Papua New Guinean
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
nationality law
Nationality law is the law of a sovereign state, and of each of its jurisdictions, that defines the legal manner in which a national identity is acquired and how it may be lost. In international law, the legal means to acquire nationality and for ...
is regulated by the
1975 Constitution of Papua New Guinea, as amended; the Citizenship Act 1975, and its revisions; and international agreements entered into by the Papua New Guinean government. These laws determine who is, or is eligible to be, a national of Papua New Guinea. The legal means to acquire
nationality
Nationality is a legal identification of a person in international law, establishing the person as a subject, a ''national'', of a sovereign state. It affords the state jurisdiction over the person and affords the person the protection of the ...
, formal legal membership in a nation, differ from the domestic relationship of rights and obligations between a national and the nation, known as
citizenship
Citizenship is a "relationship between an individual and a state to which the individual owes allegiance and in turn is entitled to its protection".
Each state determines the conditions under which it will recognize persons as its citizens, and ...
. Papua New Guinean nationality is typically obtained either on the principle of
jus soli
''Jus soli'' ( , , ; meaning "right of soil"), commonly referred to as birthright citizenship, is the right of anyone born in the territory of a state to nationality or citizenship.
''Jus soli'' was part of the English common law, in contras ...
, i.e. by birth in Papua New Guinea or under the rules of
jus sanguinis
( , , ; 'right of blood') is a principle of nationality law by which citizenship is determined or acquired by the nationality or ethnicity of one or both parents. Children at birth may be citizens of a particular state if either or both of t ...
, i.e. by birth abroad to parents with Papua New Guinean nationality. It can be granted to persons who have lived in the country for a specific period of time, who have contributed to the country's development, or who have an affiliation to the country through naturalization.
Acquiring Papua New Guinean nationality
Nationality in Papua New Guinea is acquired at birth or later in life by naturalization.
By birth
Birthright nationality applies to:
* Persons born in the territory to at least one parent who is Papua New Guinean;
* Persons born abroad to at least one parent who is Papua New Guinean;
* Persons born aboard a ship or aircraft registered in Papua New Guinea, or an unregistered vessel belonging to the government of Papua New Guinea; or
*
Foundlings
Child abandonment is the practice of relinquishing interests and claims over one's offspring in an illegal way, with the intent of never resuming or reasserting guardianship. The phrase is typically used to describe the physical abandonment of a ...
or children of unknown ancestry found in the territory of Papua New Guinea.
By naturalization
Regular naturalization in Papua New Guinea is acquired by submitting an application to the Minister with the responsibility for the administration of immigration. Applicants must provide evidence that they are of good character, have familiarity with the language and customs of Papua New Guinea, are self-supporting, and have resided within the territory for eight years. A Citizenship Advisory Committee makes the determination that the applicant has sufficient knowledge of
civics
Civics is the study of the rights and obligations of citizens in society. The term derives from the Latin word ''civicus'', meaning "relating to a citizen". The term relates to behavior affecting other citizens, particularly in the context of u ...
and language. If the application is approved, the applicant must renounce other nationality, unless they are applying for
dual nationality
Multiple/dual citizenship (or multiple/dual nationality) is a legal status in which a person is concurrently regarded as a national or citizen of more than one country under the laws of those countries. Conceptually, citizenship is focused on t ...
and take a
Loyalty Oath
A loyalty oath is a pledge of allegiance to an organization, institution, or state of which an individual is a member. In the United States, such an oath has often indicated that the affiant has not been a member of a particular organization or ...
. A special naturalization process for persons who have performed distinguished service to the public or nation is permitted for economic development or sporting achievement. Naturalization is also available to:
* Adoptees;
* The legal spouse of a Papua New Guinean who has resided in the territory for one of the past three years;
* Persons with at least one parent or grandparent who was, or would have been eligible to be except for death, a national of Papua New Guinea;
* Minor children of persons who obtain nationality through naturalization; or
* Former nationals who lost their nationality, including loss because of marriage to a foreign spouse, after five years of continuous residence in the territory.
Loss of nationality
Papua New Guinean nationals may