Austria: Government wants to keep secret naturalisations based on “outstanding achievements”
The Austrian Ministry of the Interior confirmed reports that it intends to again keep secret the names of applicants naturalised based on their “outstanding achievements”. The ministry argues there would be no legal basis to make them public and data Read More …
Amendments to the Portuguese Nationality Law – towards an (even) more inclusive citizenship
On the 6th July 2018, new amendments of the Portuguese Nationality Law entered in force (Organic Law 2/2018). The amendment involves at least four important topics, in addition to some minor changes. Read More …
Montenegro to re-start the sale of passports
On 26 June, the government of Montenegro has adopted the Information on the programme for the acquisition of Montenegrin citizenship by investment, and has instructed the relevant authorities to prepare the launch of the programme from October 2018. In 2010, Read More …
Deprivation of Dutch Citizenship and Double Jeopardy: recent developments
Recently, a lower Dutch Court decided on the admissibility of an appeal against one of the decisions concerning the Dutch Alcolock case, in which the Dutch Supreme Court held that imposing an administrative law sanction (the installation of an alcolock) precluded criminal law punishment (for driving under the influence) and vice versa. Read More …
ECHR Alpeyeva and Dzhalagoniya v. Russia: mass-confiscation of passports violates article 8
On the 12th of June the ECHR declared a violation of the right to private life (article 8) of two individuals who were left stateless in Russia for several years as a result of bureaucratic deficiencies not attributable to them. The judgment strengthens even further the Court’s earlier case law on the connection between nationality rights, statelessness, and article 8 of the ECHR. Read More …
Austria raises naturalisation requirement for refugees from six to ten years
On July 5 2018, the first chamber of the Austrian Parliament, the National Council, passed a law to raise the residence requirement for naturalisation for recognised refugees from six to ten years. While the residence requirement for ordinary naturalisation in Austria is ten years, until now refugees have enjoyed Read More …