KATHMANDU, May 31: President Ram Chandra Paudel on Wednesday approved the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill. President Paudel certified the bill which was put on hold by the then President Bidya Devi Bhandari since last September even though the bill was passed by both the houses of parliament and sent to the president for authentication for the second time.

The bill approved by Paudel has provisions such as foreign women married to Nepali men will get naturalized citizenship directly after submitting a photocopy of the marriage certificate or any other document as evidence. Some of the issues included in the bill are controversial. But amid the controversy, President Paudel approved the Citizenship Amendment Bill after it was passed by both the houses of federal parliament.

In the bill, Article 10 of the Constitution ensures that no Nepali citizen will be deprived of the right to obtain citizenship. Provisions are also made in the bill to grant naturalized citizenship and citizenship by descent. The provision of the constitution that every minor who does not have the address of father or mother found within Nepal is considered a citizen of Nepal as a descendant until his father or mother is found.

The Bill provides that the children of citizens who have acquired Nepalis citizenship on the basis of birth before September 20,2015 i.e. before the promulgation of the Constitution, will obtain Nepalis citizenship on the basis of descent after they reach the age of 16 if both their father and mother are citizens of Nepal. A person who is born in Nepal from a mother who is a citizen of Nepal and resides in Nepal and whose father has not been identified will get Nepalis citizenship on the basis of descent.

A provision has also been made in the bill to enable non-resident Nepalis to obtain Nepali citizenship. If a person is found to have acquired  a non-resident Nepali citizenship by giving false information, or if it is determined that he has acted against the independence, sovereignty, geographical integrity and national interest of Nepal, the government of Nepal shall cancel the non-resident Nepali citizenship obtained by such a person.

In the case of a person who was born in Nepal from a Nepali mother and settled in Nepal and whose father has not been identified, self-declaration made by him and his mother must be submitted. 

 
• Citizenship_Amendment_Bill
 
• provisions