Nicaragua and Honduras: Whether someone born in Nicaragua who became a naturalized Honduran in 1983 would have had to renounce Nicaraguan nationality at the time of naturalization; if so, whether recent legislative changes allow dual nationality, and whether such persons could recover their Nicaraguan nationality
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Publication Date | 24 March 2009 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | ZZZ103103.FE |
| Related Document(s) | Nicaragua et Honduras : information indiquant si une personne née au Nicaragua et naturalisée hondurienne en 1983 a dû renoncer à sa nationalité nicaraguayenne au moment de sa naturalisation; le cas échéant, information indiquant si des changements législatifs récents permettent la double nationalité et si cette personne pourrait recouvrer sa nationalité nicaraguayenne |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Nicaragua and Honduras: Whether someone born in Nicaragua who became a naturalized Honduran in 1983 would have had to renounce Nicaraguan nationality at the time of naturalization; if so, whether recent legislative changes allow dual nationality, and whether such persons could recover their Nicaraguan nationality, 24 March 2009, ZZZ103103.FE, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/51220f132.html [accessed 19 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Article 21 of the 1974 Constitution of Nicaragua (Constitución Política de la República de 1974), which was in force in 1983 (Nicaragua n.d.), reads as follows:
[translation]
Nicaraguan nationality is lost: (1) in the case of voluntary naturalization in a foreign country that is not a Central American nation. Citizens of Nicaragua by birth who lose their Nicaraguan nationality in this manner may regain their nationality at any time if they return to Nicaragua (Nicaragua 24 Apr. 1974).
Article 24 of the 1982 Constitution of Honduras (Constitución de la República de Honduras 1982), which was in force in 1983, reads as follows :
[translation]
In the event of a treaty on dual nationality with another country, Hondurans who choose the nationality of that country do not lose their Honduran nationality. Likewise, foreigners are not required to renounce their original nationality (Honduras 11 Jan. 1982).
On 19 January 2000, Nicaragua amended its constitution by enacting Law No. 330 (Ley No 330), which provides the right to dual nationality (OAS 5 Mar. 2001, para. 68). Article 20 of the Constitution of Nicaragua, which was most recently amended on 20 January 2007, reads as follows:
[translation]
No citizen can be deprived of their nationality. Nicaraguan nationality cannot be lost by the acquisition of another nationality (Nicaragua 30 Apr. 1987).
According to a representative at the Embassy of Nicaragua in Washington, who referred to Law No. 149, the Nationality Law (Ley No 149 - Ley de Nacionalidad) (Nicaragua 30 June 1992), Nicaraguans who voluntarily renounce their Nicaraguan nationality must wait five years before they may initiate proceedings to recover their nationality (9 Mar. 2009).
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. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Honduras. 11 January 1982. Constitución Política de la República de Honduras 1982. (Political Database of the Americas - Georgetown University)
Nicaragua. 9 March 2009. Embassy of Nicaragua in Washington, DC. Correspondence from a representative.
_____ . 30 June 1992. Asamblea Nacional de Nicaragua. Ley de Nacionalidad (Ley No. 149)
_____ . 30 April 1987. Asamblea Nacional de Nicaragua. Constitución Política de la República de Nicaragua.
_____ . 24 April 1974. Asamblea Nacional de Nicaragua. Constitución Política.
_____ .N.d. Asamblea Nacional de Nicaragua. "Constituciones de 1821 - 1987."
Organization of American States (OAS). 5 Mar. 2001. Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). Informe No. 25/01: Caso 12.144 Alvaro José Robelo González, Nicaragua.
Additional Sources Consulted
Internet sites, including: Citizenship Laws of the World, Embassy of the Unites States in Nicaragua, Globalex, National Law Center for Inter-American Free Trade, Nicaragua — Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores.
