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Iran: Whether a child who was born of an Iranian mother and a stateless Bedouin father and who lives in Kuwait would be entitled to Iranian citizenship; whether Iran provides protection against statelessness to children born in Kuwait

According information provided by the Office of Personnel Management, Investigations Services, in the document Citizenship Laws of the World, a child who is not born in Iran is entitled to Iranian citizenship only if the child's father is Iranian, or if the parents of the minor child (under 18) are naturalized Iranian citizens (United States Mar. 2001). To become a naturalized citizen, a "person must be at least 18 years of age, have resided in Iran for [at least] five years, not be a military service escapee, and not have been convicted of a major crime" (ibid.).

In correspondence sent to the Research Directorate on 13 October 2004, a diplomatic officer from the Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington, DC, provided the following information. A child who was born of an Iranian mother and a stateless Bedouin father and who lives in Kuwait would not be considered an Iranian citizen. With regard to protection provided to children against statelessness, the officer indicated that each case is reviewed individually, but that such protection was generally not provided.

During a 14 October 2004 telephone interview, a counsellor from the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Ottawa corroborated the diplomatic officer's statement regarding the citizenship of a child whose mother is Iranian but whose father is a foreigner. The counsellor said that, if the father is not Iranian and the child was born outside Iran, the child is not entitled to Iranian citizenship (Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran 14 Oct. 2004). However, if the father becomes a naturalized Iranian citizen (after fulfilling the previously indicated requirement concerning residency in Iran), the minor child (under 18) can obtain citizenship at the same time as his or her father (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection.

References

Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ottawa. 14 October 2004. Telephone interview with a counsellor.

Embassy of Pakistan, Washington, DC. Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran. 13 October 2004. Correspondence from a diplomatic officer.

United States. March 2001. Office of Personnel Management, Investigations Services. Citizenship Laws of the World. "Iran." <http://www.opm.gov/extra/investigate/IS-01.pdf> [Accessed 15 Oct. 2004]