Nepal's Parliamentary Committee supports amendment in Citizenship Act, Parliament soon to start discussion

Nepal`s parliamentary committee on Sunday has voted in favour of amending the country`s citizenship act that would require seven years threshold for foreign women to get naturalized citizenship after marrying a Nepali citizen.

A meeting of State Affairs and Good Governance Committee on Sunday endorsed the act with majority paving the way to table it on parliament for further discussion.Last week, the ruling Nepal Communist Party secretariat meeting also had endorsed the proposal with seven years threshold to obtain naturalized citizenship of Nepal after marriage.

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Continuing provision of a threshold, the committee has proposed granting residence permit to foreign women married to a Nepali citizen until she will be eligible to obtain naturalized citizenship, the decision published after the meeting states.

Foreign women marrying a Nepali national can, however, exercise social, economic and cultural rights during the seven years mandatory threshold, the committee has explained further.

The amendment proposal also has proposed women be allowed to operate businesses, use or sell fixed and moveable assets or get involved in transaction of properties.

The main opposition, the Nepali Congress, on the other hand, has decided on to register a note of dissent over the decision made on by the committee expressing dissatisfaction over the provisions.

Janata Samajbadi Party also has vowed its support to Nepali Congress over the issue.