Eduardo Bolsonaro says he is considering a “stateless passport”: understanding what it is

Summary
Eduardo Bolsonaro, after losing his mandate and his diplomatic passport, mentioned that he was considering obtaining a stateless passport to reside in the United States, but without losing his Brazilian citizenship he cannot obtain this document.

Accused before the Federal Supreme Court (STF) and whose mandate was revoked by the Chamber of Deputies, Eduardo Bolsonaro spoke about the loss of his diplomatic passport and said he was considering obtaining a stateless passport to continue living in the United States. But what is a stateless person? Who is entitled to this passport? THE Earth explains these and other questions on the topic below. To understand!

What is a stateless person?

A stateless person is a person whose nationality is not recognized by any country, according to the United Nations (UN).

“Statelessness occurs for several reasons, such as discrimination against minorities in national legislation, failure to recognize all residents of the country as citizens when that country becomes independent (state secession), and conflict of laws between countries,” explains the UN.

Recognition of stateless status guarantees international protection to the person and, therefore, easier naturalization conditions for certain requirements.

According to the Brazilian government, cases of renunciation of nationality or failure to apply for the nationality to which one is entitled are not eligible for recognition of statelessness.

What are the conditions for being recognized as stateless?

To be recognized as stateless, the person must meet the following conditions, in the case of Brazil:

• Not be considered a national by any State, under the terms of the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons;
• Have no criminal record in the countries where you have resided in the last five years.

How to recognize a stateless person?

In Brazil, the process of recognizing stateless status is carried out by the Department of Migration (DEMIG), linked to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security. This body will analyze the application and verify the documents, the declarations made by the applicant himself and by national and international bodies and organizations.

To request recognition of stateless status, you must apply via the SisApatridia system. If approved, the person will benefit from immigration regularization in Brazil, thanks to a residence permit for an indefinite period, and will have to request their National Migration Register (RNM). With this document, the person can also apply for Brazilian naturalization.

After being recognized, the stateless person can also apply for a passport for foreigners from the Federal Police, the body responsible for issuing the document in Brazil.

Can Eduardo Bolsonaro have a stateless passport?

As he has not lost his citizenship, Eduardo Bolsonaro will not be able to obtain a stateless passport, according to the Stadium.

In an interview with the SBT News channel, the former MP said that the measure will be taken because he will have to return the parliamentarian’s diplomatic passport and will not be able to obtain a new document, by order of the Supreme Court.

Itamaraty sources also explained to the newspaper that Eduardo Bolsonaro can return to Brazil whenever he wants. According to the institution, no special documents are needed for this. All he would have to do is look for a Brazilian consulate or embassy in the United States and request permission to return to Brazil. This authorization is not issued to him to visit other countries. *(With information from Estadão Conteúdo).