 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2022) |
| Bahraini Nationality Act | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Parliament of Bahrain | |
| |
| Passed by | Government of Bahrain |
| Passed | 16 September 1963 |
| Status: Current legislation | |
Bahraini nationality law states who is a citizen of Bahrain. Foreigners are often given citizenship. Bahraini citizenship laws are governed by the Bahraini Nationality Law of 16 September 1963.[1] Bahrain does not currently permit dual citizenship, and a Bahraini citizen who acquires a foreign citizenship loses Bahraini citizenship. Bahraini citizenship can be renounced.[2] However, in 2016, Bahrainis could have applied to the Ministry of Interior to maintain dual nationality.[3] The king has the discretion to grant Bahraini citizenship to those otherwise not qualified.[4] His Majesty the Governor has the discretion to grant citizenship to an Arab individual who has performed a great service to Bahrain. A Bahraini citizen over the age of 20 years has the right to vote in national elections. Bahraini citizens have a right to a Bahraini passport, though in 1996 the Bahraini government was criticised for refusing to renew the passports of some Bahraini nationals, thus imposing an effective exile on these individuals.[5]
As of 2019, Bahrain had an estimated population of 1.64 million, up from the official 2010 census population of 1.23 million, of which 666,172 (53.5%) in 2010 were non-Bahraini, mainly foreign workers. There were 568,399 Bahraini citizens, 99.8% of which were Muslim. There are about 1,000 Christian citizens[6] and about 40 Jewish citizens.[7] (See Demographics of Bahrain.)
Since 2011 the Bahraini government has revoked the citizenship of around 1,000 major opposition and activist figures in response to protests and disturbances, though some have been reinstated.[8]
- ^ "Part One The Citizenship of Bahrain" (PDF). Refworld.org. Retrieved 26 Feb 2015.
- ^ "BAHRAIN". Multiplecitizenship.com. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
- ^ "Bahrain issues directive on dual nationality". Tradearabia.com. Retrieved 2019-08-03.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
rightswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Fisk, Robert (14 February 1996). "Bahrain gives exile a passport to purgatory". Independent.co.uk. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
- ^ "The Catholic Church in Bahrain". Catholic Church in Bahrain. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
- ^ "Low profile but welcome: a Jewish outpost in the Gulf". Independent.co.uk. 2 Nov 2007. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
- ^ "Major opposition figures not among those given back Bahraini citizenship". Channelnewsasia.com. Archived from the original on 2019-04-29.
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