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Citizenship

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Politics and government

                                                  Legal status of Persons
                                                   Concepts

                                                               Citizenship
                                                               Nationality
                                                            Naturalization
                                                           Leave to Remain
                                                               Immigration
                                                       Illegal immigration
                                                             Statelessness
                                              Legal designations

                                                                   Citizen
                                                       Native-born citizen
                                                       Naturalized citizen
                                                              Dual-citizen
                                                                     Alien
                                                            Migrant worker
                                                                   Refugee
                                                         Illegal immigrant
                                                                  Criminal
                                                                  Prisoner
                                                                     Slave
                                                        Political prisoner
                                                          Stateless person
                                                             ( Enemy alien
                                                           Enemy combatant
                                                  Administrative detainee)
                                                Social politics

                                                           Immigration law
                                                           Nationality law
                                                               Nationalism
                                                       Nativism (politics)
                                                        Immigration debate
                                                   " Second-class citizen"

   Citizenship is membership in a political community (originally a city
   or town but now usually a country) and carries with it rights to
   political participation; a person having such membership is a citizen.
   It is largely coterminous with nationality, although it is possible to
   have a nationality without being a citizen (i.e., be legally subject to
   a state and entitled to its protection without having rights of
   political participation in it); it is also possible to have political
   rights without being a national of a state. In most nations, a
   non-citzen is a non-national and called either a foreigner or an alien.
   In the United States, because there is state citizenship, foreign is
   the legal term for someone not a citizen of the state, and alien is
   reserved for someone not a citizen of the United States. Thus New York
   insurance companies are foreign in New Jersey, while a Dutch insurer is
   alien.

   See nationality for further discussion of the properties of national
   citizenship and how it can be acquired.

   Citizenship, which is explained above, is the political rights of an
   individual within a society. Thus, you can have a citizenship from one
   country and be a national of another country. One example might be as
   follows: A Cuban-American might be considered a national of Cuba due to
   his being born there, but he could also become an American citizen
   through naturalization. Nationality most often derives from place of
   birth (i.e. jus soli) and, in some cases, ethnicity (i.e. jus
   sanguinis). Citizenship derives from a legal relationship with a state.
   Citizenship can be lost, as in denaturalization, and gained, as in
   naturalization.

   Citizenship often also implies working towards the betterment of one's
   community through participation, volunteer work, and efforts to improve
   life for all citizens. This is often referred to as active citizenship.
   In this vein, schools in England provide lessons in citizenship; in
   Wales the model used is Personal and Social Education.

Supranational citizenship

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   In recent years, some intergovernmental organizations have extended the
   concept and terminology associated with citizenship to the
   international level, where it is applied to the totality of the
   citizens of their constituent countries combined. Two examples are
   given below, of citizenship in the European Union, and also of
   citizenship within the Commonwealth of Nations. As of 2005, citizenship
   at this level is a secondary concept, with a weaker status than
   national citizenship.

   The ultimate version of supranational citizenship would be some sort of
   global citizenship; the United Nations does not represent this concept
   directly, however, being more of an international forum than a
   structure for expressing individual rights and responsibilities.

European Union (EU) citizenship

   The Maastricht Treaty introduced the concept of citizenship of the
   European Union. This citizenship flows from national citizenship — one
   holds the nationality of an EU member state and as a result becomes a
   "citizen of the Union" in addition.

   EU citizenship offers certain rights and privileges within the EU; in
   many areas EU citizens have the same or similar rights as native
   citizens in member states. Such rights granted to EU citizens include:
     * freedom of movement and the right of residence within the territory
       of the Member States;
     * right to vote and stand as a candidate at elections to the European
       Parliament and at municipal elections in the Member State of
       residence;
     * right to diplomatic and consular protection;
     * right of petition to the European Parliament; and
     * right to refer to the Ombudsman.

   The right of residence connotes not only the right of abode, but also
   the right to apply to work in any position (including national civil
   services with the exception of sensitive positions such as defence).

   EU member states also use a common passport design, burgundy coloured,
   with the name of the member state, national seal, and the title
   "European Union" (or its translation), and most also use a common
   format for their driving licences in order to simplify their use within
   the whole EU.

Commonwealth citizenship

   The concept of " Commonwealth Citizenship" has been in place ever since
   the establishment of the Commonwealth of Nations. As with the EU, one
   holds Commonwealth citizenship only by being a citizen of a
   Commonwealth member state. This form of citizenship offers certain
   privileges within some Commonwealth countries:
     * Some such countries do not require tourist visas of citizens of
       other Commonwealth countries.
     * In some Commonwealth countries resident citizens of other
       Commonwealth countries are entitled to political rights, e.g., the
       right to vote in local and national elections and in some cases
       even the right to stand for election.
     * In some instances the right to work in any position (including the
       civil service) is granted, except for certain specific positions
       (e.g. defence, Governor-General or President, Prime Minister).

   Whilst Commonwealth citizenship is sometimes enshrined in the written
   constitutions (where applicable) of Commonwealth states and is
   considered by some to be a form of multiple citizenship, there have
   never been, nor are there any plans for a common passport.

   Although the Republic of Ireland left the Commonwealth in 1949, it is
   often treated as if it were a member, with references being made in
   legal documents to 'the Commonwealth and the Republic of Ireland', and
   its citizens are not classified as foreign nationals, particularly in
   the United Kingdom.

   Canada departed from the principle of nationality being defined in
   terms of allegiance in 1921. In 1935 the Irish Free State was the first
   to introduce its own citizenship (However, Irish citizens were still
   treated as subjects of the Crown, and they are still not regarded as
   foreign, even though Ireland is not a member of the Commonwealth;
   Murray v Parkes [1942] All ER 123).

   The Canadian Citizenship Act which came into effect on January 1, 1947
   provided for a distinct Canadian Citizenship, automatically conferred
   upon most individuals born in Canada (with certain exceptions) and
   defined the conditions under which one could become a naturalized
   citizen. The concept of Commonwealth citizenship was introduced in 1948
   in the British Nationality Act 1948. Other Dominions adopted this
   principle, in New Zealand, in the British Nationality and New Zealand
   Citizenship Act 1948. Citizenship has replaced allegiance, a more than
   symbolic change.
   The philosopher Karl Marx's 1874 British citizenship document. (Public
   Record Office).
   The philosopher Karl Marx's 1874 British citizenship document. ( Public
   Record Office).

Subnational citizenship

   Citizenship most usually relates to membership of the nation state, but
   the term can also apply at subnational level. Subnational entities may
   impose requirements, of residency or otherwise, which permit citizens
   to participate in the political life of that entity, or to enjoy
   benefits provided by the government of that entity. But in such cases,
   those eligible are also sometimes seen as "citizens" of the relevant
   state, province, or region. An example of this is how the fundamental
   basis of Swiss citizenship is citizenship of an individual commune, and
   thus of a canton and of the Confederation.

Honorary citizenship

   Some countries extend "honorary citizenship" to those whom they
   consider to be especially admirable or worthy of the distinction.

   By act of United States Congress and presidential assent, honorary
   United States citizenship has been awarded to only six individuals.

   Honorary Canadian citizenship requires the unanimous approval of
   parliament. The only three people to ever receive honorary Canadian
   citizenship are Raoul Wallenberg posthumously in 1985, Nelson Mandela
   in 2001 and the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso on June 22, 2006.

   In 2002 South Korea awarded honorary citizenship to Dutch football
   (soccer) coach Guus Hiddink who successfully and unexpectedly took the
   national team to the semi-finals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Honourary
   citizenship was also awarded to Hines Ward, a black Korean American
   football player, in 2006 for his efforts to minimise discrimination in
   Korea against half-Koreans.

   American actress Angelina Jolie received an honorary Cambodian
   citizenship in 2005 due to her humanitarian efforts.

   Cricketers Matthew Hayden and Herschelle Gibbs were awarded honorary
   citizenship of St. Kitts and Nevis in March 2007 due to their
   record-breaking innings' in the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

Historical citizenship

   Historically, many states limited citizenship to only a proportion of
   their population, thereby creating a citizen class with political
   rights superior to other sections of the population, but equal with
   each other. The classical example of a limited citizenry was Athens
   where slaves, women, and resident foreigners (called metics) were
   excluded from political rights. The Roman Republic forms another
   example (see Roman citizenship), and, more recently, the szlachta of
   the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth had some of the same
   characteristics.

Polis citizenship

   The first form of citizenship is based on the way people lived in the
   ancient Greek times, in small-scale organic communities of the polis.
   In these days citizenship could not be seen as a public matter,
   separated from the private life of the individual person. The
   obligations of citizenship where deeply connected into one’s everyday
   life in the polis. To be truly human, one had to be an active citizen
   to the community, which Aristotle has famously expressed: “To take no
   part in the running of the community's affairs is to be either a beast
   or a god!” This form of citizenship was based on obligations of
   citizens towards the community, rather than rights given to the
   citizens of the community. This was not a problem because they all had
   such a strong affinity with the polis; their own destiny and the
   destiny of the community were strongly linked. This was not all;
   citizens of the polis saw the obligations of the community as an
   opportunity to be virtuous, it was their primary source of honour and
   respect. In Athens, citizens were both ruler and ruled, important
   political and judicial offices were rotated and all citizens had the
   right to speak and vote in the political assembly. An important aspect
   of polis citizenship was however; the exclusivity. The citizenship in
   ancient Greece and Rome, as well as in cities that practiced
   citizenship in the Middle Ages, was very exclusive and inequality of
   status was widely accepted. Those who were citizens had a much higher
   status than those who could not obtain the status of a citizen, such as
   women, slaves or ‘barbarians’. Women were considered not to be
   rationally capable of political participation for example (although
   some, most prominently Plato, disagreed). There were also other methods
   used to determine whether someone could be a citizen or not, at certain
   times this had to do with wealth (the amount of taxes one paid),
   political participation, heritage (both parents had to be born in the
   polis). In the times of the Roman Empire the polis citizenship changed
   its form: the reach of citizenship was expanded from the small scale
   communities throughout the empire. The Romans found that granting
   citizenship to people from all over the empire was legitimating for
   Roman rule over conquered areas. They also found that taxes were more
   easily collected and the need for expensive military power in those
   areas with citizenship was reduced. Citizenship during the Roman era
   was no longer a status of political agency; it had been reduced to a
   judicial safeguard and the expression of rule and law. After the
   collapse of the Roman Empire the importance of citizenship became even
   smaller. During the Middle Ages, the search for personal salvation had
   replaced the pursuit of honour through the exercise of citizenship. The
   church has replaced the political community as focus for moral guidance
   and loyalty.

School Subject

   Citizenship education is taught as a major subject of the National
   Curriculum in English schools. It is compulsory in all state schools.
   Some state schools offer an examination in this subject, all state
   schools have a statutory requirement to report student's progress in
   Citizenship.

   Citizenship is not taught as a subject in Scottish schools, however
   they do teach a subject called "Modern Studies" which covers the same
   material as Citizenship Studies in the equivalent key stages.

Responsibilities of Citizenship

   The duties of responsible citizenship depending on one's country
   include:
     * paying taxes
     * serving in the country's armed forces when called upon
     * obeying laws enacted by one's government
     * demonstrating commitment and loyalty to the democratic political
       community and state
     * constructively criticizing the conditions of political and civic
       life
     * participating to improve the quality of political and civic life
     * respecting the rights of others
     * defending one's own rights and the rights of others against those
       who would abuse them
     * exercising one's rights
     __________________________________________________________________

Requirements for Obtaining American Citizenship

   US rules for American citizenship dictate that to become a naturalized
   citizen of the United States, the following specific requirements be
   satisfied:

   Age
          The applicant must be at least 18 years old.

   Residency
          The applicant must be a permanent resident. The applicant must
          reside in the US continuously in the past three months, for at
          least 30 months in the past five years, without a 12 month
          absence.

   Good Moral Character
          The applicant must disclose all relevant facts, including his or
          her entire criminal history, regardless of whether the criminal
          history disqualifies the applicant. There are a number of
          immigration waivers available for individuals who have committed
          fraud or other crimes.

   Attachment to the Constitution
          The applicant must show that he or she respects and follows the
          principles of the US Constitution.

   Language
          Applicants for naturalization must be able to read, write,
          speak, and understand words in ordinary usage in the English
          language. (Some exemptions apply.)

   United States Government and History Knowledge
          Knowledge of the US government is examined by the Immigration
          test provided during the naturalization (citizenship) interview.
          The new US immigration test was developed to test an applicant’s
          knowledge of US government and history and the English language
          through an English sentences test Sample English Sentence List.
          At minimum, an applicant for naturalization is required by the
          rules for American citizenship to demonstrate a knowledge and
          understanding of the fundamentals of the history and of the
          principles and form of government of the United States. (Some
          exemptions apply.)

   Oath of Allegiance
          The applicant swears to

          + support the Constitution and obey the laws of the U.S.;
          + renounce any foreign allegiance and/or foreign title; and
          + bear arms for the Armed Forces of the U.S. or perform services
            for the government of the U.S. when required.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizenship"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
