Regulation to surrender Maldivian citizenship comes into effect

A regulation has been gazetted and brought into effect in relation to surrendering Maldivian citizenship.

The regulation was formalized and made effective on 25 March 2021, following which it was published in the national gazette. The regulation details the procedure to surrender Maldivian citizenship and establishes a regulation under which such interactions can take place.

The conditions needed to surrender Maldivian citizenship under the new regulation (Reg No.:R-46/2021) are being above 18 years of age, being fully aware of the consequences of surrendering Maldivian citizenship, having acquired citizenship from another world nation, or having confidence that citizenship can be acquired from another world nation.

For those under the age of 18, Maldivian citizenship can only be surrendered if both parents are Maldivian citizens, and if one of those parent's wishes to surrender Maldivian citizenship, the other parent must consent to have the child's citizenship revoked as well, in addition to the child having acquired citizenship from another country, or having confidence that the child will be able to secure citizenship from another country. Further, the child must also agree to surrender Maldivian citizenship.

The documents needed to submitted along with the form to surrender Maldivian citizenship are; a copy of of a person's National ID Card, a passport copy, and documents pertaining to any land or property they own within the Maldives, and how they wish to change ownership of those assets over to another prior to surrendering citizenship. In addition to this, those who have changed their name legally must also provide documentation on those changes. Further, those who have secured citizenship, or are confident that they will secure citizenship from other countries must provide documentation after the fact prior to surrendering their Maldivian citizenship. Those who wish to surrender their Maldivian citizenship must also provide marriage certificates, and if they are unmarried, must provide documentation from the government that verifies that they have not married under Maldivian law.

In addition to this, parents of children between the ages of 12 and 18 must sign documents stating that they do not object to their child surrendering Maldivian citizenship in the event that a child wishes to surrender their status as a citizen of the Maldives.

Following submission of the aforementioned documents, the persons wishing to surrender their Maldivian citizenship will be asked to an interview by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to confirm whether they fully understand the consequences of surrendering their citizenship.

Motions to surrender Maldivian citizenship will not be accepted if, a party who wishes to surrender their citizenship continues to reside in the Maldives, the Maldives being at war, the Maldives being under a state of emergency, and the documents needed to approve surrendering citizenship not being submitted in full along with the application.

The document formalizing a person's surrender of their Maldivian citizenship will be null and void should that person fail to secure citizenship from another world nation within six months of the document being issued. As such, their status as a Maldivian citizen will be reinstated.

If a person choses to surrender Maldivian citizenship, they will lose claim over all the rights and privileges afforded to Maldivian citizens, and will be required to perform their civic and legal duties prior to surrendering their status as a Maldivian citizen.