Skip to main content

Naturalization, Citizenship, and Identity Documents

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Book cover Handbook of Labor, Human Resources and Population Economics

Abstract

What is citizenship? What is nationality? What are the principles regulating citizenship around the world? How are those principles related to the growing prevalence of dual citizenship or statelessness? And how are the various citizenship regimes related to migrants’ assimilation in host countries or to the portability of rights across borders? This chapter addresses these questions. It starts with an overview of the various regimes governing citizenship around the world, how they have evolved over time, and the consequences of such a progression on statelessness, on migrants’ economic assimilation, and on the portability of rights across borders. It discusses the expanding recognition of dual citizenship by countries, frequently as a result of the growing share of individuals living in a country other than their country of birth and countries’ growing interests in harnessing the financial, human, and social capital of emigrants. Finally, the chapter touches upon the evolving notion of expatriates, as well as on countries’ diverging approach to emigrants’ rights, the subject of debate for quite some time – namely, the right to vote and the right to return.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Amuedo-Dorantes C, Bansak C (2011) The impact of amnesty on labor market outcomes: a panel study using the legalized population survey. Ind Relat 50(3):443–471

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amuedo-Dorantes C, Pozo S (2015) Regional studies: Latin America and the Caribbean. In: Barry C, Miller PW (eds) Handbooks in economics: economics of international migration, vol 1B. Elsevier, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Amuedo-Dorantes C, Bansak C, Raphael S (2007) Gender differences in the labor market impact of IRCA’s amnesty provisions. Am Econ Rev Pap Proc 97(2):412–416

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amuedo-Dorantes C, Gratereaux Hernández C, Pozo S (2017) On the implications of immigration policy restricting citizenship: evidence from the Dominican Republic. IZA Discussion Paper No. 10602

    Google Scholar 

  • Avitabile C, Clots-Figueras I, Masella P (2013) The effect of birthright citizenship on parental integration outcomes. J Law Econ 56(3):777–810

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Avitabile C, Clots-Figueras I, Masella P (2014) Citizenship, fertility and parental investments. Am Econ J Appl Econ 6(4):35–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barcellos SH (2010) Legalization and the economic status of immigrants. RAND Labor and Population, Working Paper No. WR-754, RAND Corporation Publications Department

    Google Scholar 

  • Bertocchi G, Strozzi C (2010) The evolution of citizenship: economic and institutional determinants. J Law Econ 53:95–136

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bratsberg B, Ragan JF Jr, Nasir ZM (2002) The effect of naturalization on wage growth: a panel study of young male immigrants. J Labor Econ 20(3):568–597

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brubaker R (1992) Citizenship and Nationhood in France and Germany. Cambridge: Harvard University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Caramani D, Grotz F (2015) Beyond citizenship and residence? Exploring the extension of voting rights in the age of globalization. Democratization 22(5):799–819

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chiswick BR (1991) Speaking, reading and earnings among low-skilled immigrants. J Labor Econ 9:149–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Collyer M (2014) A geography of extra-territorial citizenship: explanations of external voting. Migr Stud 2(1):55–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davies P (ed) (1976) The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. Dell Publishing, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Drever AI, Hoffmeister O (2008) Immigrants and social networks in a job-scarce environment: the case of Germany. Int Migr Rev 42:425–448

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dustmann C, Van Soest A (2002) Language and the earnings of immigrants. Ind Labor Relat Rev 55:473–492

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Enchautegui ME, Giannarelli L (2015) The economic impact of naturalization on immigrants and cities. Urban Institute Research Report, New York, NY

    Google Scholar 

  • Endoh T (2009) Exporting Japan: politics of emigration toward Latin America. University of Illinois Press, Urbana, IL

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Felfe C, Rainer H, Saurer J (2020) Why birthright citizenship matters for immigrant children: short- and long-run impacts on education integration. J Labor Econ 38(1):143–182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frelick B (1990) The right of return. Int J Refug Law 2(3):442–447

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Green NL (2009) Expatriation, expatriates, and expats: the American transformation of a concept. Am Hist Rev April:307–328

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hawon J (2019) The special permanent residents in Japan: Zainichi Korean. Yale Rev Int Stud, January. http://yris.yira.org/comments/2873. Accessed 20 Sep 2020

  • Hill L, Lofstrom M, Hayes JM (2010) Immigrant legalization assessing the labor market effects. Technical Report, Public Policy Institute of California, San Francisco

    Google Scholar 

  • Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion (ISI) (2014) The world’s stateless. Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion. https://files.institutesi.org/worldsstateless.pdf. Accessed 20 Sep 2020

  • Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion (ISI) (2019) Statelessness in numbers: 2019. Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion, July. https://files.institutesi.org/ISI_statistics_analysis_2019.pdf. Accessed 20 Sep 2020

  • Jasso G, Rosenzweig MR (1990) Family reunification and the immigration multiplier: U.S. immigration law, origin-country conditions, and the reproduction of immigrants. Demography 23:291–311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones-Correa M (2001) Under two flags: dual nationality in Latin America and its consequences for naturalization in the United States. Int Migr Rev 35:997–1029

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kanas A, van Tubergen F, van der Lippe T (2009) Immigrant self-employment. Work Occup 36:181–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaushal N (2006) Amnesty programs and the labor market outcomes of undocumented workers. J Hum Resour 41(3):631–647

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khalidi RI (1992) Observation of the right to return. J Palest Stud XXI, no 2 (Winter 1992), pp 29–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kossoudji SA, Cobb-Clark D (2002) Coming out of the shadows: learning about legal status and wages from the legalization population. J Labor Econ 20(3):598–628

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Law Library of Congress (2018) Birthright Citizenship Around the World. November. https://www.loc.gov/law/help/birthright-citizenship/global.php. Accessed 20 Sep 2020

  • Leblang D (2011) Harnessing the diaspora: dual citizenship, migrant return remittances. Comp Polit Stud 50(1):75–101

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lozano F, Sorensen T (2011) The labor market value to legal status. IZA DP No. 5492

    Google Scholar 

  • Lόpez-Guerra C (2005) Should expatriates vote? J Polit Philos 13(2):216–234

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin DA (2003) Introduction: The trend, toward dual nationality. In: Martin DA, Hailbronner K (eds) Rights and duties of dual nationals: Evolution and prospects. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Mazzolari F (2009) Dual citizenship rights: do they make more and richer citizens? Demography 46(1):169–191

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McChrone D, Kiely R (2000) Nationalism and citizenship. Sociology 34(1):19–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mirilovic N (2015) Regime type, international migration, and the politics of dual citizenship toleration. Int Polit Sci Rev 36(5):510–525

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nyarko Y (2011) The returns to the brain drain and brain circulation in Sub-Saharan Africa: some computations using data from Ghana. NBER Working Paper No. 16813

    Google Scholar 

  • Oloufade D, Pongou R (2013) Dual citizenship institution: a pareto improvement? March 1. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2237761. Accessed 20 Sep 2020

  • Østergaard-Nielsen E (2003) Turkey and the ‘Euro Turks’: overseas nationals as an ambiguous asset. In: Østergaard-Nielsen E (ed) International migration and sending countries: perceptions, policies and transnational relations. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, pp 77–98

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Pan Y (2012) The impact of legal status on immigrants’ earnings and human capital: evidence from the IRCA 1986. J Lab Res 33:119–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pyrce C (2016) Surrogacy and citizenship: a conjunctive solution to a global problem. Indiana J Glob Legal Stud 23(2):925–952

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pastor M, Scoggins J (2012) Citizen gain: the economic benefits of naturalization for immigrants and the economy. Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration, University of Southern California

    Google Scholar 

  • Rauch JE, Trindale V (2002) Ethnic Chinese networks in international trade. Rev Econ Stat 84(1):116–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rivera-Batiz FL (1999) Undocumented workers in the labor market: an analysis of the earnings of legal and illegal Mexican immigrants in the United States. J Popul Econ 12(1):91–116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sajons C (2016) Does granting citizenship to immigrant children affect family outmigration? J Popul Econ 29(2):395–420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sejersen TB (2008) “I Vow to Thee My Countries”? The expansion of dual citizenship in the 21st century. Int Migr Rev 42(3):523–549

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharpe MO (2011) What does blood membership mean in political terms?: The political incorporation of Latin American Nikkeijin (Japanese Descendants) (LAN) in Japan 1990-2004. Jap J Polit Sci 12(1):113–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shierholz H (2010) The effects of citizenship on family income and poverty. Economic Policy Institute Briefing Paper No. 256

    Google Scholar 

  • Siaplay M (2014) Do countries that recognize dual citizenship have healthier economies? Evidence from the Economic Community of West African States. Migr Dev 3(2):254–271

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spiro PJ (1997) Dual nationality and the meaning of citizenship. Emory Law J 46(4):1411–1483

    Google Scholar 

  • Trimbach DJ (2017) Estonian citizenship policy: the restoration of a country leads to statelessness for some. Migr Inf Source, June 1. https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/estonian-citizenship-policy-restoration-country-leads-statelessness-some. Accessed 20 Sep 2020

  • United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (2019) Statelessness people. In: Global trends. pp 56–63

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (2020) Background note on gender equality, nationality laws and statelessness

    Google Scholar 

  • Vink M, De Groot GR, Luk NC (2015) MACIMIDE Global Expatriate Dual Citizenship Dataset. https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/TTMZ08, Harvard Dataverse V5 [2020]. Accessed 20 Sep 2020

  • Vink M, Schakel AH, Reichely D, Luk NC, de Groot GR (2019) The international diffusion of dual citizenship. Migr Stud 7(3):362–383

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wucker M (2004) The perpetual migration machine and political power. World Policy J Fall:41–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Zong J, Batalova J (2016) Naturalization trends in the United States. Migration Policy Institute. http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/naturalization-trends-united-states. Accessed 20 Sep 2020

Download references

Acknowledgments

Responsible Section Editor: Klaus F. Zimmermann. There is no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Catalina Amuedo-Dorantes .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Section Editor information

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Amuedo-Dorantes, C., Kietzerow, A.M., Pozo, S. (2021). Naturalization, Citizenship, and Identity Documents. In: Zimmermann, K.F. (eds) Handbook of Labor, Human Resources and Population Economics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57365-6_93-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57365-6_93-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-57365-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-57365-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Economics and FinanceReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

Publish with us

Policies and ethics