Updated
GL-S-02
Glossary · Statuses, passports, travel
Statelessness
Statelessness — the situation of a person whom no state recognizes as its national, depriving them of basic rights and protection.
01 / In 30 seconds
The short answer
- 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
02 / In plain words
What Statelessness means
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.
A case from practice
A person wants to renounce their only citizenship for a new one, but the new one has not yet been obtained. Had they renounced now, they would have become stateless. We arrange the order the other way round: first a guaranteed new passport, and only then leaving the previous citizenship, with no gap in status.
Where this subject matters
- Protection through a second citizenship
- Planning a change of citizenship
- Insurance against risks to a passport
- Renouncing a previous citizenship safely
- Assessing the reliability of a status
- Protecting the family’s rights
03 / What it covers
What matters about statelessness
What it is
- No recognised citizenship
- The person is stateless
- No state to protect them
Consequences
- No basic rights
- No passport
- Extreme vulnerability
Reasons
- Gaps in laws
- The break-up of states
- Mistakes in renunciation
Protection
- Second citizenship
- Do not lose the status
- The right order
04 / How it works
How to protect yourself against the risk
Assessing the reliability of your citizenship
Obtaining a second citizenship
A safe order for changing status
Control at every stage
A protected status
05 / Key facts
What you need to know
01
Statelessness is when no one recognises a person as their citizen
02
A stateless person is deprived of basic rights and state protection
03
The causes are gaps in laws, the break-up of countries and mistakes in renunciation
04
It is a recognised international problem
05
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
06 / Expert advice
How to prepare in advance
To avoid ever becoming stateless, the order is strictly observed when changing citizenship: first the new citizenship is acquired, and only then, if required, the previous one is renounced. A reliable second citizenship is kept as insurance against risks to the main passport. We control every stage so that the client is protected and does not lose their status.
What we do for you. 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.
Klara RihterBanking compliance and source of funds specialist
07 / Questions
Frequently asked questions
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.
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.
Through gaps in citizenship laws, the break-up of states, discrimination, loss of documents or mistakes — renouncing one citizenship before acquiring another, for example.
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.
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.
Strictly observe the order when changing status and keep a reliable second citizenship. We control every stage so that you are protected.
INITIAL ASSESSMENT
Tell us what outcome your family needs
We will design a solution for your case, choose the country and the right status, and take the whole process through to the result.
