Stateless Persons

The 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons establishes the legal definition for stateless persons as individuals who are not considered citizens or nationals under the operation of the laws of any country.

A person’s citizenship and nationality may be determined based on the laws of a country where an individual is born or where her/his parents were born. A person can also lose citizenship and nationality in number of ways, including a situation where a country ceases to exist or a country adopts nationality laws that discriminate against certain groups.