Bahrain urges dual citizenship holders to verify legal status

Manama: Bahrain has urged all Bahrainis who hold another nationality to inform the General Directorate of Nationality, Passports and Residence (GDNPR) about their dual citizenship.

Shaikh Rashid Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, the Undersecretary for Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs, said that the directorate would then verify their legal status based on the Citizenship Law.

Under the law, a Bahraini may lose his or her nationality if he or she has voluntarily acquired another nationality. An order will then be issued by the king to withdraw the nationality of that person.

The legal status verification call was issued after the Interior Ministry said that it found that "some Bahraini citizens holding foreign nationalities were using their status to protect themselves from legal or civil pursuits after they commit acts that jeopardize security and civil peace and that are punishable by law."