naturalization

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
German naturalization certificate from 1902

Under a naturalization - also naturalization (of American-English naturalization or naturalization ) - is the acquisition of a citizenship by a Exekutivakt understood d. H. at the applicant's request to the competent authority in the respective country.

Definition of terms

Naturalization is to be distinguished from

  • the acquisition of citizenship through the place of birth ( birthplace principle ) or through descent ( descent principle ). In these cases, citizenship is not granted on application, but by law.
  • the acquisition of citizenship through adoption or marriage ,
  • of honorary citizenship . This is not granted at the request of the person concerned, but to distinguish him; often it is a purely symbolic award with which no civil rights and obligations are connected.

The naturalization of disabled people is facilitated by the “United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”.

Regulations in individual countries

Germany

See: German citizenship

Austria

See: Austrian citizenship

Switzerland

See: Swiss citizenship

EU countries - CIP

Both the murder attempt in 2017 on the investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia , who saw the Citizenship by Investment Programs (CIP) as a gateway for black money , and a report by an EU commission brought such purchases of citizenship into disrepute: The practice should one Be subjected to checks on money laundering and corruption .

Cyprus

Since 2013 citizenship can be bought in the Republic of Cyprus for an investment of around 2 million euros in the domestic economy or in Cypriot real estate. According to its own information, the offer brought the state 4 billion euros in investments by 2017. There is no mandatory minimum length of stay in Cyprus. Among them are people like Rami Machluf , cousin and supporter of the Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad, or the Russian oligarch Dmitri Evgenyevich Rybolovlew .

Malta

Since 2014 it has been possible to acquire citizenship in Malta for a payment of 650,000 euros plus the purchase or renting of a property and 150,000 euros in investments in Maltese government bonds. The European Commission proved helpless despite a resolution by the European Parliament that excludes the practice of buyable citizenship. By mid-2018, more than 800 foreigners became EU citizens in this way.

Spain

Citizens of the Ibero-American countries, the Philippines , Andorra , Equatorial Guinea , Portugal and persons of Sephardic Voting can obtain Spanish citizenship if they have been legally and continuously resident in Spain for two years. Persons with refugee status must prove such a residence for five years and every ten years thereafter.

In addition, since 2013 non-Spaniards have been able to buy a residence permit with an investment of around 500,000 euros and apply for naturalization after five years. By 2018 around 25,000 residence permits had been issued in this way.

Portugal

In Portugal , a residence permit can be bought for an investment of around 350,000 euros. The program was launched in 2012/2013.

United States

An office of USCIS in the state of Georgia

In the United States, responsibility for naturalizing applicants lies with the Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) . The acquisition of American citizenship can be applied for under each of the following conditions:

  • Applicants who have held a permanent resident card for at least 5 years . These applicants must be at least 18 years old, have lived in the United States for at least 30 months in the past five years, have lived in the state for at least 3 months, speak English, have a basic understanding of American history and government, and meet certain personal requirements (e.g. B. Fidelity to the US Constitution).
  • Spouse of a US citizen, at least 3 years Permanent Residents are
  • Members of the U.S. Armed Forces
  • Minors born outside of the United States who live outside of the United States but are children of US citizens.
    If, on the other hand, they live as permanent residents in the USA, children of US citizens - according to the principle of descent - receive US citizenship by law, i. H. without any special administrative act and automatically. This also applies if the parents acquired US citizenship through naturalization; If a family with underage children wants to be naturalized, it is sufficient if all at least 18-year-olds submit applications for naturalization.

The naturalization process begins with the application, which includes the completed form N-400 annexes, a list of all stays abroad since the green card was acquired, passport photos and fees of 680 US dollars. Applicants who wish to do so can also change their name with their naturalization or B. add a middle name . Applicants under the age of 75 will then be invited to the agency's nearest Field Office to have their fingerprints taken. The next step is an interview for which the applicants are also asked to go to the Field Office ; Applicants under the age of 75 also have to take an English and a naturalization test at this time . Applicants whose applications are positive will take their oath of allegiance to the United States Constitution , hand in their Permanent Resident Card and receive their certificate of naturalization - either during the interview or at a later date . A withdrawal from the previous citizenship is not expected by the American side.

St. Kitts and Nevis

The citizenship of St. Kitts and Nevis could be acquired for 250,000 euros until 2009. After the conclusion of an agreement with the European Union in 2009 that allows visa-free entry into the Union, the price increased. According to Spiegel research , 400,000 euros must be invested in the islands for five years in order to become a citizen.

Web links

Wiktionary: Naturalization  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ( PDF , ≈ 960  KB ) - BMAS , on August 3, 2011
  2. ↑ EU targets the purchase of passports , NZZ, August 20, 2018.
  3. ↑ a b Sara Farolfi, David Pegg and Stelios Orphanides: "Cyprus 'selling' EU citizenship to super rich of Russia and Ukraine" The Guardian of 17 September 2017th
  4. ↑ Philip Leone Ganado: "Cyprus-Malta: competition, cooperation on passports" Times of Malta of March 26, 2017.
  5. ^ Jon Stone: "How to keep your EU citizenship after Brexit" The Independent from June 14, 2016.
  6. ↑ a b c Sara Farolfi: The purchased pass . TAZ of February 27, 2016.
  7. ↑ Markus Becker: Citizenship for the rich: Malta's billion dollar business with the EU passport . Spiegel online from August 19, 2016.
  8. ↑ The super-rich simply buy the pass. In: 20min.ch ( 20 minutes ). June 4, 2018, accessed October 8, 2018 .
  9. ↑ Spanish nationality . Spanish Embassy in Bern, accessed January 17, 2019.
  10. ↑ a b Ute Müller: "Rich foreigners buy tailor-made passports for Europe" Welt.de from January 13, 2019.
  11. ↑ Citizenship Through Naturalization (English) - USCIS ; last change on January 22, 2013
  12. ↑ Path to US Citizenship (English) - USCIS ; last change on January 22, 2013
  13. ↑ Naturalization for Spouses of US Citizens (English) - USCIS ; last change on January 22, 2013
  14. ↑ Military (English) - USCIS ; last change on July 14, 2015
  15. ↑ a b Citizenship Through Parents (English) - USCIS ; last change on November 10, 2015
  16. ^ N-400, Application for Naturalization (English) - USCIS ; last change on October 23, 2015
  17. ↑ a b c 10 Steps to Naturalization (English; PDF, ≈ 1.7  MB ) - USCIS ; last accessed on February 14, 2016
  18. ^ "Newspaper advertisement in Pakistan: Caribbean country lures investors with passports" Der Spiegel from February 25, 2012.