I. Sweden

Sir S. St. John to the Earl of KimberJy. — (Received November 19.) My Lord, Stockholm, November 15, 1894.

I Have the hononr to forward to your Lordship a copy and translation of a law on the acquisition and loss of the citizenship , which was signed by His Majesty the King on the lst October, 1894.

In Mr. Gough's despatch of the 13th February, 1893, a project of a Law of Naturalization was inclosed. In the Law just published there are some altérations and additions to this project, which have, in the new translation, been underlined with red ink.

I have, &c.

(Signed) Spenser SI. John.

Incïosure.

Law on the Acquisition and Loss of Citizenship ; given at the Palace of Stockholm , October 1, 1894.

(Translation.)

WE , Oscar , by the Grâce of God , King of Sweden , Norway , the Goths and the Vandals make hereby known : that we, with the advice and consent of the Diet, have been pleased to enact as follows : —

Section 1. Swedish citizenship belongs by birth to every legitimate child whose father is entitled to Swedish citizenship.

Sec. 2. A man or unmarried woman of foreign nationality born in Sweden, who has been domiciled here without interruption until attaining the âge of 22 years, becomes a Swedish citizen, unless he or she , during the year previous, has made a déclaration in writing before the Governor of the province to the effect that he or she renounces the right to become a Swedish citizen, at the same time proving, by satisfactory évidence, that he or she enjoys civil rights in another country. Such renunciation of

') V. N. R. G. 2. Série. B. XIX p. 514.

Grande-Bretagne, Bulgarie, Persie, Suède.

citizenship will not, however, be open to those who are born of foreigners who have availed themselves of this privilège.

When Swedish citizenship has been acquired by a foreigner in conséquence of this paragraph, the citizenship also ex tends to his wife and legitimate children.

Sec. 3. A woman of foreign nationality marrying a Swedish citizen acquires, by her marriage, Swedish citizenship.

If the couple have children together before the marriage takes place, such children also become Swedish citizens , provided that they are still under âge.

Sec. 4. Swedish citizenship can , moreover , be acquired by naturalization in the manner and under the conditions prescribed by a spécial Law.

The naturalization of a foreigner, unless otherwise specially stated at the time , gives Swedish citizenship to his wife and legitimate children under âge.

Sec. 5. Swedish citizenship is forfeited by any one who becomes a citizen of another country.

Should any one, with a view of obtaining foreign naturalization, désire to be absolved from his obligations as a Swedish subject , an application should be made to the King. Should the request be granted , the condition will be inserted that the applicant must , within a specified time, obtain citizenship in another country.

Sec. 6. A Swedish woman marying any one who is not a Swedish citizen, loses, by her marriage, her Swedish citizenship.

If the couple have children together before being married , such children likewise lose their Swedish citizenship , provided that they are still under âge at the time when their parents marry. If at that time they have attained ther majority, they keep their Swedish citizenship.

Sec. 7. Also if a man, or unmarried woman, of Swedish nationality, after attaining the âge of 21 years, or a widow, after the dissolution of her marriage, has been domiciled abroad during ten consécutive years, he or she forfeits ail rights of citizenship, unless the sejourn abroad has been caused by a public charge for the United Kingdoms or for Sweden , or unless before the expiration of the aforesaid time the person in question has given in to a Swedish Légation or Consulate , or, if domiciled in Norway, to the Swedish Department of Justice, a déclaration of the intention to remain a Swedish subject , which déclaration must be made in writing, and in the forme prescribed by the King. Such déclarations must, so as to continue valid, be reneved before the end of each thent year, and cannot be legally made except by such persons as have themselves emigrated from Sweden, their children in the first génération, and the widows of such persons.

The loss of citizenship to a Swede, under the provisions of this paragraph, also entails the loss of the same to his wife and legitimate children under âge, unless they remain in this country.

It rests with the King to limit or annul the provisions of this paragraph by agreement with a foreign Power, in so far as that spécial Power, may be concerned.

Nationalité.

Sec. 8. Any one forfeiting his or her rights as a Swedish citizen in conséquence of paragraph 7, and not becoming citizen of any other country, regains those rights on again taking up his above in Sweden , or if the King permits that thèse rights may be regained without so doing.

Should Swedish citizenship be regained under the provisions of the preceding clause by the husband, thèse rights are acquired also by his wife and legitimate children under âge, even if they continue to remain abroad.

Sec. 9. An illegitemate child whose mother is a Swedish citizen obtains Swedish citizenship by birth. As regards the question of citizenship, it also follows the mother in those cases where the legitimate child follows the father according to this Law.

Should the mother's position as regards nationality be altered by marriage to any one else than the father of the child, no change is made in the rights and privilèges of citizenship which previously belonged to the illegitimate child.

Sec. 10. Any child fonnd in the Kingdom about whom no knowledge can be obtained as regards its nationality , will be considered to be a Swedish citizen until the contrary be proved.

Temporary Enactment.

This Law becomes valid on the lst January, 1895, and the provisions in paragraph 2 shall also apply to foreigners born before that date, provided they have not then reached the âge of 21 years.

Ail whom it may concern have strictly to observe this Law. In witness whereof we have signed this with our own hand, and caused our Royal Seal to be thereunto affixed.

Given at the Palace of Stockholm on the lst October, 1894.

(L S.) (Signed) Osfcar.

(Countersigned) Aug. Ostergren.