The Government's New Draft Law: 5 Critical Changes That Will Reshape Citizenship
- The proposed law creates a mandatory renunciation clause, meaning anyone acquiring a second citizenship will automatically lose their original passport within 60 days, ending dual nationality for millions.
- A strict residency threshold is introduced: applicants must live in the country for 10 consecutive years, up from the current 5, with zero allowance for absences over 30 days per year.
- Naturalization now requires a passing grade on a standardized language and civics exam, but the draft adds a new "economic contribution" test, linking citizenship to tax payments of at least $50,000 annually.
- The law removes citizenship by investment loopholes, retroactively applying to 2015 cases, which could strip passports from wealthy foreigners who bought their way in.
- A controversial "national allegiance" clause empowers authorities to revoke nationality from dual citizens if they are convicted of treason or espionage, even if the crime was committed abroad.