Renunciation (voluntary)

Example scenarios

• Entitled to renounce by declaration (must be 18+ and a national of, or intending to become a national of, another country).

  Citizenship Act Cap 1.05 s.7(1): a citizen aged 18+ who is also a citizen/national of another country, OR intends to become one, is entitled to renounce by a prescribed declaration. As an existing dual national the applicant renounces cleanly. The Minister may withhold/defer registration of a renunciation declaration during a war in which SKN is engaged (s.7(3)).

• The renunciation is treated as never having taken effect — the person is deemed to have remained a Kittitian citizen (anti-statelessness safeguard).

  Citizenship Act s.7(1) proviso: where a person was NOT a citizen/national of any other country at the date of registering the renunciation, and does not become such within SIX months from registration, he shall be, and be deemed to have remained, a citizen of SKN notwithstanding the renunciation. This is a SIX-month (not twelve) statelessness safeguard. Birth/descent citizenship (Constitution ss.90-91) is not subject to deprivation in any event.

• The Minister may WITHHOLD registration of the renunciation declaration — it does not take automatic effect.

  Citizenship Act s.7(3): the Minister may, in his or her discretion, withhold registration of a renunciation declaration made at any time when SKN is at war, where the declarant is or intends to become a national/citizen of (a) any country with which SKN is at war, or (b) any country as respects which, because SKN is at war, it would be undesirable or inexpedient in the interests of national security or public policy for the person to acquire that nationality. Because renunciation only takes effect 'upon such registration' (s.7(2)), withholding registration keeps the person a citizen. A wartime national-security limit on the otherwise-entitled renunciation.