Looking to obtain citizenship by investment as a stateless person? Find out more about your options for obtaining residency and citizenship by investment as a stateless individual, or contact us now for more information.

What is a stateless individual?

The 1954 UN Convention defines a stateless person as an individual who is not recogised as a national by any state under their respective laws. Stateless people are frequently discriminate against and deprived of travel freedom and social services access  – they are often not able to open bank accounts or even legally get married.

How many stateless people are there in the world?

According to official UN estimates, there is around 12 million stateless people in the world as of 2018.

Where are the largest groups of stateless people situated?

As of 2020, the largest grouping of stateless people can be found in Cote d’ Ivoire, Estonia, Iraq, Kuwait, Myanmar, Thailand and the UAE. There are also a number of other former USSR countries with significant numbers of stateless people. 

What causes statelessness?

The collapse of nation states can lead to significant numbers of people becoming instantly stateless. Other factors can include government discrimination based on ethnicity, religion and gender, as well displacement and gaps in nationality legislation. Inadequate birth registration can also play a significant role in people becoming stateless.

Which Citizenship By Investment Programs are open to stateless people?

While a number of Citizenship By Investment countries may consider applications from stateless individuals, a large margin of government discretion tends to apply, and applications are typically considered on a case-by-case basis. Against this backdrop, one country operating a Citizenship By Investment Program – Vanuatu – has formally announced that it intends to allow investment citizenship applications from up to 300 stateless people as a pilot project for offering stateless people citizenship by investment.

To learn more about the options for residency and citizenship by investment for stateless individuals, contact us today.