What is citizenship, and other issues related to this constitutional institution

What is citizenship? This question and the answer to it are of no theoretical interest. The fact is that the legal status of a person in any country in the world is primarily based on this constitutional institution, and hence this phenomenon is subject to detailed consideration.

Basic concepts

What is citizenship? It can be defined as the scope of rights and obligations arising as a consequence of a legal relationship with a strictly defined state. Thus, jurists note that in most systems only those subjects that possess citizenship can get full access to the country's resources, material and unrealized. Such a strict position may seem to be discrimination, but from the point of view of the security of the state it is fully justified.

In addition to access to full freedom of lawful activity in the country, citizenship guarantees to a person who possesses certain protection both on its territory and beyond its borders. And this law is recognized by other states.

Both of the above opportunities form a special relationship between the individual and the country as subjects of law. It is characterized by stability and mutual delegation of a certain sovereignty. Therefore, when answering the question about what citizenship is, one can confidently say that this is a special type of relationship in which a person and the state possess and exercise special rights, duties and responsibilities with respect to each other.

The emergence of citizenship

Like any phenomenon, citizenship has its starting point. In science, it is customary to distinguish two types of its occurrence: by branch and naturalization.

The easiest way is a branch. It represents the possibility of obtaining citizenship at the time of birth in the territory of a certain state. And most of the legislation expressly states that it is given to the baby, regardless of whether at least one of the parents is a citizen.

A more difficult path is naturalization. In fact, it is aimed at enabling non-citizens to acquire the right to citizenship due to long residence in the country. In this case, a number of specific requirements are always set, which the candidate must match.

Citizenship of the Russian Federation is acquired through the use of both methods.

Termination of the Institute

It also happens that an individual loses citizenship. In science, there are two main factors of this action: withdrawal and deprivation.

Withdrawal from citizenship is a voluntary act on the part of a citizen, approved and sighted by the state. Deprivation is an imperative action of the authorities of the country to abolish the status of a citizen for good reasons, clearly stipulated in the legislation.

Termination of citizenship of the Russian Federation is possible on both grounds. It should be noted immediately that the current legislation provides for a restriction on the withdrawal from citizenship to persons who have material debts to the state, as well as to those subjects that participate in criminal cases in the status of the accused or convicted. Deprivation of citizenship can be carried out only if it was received on obviously false documents.

Thus, when answering the question about what citizenship is, it is always worth remembering that this is a special stable relationship between an individual and a country, the emergence and termination of which is strictly regulated by law.