SVG Citizenship Act 2023
On Thursday, the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2023 was approved by the Parliament of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The legislation was effectively enacted with universal endorsement from all factions inside the House of Assembly.
The bill, as presented by Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, signifies a significant modification to the Citizenship Law. The amendment seeks to offer second-generation Vincentians the chance to acquire citizenship without the requirement of physical residency on the island.
“This is a bill of much significance and is one of the substantive amendments to the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines citizenship bill, which came into effect early in 1984. And the central purpose of this bill really is to have people who are second-generation Vincentians born overseas become eligible for citizenship or be considered for citizenship”.
“Clause two amends Section 9 of the Principal Act, which deals with the registration of other persons. This amendment will facilitate the addition of subsections 2 to 5 for the registration of descendants of citizens of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines up to the second generation. Accordingly, the Minister may consider for registration an applicant who was born outside of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and who has a parent or grandparent who was a citizen of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The applicant must not be qualified for registration as a citizen otherwise and must be of good character”.
“The provisions in this important clause (Clause 2) say a person who makes an application under the amended section shall submit his application to the Minister together with the applicable fees prescribed and any of the following documents as the Minister considers necessary: Copies of his birth certificate and passport, certified copies of documents relevant to his application, including birth certificates, marriage certificates, certificates of registration or naturalization, or any other certificate or evidence of citizenship of his parents, grandparents, and other relevant persons”.
During the legislative session, Gonsalves conveyed to the lawmakers that the purpose of a Certificate of Citizenship is to furnish individuals born outside of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to an eligible Vincentian parent with an official documentation that verifies their inherent entitlement to citizenship as prescribed by the Constitution.
According to his statement, the topic in question is of an administrative nature, and it is a request that has been made by public officials. This assertion is logical and reasonable, he said.
Clause (5) of the law stipulates the provision for the temporary exemption of fees, lasting for a duration of one year from the bill’s initiation, on all applications and grants of citizenship.
During the select committee session, Gonsalves was questioned about the rationale behind introducing the bill at the present moment. During his address to the parliament, he asserted that the phenomenon under discussion lacks a distinct event in the conventional sense. Rather, it represents the culmination of an ongoing evolutionary process, driven by the persistent inquiries of individuals over the course of several years. Individuals who belong to the second generation of Vincentians, specifically the grandchildren of Vincentian parents.
“They have been requesting the ability to apply for citizenship without the onerous requirements of naturalization.” That is, a seven-year term, or, in other cases, a five-year span. This distinguishes those born in other countries to Vincentian parents. If you are born in another country to Vincentian parents, you are immediately granted citizenship under the existing law. However, as stated, this one would create the possibility; it is not a right to be registered, but it is a chance to apply for registration outside the regular time period for naturalization.”
According to Gonsalves, the notion that this initiative has the potential to result in an indefinite influx of individuals relocating to St. Vincent and the Grenadines is not grounded in reality.
“Persons born overseas of Vincentian citizens, as is said, if we had 200-300,000 Vincentians overseas and all those children, the children of those persons entitled at birth to citizenship, they wouldn’t come here—a few of them, relatively speaking—but to give those who may wish to do so the opportunity.” So, I don’t see a flood; I believe it will be more of a trickle than a deluge, based on past experience”, Gonsalves said.
The amendment was made to the Saint Vincent and Grenadines Citizenship Act, Chapter 117 of the revised Laws of St. Vincent and Grenadines 2009.
