Statelessness
Statelessness
Statelessness — the situation of a person whom no state recognizes as its national, depriving them of basic rights and protection.
- What it is
- Statelessness — when no state regards a person as its citizen
- What it risks
- Deprivation of basic rights: work, travel, services, protection
- Reasons
- Gaps in laws, the break-up of states, discrimination
- Link with the topic
- A second passport protects against the risk of being left without citizenship
- How to use it
- Do not give up a citizenship without a new status
In plain words
Statelessness is a situation in which no state recognises a person as its citizen. Such a person (a stateless person) has no passport, no country obliged to protect them and often no access to basic rights: lawful work, education, healthcare, travel, and sometimes even registering a marriage or the birth of children.
Statelessness has various causes: gaps and contradictions between different countries’ citizenship laws, the break-up of states and the redrawing of borders, discrimination against certain groups, loss of documents, and mistakes such as renouncing one citizenship before acquiring another. Statelessness is one of the gravest legal situations and is recognised as an international problem (the UN, in particular, deals with it).
In the context of investment migration the subject matters in two ways. First, having a second, reliable citizenship is insurance: if something happens to the main citizenship, the person will not become stateless. Second, when changing citizenship it is critical not to end up in a gap without a status. We always build the process so that the client is protected and never risks being left without citizenship.
Where this subject matters
What matters about statelessness
- No recognised citizenship
- The person is stateless
- No state to protect them
- No basic rights
- No passport
- Extreme vulnerability
- Gaps in laws
- The break-up of states
- Mistakes in renunciation
- Second citizenship
- Do not lose the status
- The right order
How to protect yourself against the risk
- 01Assessing the reliability of your citizenship
- 02Obtaining a second citizenship
- 03A safe order for changing status
- 04Control at every stage
- 05A protected status
What you need to know
- Statelessness is when no one recognises a person as their citizen
- A stateless person is deprived of basic rights and state protection
- The causes are gaps in laws, the break-up of countries and mistakes in renunciation
- It is a recognised international problem
- A second citizenship is insurance against this risk
Common mistakes
- Renouncing a citizenship before acquiring a new one
- Underestimating the risks of having a single passport
- Having no back-up citizenship in times of instability
- Changing status without controlling the order
- Ignoring the protection of the family’s rights
What this means for a BRIDGES client
We always protect the client against the risk of being left without citizenship: a reliable second citizenship serves as insurance, and when changing status we strictly observe the order — the new passport first, renouncing the old one only afterwards. You are not left without a state’s protection for a single day.
Frequently asked questions
01 /What is statelessness?
A situation in which no state recognises a person as its citizen. A stateless person has no passport and no country obliged to protect them.
02 /What does it threaten?
Deprivation of basic rights: lawful work, education, healthcare, travel, and sometimes even registering a marriage or the birth of children. It is an extremely vulnerable position.
03 /How does a person become stateless?
Through gaps in citizenship laws, the break-up of states, discrimination, loss of documents or mistakes — renouncing one citizenship before acquiring another, for example.
04 /How does a second citizenship protect?
It serves as insurance: if something happens to the main citizenship, the person is not left without a status and protection — they have a second, reliable passport.
05 /Is it dangerous to renounce citizenship?
It is dangerous to do so before acquiring a new one — you may become stateless. The right order: first the new citizenship, then renouncing the previous one, if required.
06 /How do you avoid being left without citizenship?
Strictly observe the order when changing status and keep a reliable second citizenship. We control every stage so that you are protected.
See also
Read next
This material has undergone editorial review by BRIDGES.
Need reliable insurance for your status?
We will choose a second citizenship as protection and make any change of status safely — without the risk of being left without a passport.