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Kathmandu, March 9

Children of citizens by birth continue to face livelihood problems as the new Citizenship (Amendment) Bill remains stuck in the Parliamentary State Affairs and Good Governance Committee.

SAGC halted its process on the bill in the last session of the Parliament as top leaders of political parties urged the HoR panel to try its best to forge consensus on the issue, particularly on the process to grant naturalised citizenship to foreign women married to Nepali men. The original bill stipulates that foreign women married to Nepali men would get naturalised citizenship after they submit evidence of renunciation of their citizenship. Under the existing provision, such women can get naturalised citizenship immediately after initiating the process of renouncing their citizenship without having to show evidence that they have already renounced their citizenship.

Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal lawmaker Laxman Lal Karna, said that his party was in favour of retaining the existing provision as far as matrimonial naturalisation was concerned, but the sub-committee formed by the SAGC proposed harsher provision of seven years waiting time for foreign women married to Nepali men to obtain naturalised citizenship on the basis of marriage.

Karna said those who wanted to have seven years waiting period for foreign women married to Nepalis cited a similar provision of Indian citizenship laws, but they did not understand that Nepali women married to Indian men did not have to wait to enjoy their rights in India as citizens

Read the full story on The Himalayan Times

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