WORLD
Citizenship based on affinity with Sweden
Baku, April 16, AZERTAC
The Swedish Citizenship Act is amended as of 1 April 2015. Under the new Act, women and men have equal rights when it comes to transferring Swedish citizenship to their own children. The change in the law enables those persons who have previously lost their Swedish citizenship to apply to recover it.
Citizenship is a legal relationship between the state and the individual that is based on rights and obligations. The purpose of the legal changes on 1 April is to give Swedish citizenship a more symbolic significance based on a sense of affiliation between the citizen and the state. This is manifested partly through a portal section being introduced to the Act where Swedish citizenship is defined and partly through the municipalities being obliged to carry out welcome ceremonies for new Swedish citizens.
For the individual, the change in the law means, among other things, that women and men are placed on an equal footing when it comes to transferring Swedish citizenship to their children born after 1 April 2015. For those children born after 1 April 2015, it makes no difference if the mother or the father holds Swedish citizenship; the child in question automatically acquires Swedish citizenship regardless of where in the world he or she is born.
The changes to the Citizenship Act will also mean that those persons who have lost their previous Swedish citizenship can now recover it. Prior to 2001, did not recognise dual citizenship. If a person became a citizen in another country through an application or an agreement then he or she would lose his or her Swedish citizenship. However, with the new change in the law it now becomes possible for those persons to apply to recover their Swedish citizenship.
The new law means that it is easier now for children and young adults to become Swedish citizens, for example through a shorter time-period being required for settlement in . Children who at birth in are stateless but have a permanent residence permit (PUT) acquire Swedish citizenship through making an application which is to be submitted before the child’s 18th birthday.