in the same direction, halving the normal residency requirement58 (from four years to two) in the case of stateless persons.59 Brazilian law does not require legal residence, which would impose a burden on stateless individuals, many of whom lack legal status or documentation. 2. Laws that waive proof of language mastery and livelihood Some States, to help integrate naturalized populations and assure them a certain standard of living, require applicants for citizenship to demonstrate mastery of the national language and/or culture as well as proof of means of sustenance. In the case of stateless persons, however, some States have waived such requirements, and appropriately so. 57 See Article 5 of Law 3838/2010, available at: http://eudo-citizenship.eu/admin/?p=file&appl=currentCitizenshipLaws&f=GRE%20 Citizenship%20Code%20%28as%20of%202010%2C%20English%29.pdf. 58 See Article 65 of Law No. 13,445, available at: www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_Ato2015-2018/2017/Lei/L13445.htm. 59 See Decree No. 9199 of November 20, 2017, Art. 99, available at: https://presrepublica.jusbrasil.com.br/legislacao/522434860/ decreto-9199-17. 22