International Law Relating to Nationality

Nationality is the legal relationship between an individual human and a state. Nationality normally confers some protection of the individual by the state, and some obligations on the individual towards the state. What these rights and duties are vary from country to country. It differs technically and legally from citizenship, although in most modern countries all nationals are citizens of the state and all citizens are nationals of the state. Nationality affords the state jurisdiction over the person and affords the person the protection of the state. The most common distinguishing feature of citizenship is that citizens have the right to participate in the political life of the state, such as by voting or standing for election. The term national can include both citizens and noncitizens. By custom, it is the right of each state to determine who its nationals are. Such determinations are part of nationality law. In some cases, determinations of nationality are also governed by public international law- for example, by treaties on statelessness and the European Convention on Nationality.