Family reunification In several countries, including Italy and Bulgaria, there are no provisions regulating the right to family reunification for stateless persons. In Hungary, family reunification is subject to conditions such as proof of means of subsistence. In Switzerland, family reunification is discretionary for holders of a temporary residence permit, but nondiscretionary for permanent residents. In the United Kingdom, there is a simple and fair procedure for family reunion for the individual’s spouse and minor children. Right to vote In most countries, recognised stateless people have no or very limited political rights. 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 Cantonal and local elections in Switzerland and 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. BARRIER Gaps in protection for recognised stateless people in Hungary Access to 1954 Convention rights for people recognised as stateless in Hungary are limited in practice. Although stateless people have the right to work, they must obtain a work permit before accessing employment, which is very burdensome in practice. Social security entitlements are linked to employment contributions, so barriers to employment restrict the ability to access social security. The only assistance to which stateless people have an automatic right is emergency public healthcare, which does not include some essential services such as maternity care. Although stateless people are entitled to family reunification, the conditions are restrictive, requiring the family to demonstrate sufficient subsistence, accommodation, and health insurance. Stateless people do not have the automatic right to vote in any elections unless they hold a permanent residence permit (or refugee or subsidiary protection) which entitles the holder to vote in municipal elections. Holders of statelessness status in Hungary are not considered to have a ‘domicile’ (lakóhely - a specific legal status in Hungary), unless they obtain a permanent residence permit, which is only accessible after at least three years of residence as a recognised stateless person. This restricts their access to facilitated naturalisation, and children born to stateless parents without ‘domicile’ are unable to acquire Hungarian nationality at birth, therefore they will be born stateless even if the parents are lawfully and habitually residing in Hungary at the time of the birth.72 3.2.7. Routes to naturalisation The only way to resolve statelessness is to acquire a nationality. To reduce statelessness in the migratory context, the 1954 Convention requires State Parties to facilitate naturalisation for stateless people on their territory as far as possible.73 States should expedite naturalisation procedures for stateless people, providing preferential treatment compared to the general rules for foreign nationals.74 This could include, exempting stateless people from requirements such as citizenship or integration tests,