Commonwealth citizen

{{See also|British Nationality Act 1948|British subject}}

Commonwealth citizenship was created out of a gradual transition from an earlier form of British nationality as the British Empire began dissolving. Before 1949, all citizens of the Empire were British subjects and owed allegiance to the Crown.{{harvnb|Karatani|2003|p=29}}. Although the Dominions (Australia, Canada, Ireland, Newfoundland, New Zealand, and South Africa) created their own nationality laws following the First World War,{{harvnb|Historical background information on nationality|p=10}}. they mutually maintained British subjecthood as a common nationality with the United Kingdom and its colonies. However, divergence in Dominion legislation and growing assertions of independence from London culminated in the creation of Canadian citizenship in 1946 and its separation from British subject status.{{harvnb|Karatani|2003|pp=114–115}}. Combined with the impending independence of India and Pakistan in 1947, nationality law reform became necessary.{{harvnb|Karatani|2003|pp=122–126}}.

The British Nationality Act 1948 redefined British subject as any citizen of the United Kingdom, its colonies, or other Commonwealth countries. Commonwealth citizen was also defined in this Act as having the same meaning.{{harvnb|British Nationality Act 1948}}. This change in naming indicated a shift in the base theory of British nationality, that allegiance to the Crown was no longer a requirement to hold British subject status.{{harvnb|Karatani|2003|pp=116–118}}. The change was also necessary to retain a number of newly independent countries that wished to become republics rather than retain the monarch as head of state.{{harvnb|Weis|1979|p=17}}. The common status of Commonwealth citizenship would instead be maintained voluntarily by the various members of the Commonwealth.

At first, all Commonwealth citizens held the automatic right to settle in the United Kingdom.{{harvnb|McKay|2008}}. This was first restricted by Parliament with the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962, which imposed immigration controls on subjects originating from outside the main British Islands.{{harvnb|Evans|1972|p=508}}. The Immigration Act 1971 relaxed controls on patrials, those whose parents or grandparents were born in the United Kingdom,{{harvnb|Evans|1972|p=509}}. and effectively gave preferential treatment to Commonwealth citizens from white-majority countries.{{harvnb|Paul|1997|p=181}}.

Outside the United Kingdom, in some member states Commonwealth citizens also initially retained eligibility to vote in elections, to preferred paths to citizenship, and to welfare benefits. These privileges were removed on independence in most countries but retained in some. British subjects/Commonwealth citizens were eligible to vote in New Zealand until 1975,{{harvnb|McMillan|2017|p=31}}. Canada at the federal level until 1975 (not fully phased out in provinces until 2006),{{cite report |last=Maas |first=Willem |title=Access to electoral rights: Canada |publisher=European University Institute |date=July 2015 |pages=13–14 |url=https://www.yorku.ca/maas/Maas2015b.pdf |access-date=5 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180728190054/http://www.yorku.ca/maas/Maas2015b.pdf |archive-date=28 July 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }} and Australia until 1984 (though subjects on the electoral roll in that year are still eligible).{{harvnb|Chappell|Chesterman|Hill|2009|p=98}}.

By the 1980s, most colonies of the British Empire had become independent. Parliament updated nationality law to reflect the more modest geographical boundaries of the United Kingdom and its remaining territories.{{harvnb|Paul|1997|pp=182–183}}. The British Nationality Act 1981 redefined British subject in such a way that it no longer also meant Commonwealth citizen.{{harvnb|British Nationality Act 1981}}.

File:Countries listed in the British Nationality Act 1981 Schedule 3.svg

Commonwealth citizenship is acquired by virtue of being a citizen of a Commonwealth member state{{harvnb|Bloom|2011|p=640}}. or, in the United Kingdom, a country listed in Schedule 3 of the British Nationality Act 1981. This list closely follows the composition of the organisation, but is not always the same.{{harvnb|British Nationality Act 1981 Schedule 3}}. For example, the Maldives left the Commonwealth in 2016{{cite news |title=Maldives leaves Commonwealth amid democracy row |date=13 October 2016 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37647310 |work=BBC News |access-date=18 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502213128/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37647310 |archive-date=2 May 2019 |url-status=live }} before rejoining in 2020.{{cite news |title=Maldives rejoins Commonwealth after evidence of reforms |date=1 February 2020 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/01/maldives-rejoins-commonwealth-after-evidence-of-reforms |work=The Guardian |access-date=27 April 2020}} The country was removed from Schedule 3 in 2017,{{harvnb|The British Nationality (Maldives) Order 2017}}. but legislation was not updated to relist it until 2021.{{Harvnb|The British Nationality (Maldives) Order 2021}} Conversely, although Zimbabwe has not been a part of the Commonwealth since 2003,{{cite news |last=White |first=Michael |title=Mugabe quits Commonwealth |date=8 December 2003 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/dec/08/zimbabwe.politics |work=The Guardian |access-date=18 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518163658/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/dec/08/zimbabwe.politics |archive-date=18 May 2019 |url-status=live }} Zimbabwean citizens retain Commonwealth citizenship because the country remains on Schedule 3.

Most classes of British nationals other than British citizens are also considered Commonwealth citizens. British Overseas Territories citizens, British Overseas citizens, British subjects, and British Nationals (Overseas) all have this additional status. However, British protected persons and non-citizen nationals of other Commonwealth countries (such as Overseas Citizens of India) are not considered Commonwealth citizens, unless they are also citizens of any other Commonwealth country such as Canada or Australia.{{cite letter |author=G Musgrave |recipient=A Fernandes |subject=Freedom of Information Request |language=en |date=14 July 2016 |publisher=Home Office |location=United Kingdom |url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/342003/response/838744/attach/3/FOI%20response%2040174%202.pdf |access-date=27 April 2020}}

Acquisition and loss of Commonwealth citizenship is tied to the domestic nationality regulations of each member state; there is no separate process for obtaining this status. It is automatically lost if an individual is no longer a citizen or qualified national of a member state,{{harvnb|Karatani|2003|p=30}}. or if their country is removed from Schedule 3.{{cite web |title=Electoral Administration Bulletin 185 |publisher=Electoral Commission |location=United Kingdom |date=11 May 2017 |pages=1–2 |url=https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/sites/default/files/pdf_file/Electoral-Administration-Bulletin-185-England.pdf |access-date=27 April 2020}}

Commonwealth citizens have different entitlements in each Commonwealth country, which individually have separate legislation specifying what, if any, rights they are afforded.{{harvnb|Belton|2019|p=97}}. The organization does not have a permissive system of free movement or labour{{harvnb|Bloom|2011|p=642}}. and in over half of the member states, Commonwealth citizens do not receive substantially different treatment than foreign nationals.{{harvnb|Bloom|2011|pp=653–654}}.

In 14 countries and all three Crown Dependencies, Commonwealth citizens may register to vote after fulfilling residence requirements. In Australia, Bermuda, and the Cayman Islands, they no longer have the right to register as electors, but voters who were already registered before that right was ended may continue to participate in elections.{{cite web |url=http://www.aec.gov.au/Enrolling_to_vote/British_subjects.htm |title=British Subjects Eligibility |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission |access-date=19 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404131417/https://www.aec.gov.au/Enrolling_to_vote/British_subjects.htm |archive-date=4 April 2019 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.elections.gov.bm/registration/election-overview.html |title=Election Overview |publisher=Parliamentary Registry |location=Bermuda |access-date=19 May 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://portal.elections.ky/files/downloads/2013/Elections_Law_2013_Revision.pdf |title=Elections Law (2013 Revision) |publisher=Elections Office |location=Cayman Islands |access-date=19 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215061806/https://portal.elections.ky/files/downloads/2013/Elections_Law_2013_Revision.pdf |archive-date=15 February 2017 |url-status=live }} Commonwealth citizens are also eligible to serve in one or both houses of the national legislature in Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and the United Kingdom.{{harvnb|Belton|2019|pp=100–101}}.

All Commonwealth citizens may receive consular assistance from British embassies and consulates in foreign non-Commonwealth nations during emergencies where their home countries have not established diplomatic or consular posts.{{cite web |title=Support for British nationals abroad: A guide |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/822887/Support_for_British_Nationals_Abroad_Main_Guide.pdf |location=United Kingdom |publisher=Foreign and Commonwealth Office |page=6 |access-date=15 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330110359/https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/781770/Support_for_British_Nationals_Abroad_Main_Guide.pdf |archive-date=30 March 2019 |url-status=live }} They are eligible to apply for British emergency passports, if their travel documents have been lost or stolen and permission has been given by their national governments.{{cite web |title=The new UK Emergency Passport |url=http://centralcontent.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/central-content-pdfs/5619320/etd-leaflet.pdf |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121212135632/http://centralcontent.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/central-content-pdfs/5619320/etd-leaflet.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 December 2012 |location=United Kingdom |publisher=Foreign and Commonwealth Office |access-date=15 May 2019}} Additionally, Australia issues Documents of Identity in exceptional circumstances to resident Commonwealth citizens who are unable to obtain valid travel documents from their countries of origin and must travel urgently.{{cite web |url=https://www.passports.gov.au/travel-related-documents |title=Travel related documents |location=Australia |publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade |access-date=15 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327010248/https://www.passports.gov.au/travel-related-documents |archive-date=27 March 2019 |url-status=live }}

When residing in the United Kingdom, Commonwealth citizens are eligible to be employed in non-reserved Civil Service posts{{cite web |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/536134/civil_service-nationality_rules_20_june__2016.pdf |title=Civil Service Nationality Rules |date=November 2007 |page=5 |publisher=Cabinet Office |location=United Kingdom |access-date=2 April 2019 |df=dmy-all |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821110740/https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/536134/civil_service-nationality_rules_20_june__2016.pdf |archive-date=21 August 2018 |url-status=live }} and are eligible to enlist in the British Armed Forces.{{cite web |url=https://apply.army.mod.uk/how-to-join/can-i-join/nationality |title=Nationality |publisher=British Army |access-date=2 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403001720/https://apply.army.mod.uk/how-to-join/can-i-join/nationality |archive-date=3 April 2019 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }} In addition, Commonwealth citizens were generally exempt from the requirement to register with local police, until the registration scheme was completely removed in August 2022.{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/register-with-the-police/who-needs-to-register |title=UK visas and registering with the police |website=gov.uk |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |access-date=2 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190101220549/https://www.gov.uk/register-with-the-police/who-needs-to-register |archive-date=1 January 2019 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}

{{See also|Right of foreigners to vote}}

The following jurisdictions allow citizens of other Commonwealth countries to vote:

Access to voting in these countries is open to all permanent resident foreign nationals and is not exclusive to Commonwealth citizens:

• {{flagcountry|Eswatini}}{{cite act |type=Act |index=4 |year=2013 |orig-section=s 7 "Qualification for registration as voter" |jurisdiction=Swaziland |title=Voters Registration Act 2013 |url=https://www.elections.org.sz/2023/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/VOTERS-REGISTRATION-ACT.pdf }}
• {{flagcountry|Malawi}}{{cite web |title=Constitution of Malawi |url=https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Malawi_2017.pdf |publisher=National Assembly |location=Malawi |via=Constitute Project |access-date=20 May 2019 }}
• {{flagcountry|New Zealand}}{{cite web |url=https://www.elections.org.nz/voters/enrol-check-or-update-now/who-can-and-cant-enrol |title=Who can and can't enrol? |publisher=Electoral Commission |location=New Zealand |access-date=20 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508143509/https://www.elections.org.nz/voters/enrol-check-or-update-now/who-can-and-cant-enrol |archive-date=8 May 2019 |url-status=live }}

• {{Flagcountry|Pakistan}} permits Commonwealth citizens to acquire Pakistani nationality immediately upon arrival with a valid immigrant visa, which is obtained by depositing {{Pakistani Rupee|5000000}} (~$18,000 USD) in a Pakistani financial institution and completing a visa application at an overseas mission of Pakistan.{{Cite web |title=Immigration |url=https://dgip.gov.pk/immigration/citizenship.php |access-date=2024-06-02 |website=Directorate General of Immigration & Passports, Ministry of Interior, Government of Pakistan}} However, Pakistan permits dual nationality with only 21 countries, including Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Thus, most Commonwealth citizens must renounce their original citizenship to acquire Pakistani nationality.{{Cite web |title=Dual Nationality |url=https://dgip.gov.pk/immigration/dual_nationality.php |access-date=2024-06-02 |website=Directorate General of Immigration & Passports, Ministry of Interior, Government of Pakistan}}
• {{Flagcountry|United Kingdom}} grants right of abode to Commonwealth citizens whose parents or spouses possessed right of abode, and under the Windrush scheme.{{Cite web |title=Windrush Scheme: get a document showing your right to be in the UK |url=https://www.gov.uk/windrush-prove-your-right-to-be-in-the-uk |access-date=2024-06-02 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Prove you have right of abode in the UK |url=https://www.gov.uk/right-of-abode/commonwealth-citizens |access-date=2024-06-02 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}} The UK Ancestry visa is also limited to Commonwealth citizens (with grandparents born in the UK).
• {{Flagcountry|Lesotho}} provides preferential treatment for persons from Commonwealth countries by waiving some conditions.{{Cite book |last=Manby |first=Bronwyn |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/book/44960 |title=Citizenship Law in Africa: 3rd Edition |date=2015 |isbn=9781928331124 |edition=3rd |pages=91–92 |language=English |chapter=Naturalisation |publisher=African Books Collective |oclc=945563529}}
• {{Flagcountry|Mauritius}} provides preferential treatment for persons from Commonwealth countries.
• {{Flagcountry|Guyana}} allows for a citizenship registration process for Commonwealth citizens requiring 5 years residency, in lieu of a naturalisation process requiring 7 years residency.
• {{Flagcountry|Jamaica}} allows for a citizenship registration process for Commonwealth citizens requiring 5 years residency, in lieu of a naturalisation process requiring 7 years residency.
• {{Flagcountry|Malawi}} allows for a citizenship registration process for Commonwealth citizens requiring 5 years residency, in lieu of a naturalisation process requiring 7 years residency.

• Commonwealth diaspora

{{reflist|2}}

{{refbegin|35em}}

• {{wikicite |reference={{Cite legislation UK |type=act |year=1948 |chapter=56 |act=British Nationality Act 1948}} |ref={{sfnref|British Nationality Act 1948}}}}
• {{wikicite |reference={{Cite legislation UK |type=act |year=1981 |chapter=61 |act=British Nationality Act 1981}} |ref={{sfnref|British Nationality Act 1981}}}}
• {{wikicite |reference={{Cite legislation UK |type=act |year=1981 |chapter=61 |schedule=3 |act=British Nationality Act 1981}} |ref={{sfnref|British Nationality Act 1981 Schedule 3}}}}
• {{wikicite |reference={{Cite legislation UK |type=act |year=1983 |chapter=2 |act=Representation of the People Act 1983 |section=1}} |ref={{sfnref|Representation of the People Act 1983}}}}
• {{wikicite |reference={{Cite legislation UK |type=si |year=2017 |number=568 |si=The British Nationality (Maldives) Order 2017}} |ref={{sfnref|The British Nationality (Maldives) Order 2017}}}}
• {{wikicite |reference={{Cite legislation UK |type=si |year=2021 |number=523 |si=The British Nationality (Maldives) Order 2021}} |ref={{sfnref|The British Nationality (Maldives) Order 2021}}}}

{{refend}}

{{refbegin|35em}}

• {{cite journal |last=Belton |first=Kristy A. |year=2019 |title=Muddy waters: citizenship and the right to vote in the Commonwealth Caribbean migratory context |journal=Commonwealth & Comparative Politics |volume=57 |issue=1 |pages=93–122 |doi=10.1080/14662043.2019.1545526 |s2cid=159214396 }}
• {{cite journal |last=Bloom |first=Tendayi |date=December 2011 |title=Contradictions in Formal Commonwealth Citizenship Rights in Commonwealth Countries |journal=The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs |volume=100 |issue=417 |pages=639–654 |doi=10.1080/00358533.2011.633381 |s2cid=154726067 }}
• {{cite book |last1=Chappell |first1=Louise |author-link1=Louise Chappell |last2=Chesterman |first2=John |last3=Hill |first3=Lisa |date=2009 |title=The Politics of Human Rights in Australia |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=4OdL-ZimDAUC |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-70774-9 }}
• {{cite journal |last=Evans |first=J. M. |title=Immigration Act 1971 |journal=The Modern Law Review |year=1972 |volume=35 |issue=5 |pages=508–524 |jstor=1094478 |doi=10.1111/j.1468-2230.1972.tb02363.x }}
• {{cite report |title=Historical background information on nationality |version=1.0 |publisher=Home Office |date=21 July 2017 |url = https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/650994/Background-information-on-nationality-v1.0EXT.pdf |access-date=3 April 2019 |ref={{sfnref|Historical background information on nationality}} }}
• {{cite book |last=Karatani |first=Rieko |date=2003 |title=Defining British Citizenship: Empire, Commonwealth and Modern Britain |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=acePAgAAQBAJ |publisher=Frank Cass Publishers |isbn=0-7146-8298-5 }}
• {{cite journal |last=McKay |first=James |title=The Passage of the 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act, a Case-Study of Backbench Power |journal=Observatoire de la société britannique |year=2008 |issue=6 |pages=89–108 |doi=10.4000/osb.433 }}
• {{cite book |last=McMillan |first=Kate |date=2017 |chapter=Fairness and the borders around political community |editor-last=Hall |editor-first=David |title=Fair Borders?: Migration Policy in the Twenty-First Century |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=6VErDwAAQBAJ |publisher=Bridget Williams Books |doi=10.7810/9780947518851 |hdl=10289/11427 |isbn=9780947518851 }}
• {{cite book |last=Paul |first=Kathleen |date=1997 |title=Whitewashing Britain: Race and Citizenship in the Postwar Era |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=7lhuDwAAQBAJ |publisher=Cornell University Press |isbn=978-0-8014-8440-7 }}
• {{cite book |last=Weis |first=Paul |date=1979 |title=Nationality and Statelessness in International Law |edition=2nd |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=hSLGDXqXeegC |publisher=Sijthoff & Noordhoff |isbn=90-286-0329-8 }}

{{refend}}

{{Commonwealth citizenship}}

{{Commonwealth of Nations topics}}

{{British nationality law}}

{{Nationality laws}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Commonwealth Citizen}}

Category:British nationality law

Category:Law of the United Kingdom

Category:Transnational citizenship