Nationality Law in the World Trivia Quiz

Answer: The acquisition and loss of citizenship of a country

Nationality Law is a law which regulates the acquisition and loss of citizenship of a country. However, although the terms "Nationality" and "Citizenship" are used interchangeably, there is a difference between the two terms. The term "Nationality" refers to the informal membership an individual holds in a particular nation and the terms "Nation" and "Nationality" are actually social categories which refers to a set of individuals who have a common culture, language and territory.

On the other hand, the term "Citizenship" refers to the legal status and position of an individual in relation to a state, and this relationship is formal in the sense that it not only gives an individual certain rights but also requires them to perform certain duties towards that state or other similar individuals. However individuals enjoy rights only in democratic countries. In countries which have an authoritarian, totalitarian or dictatorial form of government, individuals don't have any rights, or enjoy very limited types of rights, usually they enjoy only those rights which are permitted by the state or the dictator. However, individuals have to perform all their duties towards the state, even in a dictatorship and in fact, in a dictatorship, much more emphasis is laid on the performance of duties by citizens, than the enjoyment of rights. For example, during the 1930's Germany and Italy had dictatorships while USA and UK had a democratic form of government.

However, for all practical purposes, the term "Nationality Law" is used when referring to the laws which govern the acquisition and loss of citizenship in a country.

Answer: By birth, descent, naturalization and entitlement

In Austria, it is possible for a person to acquire Austrian citizenship by birth, descent, naturalization and entitlement. Austrian citizenship by birth is when a person acquires citizenship by virtue of his or her being born in Austria although this doesn't automatically entitle such a person to citizenship.

However, it is still useful since a person who is born in Austria can apply for a reduction of the residency requirement when he or she is applying for citizenship. The easiest way to acquire Austrian citizenship is by descent, meaning that any person who is born to Austrian parents, is an Austrian citizen.

However, both the parents must be Austrians in this case. Another provision is that, according to the current laws, if both parents are legally married, then a person born to such parents is an Austrian citizen as long as one of the parents is an Austrian citizen.

For example, a child born in Austria to a Portuguese father and an Austrian mother is an Austrian citizen by descent, as long as both the Portuguese father and Austrian mother are legally married to each other.

There are also separate provisions for children born to parents who aren't legally married to each other. Finally, aliens who cannot acquire citizenship through either of these routes, can apply for Austrian citizenship by naturalization and entitlement. Most people acquire citizenship through this method. There are separate provisions for various categories of people who are entitled to acquire Austrian citizenship through naturalization. For example, in case of aliens who wish to become naturalized citizens on the basis of their marriage to an Austrian citizen, the alien spouse of an Austrian citizen must be married to his or her Austrian spouse for at least five years and must have resided legally in Austria for at least six years. There are separate provisions for other categories of people who can become Austrian citizens on the basis of naturalization through entitlement.

Answer: By fulfilling certain conditions as set by the law

According to the current British nationality law, an alien who wants to become a British citizen must fulfil certain conditions in order to be granted British citizenship by Naturalization. These conditions are : 1) He or she must have lived legally in the United Kingdom for either 3 or 5 years, depending on his or her marital status. The foreign national spouses, unmarried partners or civil partners of British citizens can apply for naturalization as a British citizen after 3 years of living legally in the country, and subject to the fulfilment of other conditions as required by law, while those people who are not married to a British citizen or are not the unmarried partner or civil partner of a British citizen must have lived legally in the United Kingdom for 5 years and must also fulfil other conditions as required by law. 2) An alien must have "Indefinite Leave to Remain" or its equivalent, and he or she must provide proof that he or she has "Indefinite Leave to Remain" or its equivalent. 3) An alien who wishes to become a British citizen through naturalization must have a good knowledge of the English language and about life in the United Kingdom. 4) An alien also must have a good character as defined in the law. 5) An alien who is applying to become a British citizen through naturalization, must prove that he or she wants to live and work in the United Kingdom permanently or that he or she will work for the British government or a British organisation or company even if he or she is staying abroad.

Acquiring British citizenship by staying illegally in the United Kingdom is practically impossible since the British immigration laws are strict. It is also illegal to marry a British citizen in order to acquire British citizenship, since that is a sham marriage and the British immigration laws are quite strict in dealing with people who have entered into marriages with British citizens or have become unmarried partners or civil partners of British citizens simply to acquire British citizenship or legal residence in the United Kingdom. As regards getting British citizenship by working as a teacher in a school or a professor in a college or university, the British immigration and nationality law does not have any special provision for granting British citizenship to aliens on the basis of employment as a school teacher or college or university professor in the United Kingdom.

Answer: By going through the Naturalization procedure, marrying an Italian citizen, adoption or for foreign descendants of Italians up to the second degree

If an alien wants to become an Italian citizen, then such a person can do so by applying for Italian citizenship through naturalization, by marrying an Italian man or an Italian woman, by being adopted by an Italian and if a person is the foreign descendant of an Italian citizen up to the second degree.

A convenient way to acquire Italian citizenship is by marrying an Italian man or an Italian woman. In fact, this is an easier route if a person wants to become an Italian citizen. It is a less complicated route to acquiring Italian citizenship.

Answer: True

Dual Citizenship isn't encouraged in the United States of America due to various reasons, but it is recognized and accepted and a person who holds U.S. citizenship will not usually be required to give up the citizenship of his or her home country according to U.S. laws.

He or she can remain a citizen of both the countries. However, if the home country of the foreign national doesn't recognize dual citizenship, then he or she may have to give up the citizenship of his or her home country if he or she wants to become a U.S. citizen.

For example, if a Dutch citizen wants to acquire U.S. citizenship then he or she will have to give up his or her Dutch citizenship.

Answer: By birth, adoption or naturalization

The easiest method of acquiring a country's citizenship is by descent, that is being born to parents who hold the nationality of that particular country and Germany is no exception. In Germany, if a person isn't born to parents who hold German citizenship, then such a person can acquire German citizenship by birth, by being adopted by a German citizen before he or she attains the majority age at the time German citizen applied for adoption or by naturalization as a German citizen. A person can acquire German citizenship by birth provided the child was born on or before January 1, 2000 to foreign national parents and at least one of the parents has a German permanent residence permit and has been living in Germany legally for at least eight years. However, in case a child acquires German citizenship by birth, he or she must declare that he or she intends to retain his or her German citizenship by the time such a child turns 23 years old. The applicant must also prove that he or she doesn't hold the citizenship of a foreign country. If this isn't done, then such a person will lose his or her German citizenship.

It is also possible for an alien to acquire German citizenship by naturalization. However, since there are many categories of people who are eligible to become German citizens by naturalization, an alien will have to find out the category under which he or she is eligible to naturalize as a German citizen.

Answer: Japan

In Japan, dual citizenship isn't usually recognized, accepted or encouraged. If a person wants to acquire Japanese citizenship, he or she will be required to give up his or her home country's citizenship. According to another provision of the Japanese nationality law, if a Japanese citizen acquires the citizenship of another country then such a person will loose his or her Japanese nationality.

For example, if a Japanese man marries an Australian woman and he decides to become an Australian citizen, he can lose his Japanese citizenship.

However, there are some exceptions to the rule. One such exception is if the citizenship of a foreign country is acquired by an individual involuntarily. For example, if a Japanese woman marries an Iranian man, she can retain dual nationality since she didn't acquire her second nationality voluntarily.

But such people, who hold dual Japanese-Iranian citizenship by birth face certain restrictions in Japan. For example, a child born with dual nationality to parents in Japan who naturalized can hold dual nationality but he or she will not be able to use his or her Japanese citizenship in Japan in this case, as such a child is considered to be an alien according to the Japanese nationality law and doesn't have any rights as a Japanese citizen.

Answer: Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia it is almost impossible or very difficult for an alien or a foreigner to become a Saudi citizen. In most of the countries, it is possible for an alien or a foreigner to become a citizen of his or her host country, provided her or she fulfills certain requirements set by the immigration or nationality laws of the host country.

But in Saudi Arabia it is not easy to become a Saudi citizen, unless a person is a Saudi citizen by birth or descent. This is because in Saudi Arabia, the government has created extremely strict rules and laws for granting Saudi citizenship to aliens.

Answer: By being legally married to a French citizen for a certain period of time

In France, it is possible for an alien to acquire French citizenship on the basis of his or her marriage to a French citizen. If a foreign national woman marries a Frenchman or a foreign national man marries a Frenchwoman, then he or she can apply for French citizenship after four years of marriage to the French citizen, provided that the couple is living together in the same home all the time. If the couple doesn't live together all the time, then the French citizen and his or her foreign national spouse must be married for five years instead of four years, before the foreign national applies for French citizenship.

However, if the couple is living together in the same home and has children, then in such a situation, the time period can be reduced.

But French law doesn't clearly state whether or not foreign nationals who are in a domestic partnership with a French citizen can also apply for French citizenship. As regards forced marriages, they are illegal, so they aren't valid for the purpose of acquiring French nationality. Marrying a Frenchman or a Frenchwoman for help offered in acquiring French citizenship is like entering into a sham marriage, which is again illegal. The spouse requesting French citizenship must demonstrate proficiency in the French language.

Answer: True

In Colombia, an alien or foreign national who is married to a Colombian man or a Colombian woman, can acquire Colombian citizenship on the basis of the marriage. In order to apply for citizenship on the basis of marriage, the foreign national spouse must have been a permanent resident in Colombia for two years and pass a test on Colombian history, geography and civics. If the applicant isn't a native Spanish speaker, he or she must also pass a test on the Spanish language.

However, there are exceptions to these rules.