2.5 million MRP booklets contract going to French firm without bids: Yeti Holdings is local agent, by Sunil Sapkota (rep 23/02/2020)

Nepal faces looming passport and excise sticker shortage: There is a stock of 570,000 ordinary passports, enough to last nine months, according to the Department of Passports, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 22/01/2020)

Security printing press proposals from Germany and France were immature and incomplete, House committee concludes: Parliamentary Accounts Committee wants the government to either invite a fresh global bidding or revisit the proposals, by Anil Giri (kp 29/01/2020)

Nepal’s passport is among the weakest in the world—weaker than North Korea’s: The dismal state of the Nepali passport can largely be attributed to Nepalis hiding out illegally in foreign countries while on temporary visas, say officials, by Anil Giri (kp 14/01/2020)

As passports start running out, complaint in House committee complicates matters: Complainant tells the Public Accounts Committee that Nepal does not need an expensive security printing press, putting a hold on the procurement process, by Anil Giri (kp 06/01/2020)

Occupy Tundikhel Campaign: Campaigners organise story telling session (ht 22/12/2019)

Negotiations begin with Germany and France for setting up security printing press: With less than 700,000 copies of passports in stock, the government is in a hurry to reach a deal at the earliest, by Anil Giri (kp 12/12/2019)

Government anxious to find new vendor as passport numbers dwindle: After cancelling a previous bids, the government will now either call for expressions of interest from foreign firms or an entirely new global tender, by Anil Gii (kp 28/11/2019)

Dalit family struggles to obtain citizenship (ht 21/11/2019)

As passport crisis looms, government scrambles to negotiate deal for secure printing press: With Malaysia and Japan opening up to Nepali workers, the current stock of passports is likely to last only six months, officials say, by Anil Giri (kp 18/11/2019), Nepal’s decision to scrap security printing tenders will have major repercussions: The government needs to explain why it thinks an expensive and opaque government-to-government deal is better (kp 19/11/2019)

Department of Passports cancels e-passport bid hours before the end of tender deadline: The bidding process was annulled after the direct intervention of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, officials say, by Anil Giri (kp 09/11/2019), After aborting passport tender, government to sign security printing deal with French firm: In what is set to be the biggest deal signed by the KP Sharma Oli administration, the French government will be providing a soft loan of 200 million euros, by Anil Giri (kp 13/11/2019)

Mass printer starts printing smart driving licences after overcoming technical glitches: More than 600,000 applicants are waiting for smart driving licences, by Shuvam Dhungana (kp 02/11/2019)

Department of Passports once again extends e-passport bid deadline by a week: Such constant changes to the bid documents will erode Nepal’s credibility, say officials who are displeased with the government’s process regarding the passport tender, by Anil Giri (kp 31/10/2019)

Nepalis are flocking to make passports after US makes it mandatory for Diversity Visa application: The Department of Passports is printing roughly 4,000 passports every day now, compared to around 900 earlier, officials say, by Anup Ojha (kp 24/10/2019)

Department of Passports modifies tender for e-passports after reservations from Asian bidders: New amendments to the tender have reduced requirements regarding past experience in printing passports so as to create a more level playing field, by Anil Giri (kp 05/10/2019)

Around 1,600 children deprived of citizenship: Lack of citizenship certificates has put the lives of many youths on hold in Nawalparasi (West), by Nabin Paudel (kp 24/09/2019)

Asian firms oppose e-passport bid process, saying conditions favour American and European companies: One requirement states that only companies that have already printed over five million passports in at least three countries over the last 10 years are eligible for bidding, by Anil Giri (kp 16/09/2019), French firm and embassy express displeasure over Nepal government's call for passport tender
The French Embassy in Kathmandu has written two letters to the government over the call for tenders despite an agreement with France, by Anil Giri (kp 18/09/2019)

Women's battle for citizenship continues: The new proposals regarding the Citizenship Amendment Bill still treat women as second-class citizens (kp 16/09/2019)

Citizenship debate has reached another low, rights activists say: New provisions in the citizenship amendment bill could further limit equal citizenship rights for women, by Bhrikuti Rai (kp 12/09/2019),
Lawmakers continue to debate marital naturalisation in Parliament (ht 12/09/2019) [Women and men should be legally treated absolutely equally, regardless of whether they are foreigners or not! Nepal is not the property of men!], Panel to decide on naturalised citizenship (ht 13/09/2019), Government proposes national identity cards to end contention over naturalised citizenship: Ruling party backs the proposal to issue ID cards until citizenship is granted, but the opposition Nepali Congress has sought time to reach a decision, by Binod Ghimire (kp 14/09/2019), Govt floats options on naturalised citizenship, by Jagdishor Panday (ht 14/09/2019), Panel set to include 7-year threshold for naturalization of foreign brides (rep 14/09/2019), Ruling party’s indecision delays finalisation of the bill to amend Citizenship Act: Cross-party top leadership will discuss the matter with an aim to find a solution, by Binod Ghimire (kp 15/09/2019)

Ongoing Parliament session unlikely to pass citizenship bill, by Jagdishor Panday (ht 10/09/2019)

Citizenship amendment bill: Panel member objects to report’s provision, by Jagdishor Panday (ht 04/09/2019)

Global tender called for 5 million e-passports: Department of Passports plans to issue biometric electronic passports by the end of 2020, by Anil Giri (kp 31/08/2019)

Naturalised citizenship: ‘Law for foreign women married to Nepali men shouldn’t end’ (ht 29/08/2019) [Okay, but most important is that there ist absolutely no difference between the legal tratment of women and men! The current citizensip law clearly violates the fundamental rights of the Nepali citizens!], Initiative from speaker urged to pass bill (ht 30/08/2019)

Bill related to national ID card endorsed (ht 28/08/2019), Decks cleared for NIC: Chances of obtaining fake citizenship papers will lessen once the NIC comes into full operation within three years (ht 29/08/2019)

End gender discrimination in citizenship bill: NHRC (ht 24/08/2019)

National ID card to include biometric information: Foreigners and NRNs to get only ID card , by Jagdishor Panday (ht 16/08/2019), Bill proposes including iris data on national ID card: About 117,000 cards already distributed will need updating, by Ashok Dahal (rep 16/08/2019)

Citizenship based on fake documents scrapped in Jajarkot (kp 15/08/2019)

Opposition lawmakers demand halt to National ID card distribution: At the parliamentary State Affairs and Good Governance Committee, lawmakers question the government why the cards were issued when the bill regarding the same is being discussed at the federal parliament, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp 10/08/2019)

Rajendra Mahato slams govt for giving false impression of his citizenship being revoked, by Rajendra Mahato (ht 06/08/2019)

Citizenship bill stuck in SAGGC, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht 04/08/2019)

With parties still divided on Citizenship Amendment Bill, parliamentary sub-committee fails to make headway: The primary bone of contention remains the provision related to obtaining  naturalised citizenship through marriage, by Tsering D. Gurung (kp 06/07/2019) [The main problem is the male superiority delusion of the patriarchal high-caste political elite and their misguided national identity thinking!]

‘Unfair citizenship laws put children at risk of becoming stateless’ (ht 29/06/2019)

Citizens’ enrolment for national identity cards to start next month (ht 21/06/2019)

After a long wait, nomadic Rautes finally getting citizenship, by Nagendra Upadhyaya (rep 18/06/2019), Nomadic Rautes to get citizenship cards (rep 20/06/2019)

1,358 get citizenship from mobile camps (ht 15/06/2019)

On sex and citizenship: The debate on citizenship goes from nationalist rhetoric to plain misogyny, by Subina Shrestha (kp 14/06/2019)

Senior citizens in rural areas deprived of citizenship certificate: Without citizenship, people are denied job opportunities and social security allowances, by Ramesh Chandra Adhikari (kp 14/06/2019)

Govt told to issue citizenship by descent to Birgunj denizen (ht 08/06/2019)

State and Citizenship: The geographical location of Nepal between two emerging superpowers has been used as an excuse to deny women the rights they deserve as equal citizens of Nepal, by Swati Gautam (rep 30/05/2019)

Kaski DAO issues citizenship through mother’s nationality (ht 26/05/2019) [The has to be normal everywhere in the country!!]

Supreme Court overturns own decision on Home Ministry’s citizenship notice: Thousands of people continue to be in limbo until the full court decides the case, by Bhrikuti Rai(kp 08/05/2019), SC stays citizenship distribution (rep 08/05/2019), ‘Apex court creating confusion on citizenship circular’: Divergent decisions can erode credibility of the judiciary: Province 2 chief attorney (ht 11/05/2019)

People deprived of citizenship (ht 02/05/2019)

Resolve the citizenship dispute (kp 02/05/2019)

Arrest warrants issued against nine people for abetting Indian national’s bid to acquire Nepali citizenship: Ward chairman and ward secretary among those implicated, by Arjun Rajbanshi (kp 01/05/2019)

Party proposes 7 yrs residency for foreign spouses seeking citizenship (rep 01/05/2019)

They are citizens too: Nepali mothers should be able to pass citizenship on to their children via their name, by Pratik Gurung (kp 30/04/2019)

A viral video sparks a social media conversation about misinformation, and identity, by Tsering D Gurung (kp 30/04/2019) [on a video in the Internet which spreads hatred and false information and criticises even minimal changes to the still extremely discriminatory citizenship law]

Home ministry’s circular on citizenship protested (ht 30/04/2019)

Citizenship bar for children of ‘1997 citizens’: SC rules it out for children of those who became citizens by birth in 1997, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht 27/04/2019)

Sarlahi district office overwhelmed with  applications for citizenship by descent, by Om Prakash Thakur (kp 24/04/2019)

Democratic Citizenship, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn 23/04/2019)

Musahar people deprived of citizenship certificates, by Bharat Jarghamagar (kp 20/04/2019)

Gumba residents deprived of citizenship certificate (kp 19/04/2019)

People queue up for citizenship cards (ht 19/04/2019)

Family denied relief for lack of citizenship: None of the family members of the deceased has Nepali citizenship certificate, by Shankar Acharya (kp 13/04/2019)

Meet NCP lawmaker whose kin are stateless, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht 13/04/2019)

Citizenship relief for children of  citizens by birth: District administrative offices told to grant them citizenship by descent, by Roshan S Nepal (ht 04/04/2019) [The cheering can only come from male persons! Concerning the right to citizenship through the mother everything remains unchanged! Women continue to be treated as unequal and inferior persons! Long live the patriarchal state of Nepal!!], Supreme Court stays govt circular allowing citizenship by descent (ht 09/04/2019) [The circular upholds the inequality of women either!], ‘Offsprings of citizens by birth entitled to citizenship by descent’ (ht 12/04/2019) [But still with patriarchal bias!], Supreme Court upholds Home Ministry’s decision to grant citizenship by descent, by Bhrikuti Rai (kp 17/04/2019)

Is Nepal’s progressive trans rights movement bracing for a setback? LGBTIQ community expresses reservations about provisions in the citizenship bill which, according to them, can result in further discrimination against sexual minorities, by Asmita Manandhar (kp 31/03/2019)

‘We represent diversity’: Chauvinists can learn from the New Zealand prime minister and change their way, by Pramod Mishra (kp 28/03/2019), Rage and reason: We need to bring around every actor from the plains as well as the hills to agree on some basic fundamentals of citizenship. Otherwise, citizenship debate will prolong indefinitely, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep 28/03/2019) [There is only one solution: Make it equal without any patriarchal fantacies based on gender, ethnicity and region!]

22.15 million citizenship certificates distributed so far: Home ministry (rep 27/03/2019)

His mother is a Nepali.He has been refused citizenship for 10 years: Between 2009 and 2017, Nepal has issued 13 naturalised citizenships to those born to a Nepali mother and a foreign father. Many are waiting, hoping to be the next, by Tsering D Gurung (kp 25/03/2019)

On the wrong side of history: Defending unequal citizenship rights is defending the Khas-Arya man’s status, not the state sovereignty, by Amish Raj Mulmi (kp 22/03/2019)

Citizenship bill clause on sex change certification alarms LGBT community: Sexual minorities fear losing hard won victories if officials approve  amendment demanding a ‘proof’ of sex change in the citizenship bill, by Bhrikuti Rai (kp 18/03/2019), Right to choose: A citizenship amendment that demands proof of gender reassignment is unfair to the trans community (kp 19/03/2019), Allow self-declaration (ht 21/03/2019)

Debate on women’s citizenship rights rages as House takes up amendment bill: Activists say lawmakers’ reluctance to grant equal citizenship rights to women is reflective of the deep-rooted patriarchal beliefs in society, by Tsering D Gurung (kp 08/03/2019), Women are being denied equal rights in the name of national security and sovereignty: Binda Pandey (kp 08/03/2019) (interview)

Oli, Dahal initiate process of building consensus on citizenship bill, by Rewati Sapkota (ht 26/02/2019) [Women and men as well as their descendants must be treated equal in each an every respect!]

Citizenship bill stuck in House panel‘: Some more discussions needed before bill is sent to HoR’, by Anita Shrestha (ht 24/02/2019)

They have a home. They don’t have a country: In a tiny village in western Nepal, arcane laws and government bureaucracy have left families without citizenship and pushed them further into poverty, by Tsering Ngodup Lama (kp 09/02/2019)

Youth denied citizenship despite SC order (ht 05/02/2019)

No NRN citizenships through Nepali missions abroad (rep 05/02/2019)

Nepal Citizenship bill: Female lawmakers decry unequal provisions, by Jagdishor Panday (ht 30/01/2019), Nepal Citizenship Bill faces hurdles to passage in HoR, by Rewati Sapkota (ht 31/01/2019), Contentious issues of citizenship bill discussed in House committee, by Jagdishor Panday (ht 02/02/2019)

Discussion begins on Citizenship Act (kp 25/01/2019)

SAGGC for political consensus on citizenship, by Jagdishor Panday (ht 13/01/2019)

Address our concerns in citizenship bill: NRN (ht 28/12/2018)

58 lakh citizens to get national ID cards (ht 25/12/2018)

Police bust fake citizenship racket in Dhanusha: Seven including four DAO officials arrested, vy Suresh Yadav (rep 17/12/2018)

Call to amend citizenship provisions (ht 10/12/2018)

House committee seeks details of citizenships by birth issued post-2007 (rep 08/12/2018)

Seven Indians use fake details to get citizenship, by Abadhesh Kumar Jha (kp 06/12/2018)

Cross-border children in citizenship logjam, by Karishma Chaudhary (kp 04/12/2018)

‘Foreign’ citizens may affect security: Thapa; Defending the proposal to amend Citizenship Act-2006, the home minister claims that  a large number of non-nationals have got Nepali citizenship, by Tika R Pradhan (kp 19/11/2018) [The problem is Nepal's definition of "national", especially the discrimination against women, ethnic and regional groups!]

Woman may lose citizenship taken after her marriage with Indian national, by Dilliram Khatiwada (kp 16/11/2018)

'Citizenship for sale': Criminals can buy Nepali citizenship while genuine people are deprived of the document, by Jitendra Kumar Jha (rep 11/11/2018)

Elderly hopeful of allowance after getting citizenship (rep 04/11/2018)

NCP MPs for political rights to NRNs; Demand goes against constitutional spirit: Nembang, by Ashok Dahal (rep 02/11/2018)

Majority of Susta residents do not have citizenship (kp 25/09/2018)

Locals elated after receiving citizenship at their doorsteps, by Mohan Gurung (rep 25/09/2018)

Manohara squatters demand citizenship (ht 22/09/2018)

Citizenship bill unlikely to be passed this session: Parliament passed 15 bills related to fundamental rights on Sunday, but stateless people will not be able to enjoy the fundamental rights, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht 18/09/2018)

Students deprived of higher education due to lack of citizenship (rep 15/09/2018)

They are citizens too: Gender equality was sacrificed in the name of preserving social and cultural values, by Bharati Silawal Giri (kp 14/09/2018)

Citizenship Bill stricter than charter: Karna (ht 23/08/2018) [There must not be any different treatment between foreign wives of Nepali men and foreign husbands of Nepali women! Everything else is male delusion!]

Children of citizens by birth denied citizenship share their plight (ht 23/08/2018)

End inequalities: Children of Nepali women, irrespective of who she is married to, should unquestionably be entitled to citizenship by descent (ht 20/08/2018)

Nepal’s suffragette moment, by Om Astha Rai (nt 17/08/2018)

Bill to amend citizenship act: Ruling party lawmakers object tweaks to law, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp 14/08/2018) [The male Tagadhari politicians will take care that women will never be equal to men!], ‘Citizenship bill discriminates against women’, by Jagdishor Panday (ht 15/08/2018), Women rights activists hit streets against 'discriminatory'provision in citizenship bill (rep 18/08/2018), Amendments registered to citizenship bill, by Jagdishor Panday (ht 18/08/2018)

Good news for NRNs, kids of citizens by birth: Govt to amend citizenship act (ht 09/08/2018)

Province 2 govt asked to wait until Citizenship Act amended (rep 07/08/2018)

Saptari DAO involved in fake citizenship racket: Police probe, by Jitendra Kumar Jha (rep 07/06/2018)

Obtaining citizenship in mother's name no more a challenge in Myagdi, by Hari Krishna Gautam (rep 03/06/2018)

Lawmakers raise Madhesis’ concern about citizenship denial in House: Say statelessness hits their studies, chances of getting jobs (ht 19/05/2018)

Police probe citizenship fraud by Indian man, by Abadhesh Kumar Jha (kp 02/05/2018)

Left alliance, government differ on NIC distribution, by Rewati Sapkota (ht 26/04/2018)

‘5.4 million people stateless in Nepal’ (ht 22/04/2018), ‘Over 5 million people without citizenship’: Laws governing citizenship discriminated by gender among factors contributing to statelessness (kp 26/04/2018)

Call to book 450 people for taking citizenship with fake documents, by Kamal Panthi (kp 18/04/2018)

‘Over 30 Bhutanese nationals obtained Nepali citizenship, by Shiva Puri (kp 15/04/2018)

An unresolved agenda: Current lawmakers have the opportunity to end the discrimination faced by women on citizenship rights, by Anjita Parajuli (kp 20/03/2018)

Active Citizenship in Democracy, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn 13/03/2018)

Citizenship a far cry for most Madhesi daughters-in-law (rep 06/03/2018)

Indian wives of Madhes: Biased citizenship laws have been created to promote ethnic homogeneity in Nepal, by Kalpana Jha (kp 22/02/2018)

Fake citizenship rackets thrive in Tarai, by Jeetendra Kumar Jha (rep 21/02/2018)

Grant citizenship through mother’s nationality: NHRC (ht 15/02/2018)

Quest for citizenship hits District Office hurdle, by Thakur Singh Tharu (kp 11/02/2018)

Supreme Court issues show cause notice in favour of petitioner in citizenship case (ht 10/02/2018)

Citizenship with fake papers: Ward chief among 5 people under probe for forgery, by Tika Prasad Bhatta (kp 19/01/2018)

Villagers deprived of state facilities (ht 01/01/2018)

Photo expo on Nepalis sans citizenship (ht 24/10/2017)

Probe into citizenships provided to non-Nepalis getting nowhere, by Kiranman Bajracharya (rep 12/10/2017)

Musahars ask for citizenship with candidates seeking votes, by Mahesh Kumar Das (rep 14/09/2017)

Interim order against IoE, TU (ht 22/08/2017) [continued discrimination on the basis of gender and citizenship!]

Barrier to gender equality: Eliminating citizenship discrimination in Nepal is essential, by Wendy Yu (kp 20/08/2017)

Citizenship cards distributed at people’s doorsteps (ht 13/08/2017)

Denial of citizenship top complaint at home ministry (ht 06/08/2017)

EC’s voter registration boosts citizenship applicant numbers, by Basanta Pratap Singh (kp 03/08/2017)

Children of Nepali citizens by birth still being denied citizenship for lack of laws (ht 01/08/2017)

Tikapur sees rise in number of people seeking citizenship certificates, by Yogesh Rawal (rep 26/07/2017)

National ID card will be gender inclusive, says Minister Sharma (kp 25/07/2017)

EC for distributing citizenship along with voter registration, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 21/12/2016)

Citizenship provision: Constitution is already discriminatory, but with this amendment, it will also become patriarchal, by Subin Mulmi (kp 13/12/2016)

Citizenship and naturalisation: Madhesis do not want provisions that might compromise their relations with people across the border, by Praveen Kumar Yadav (kp 29/11/2016)

Don’t discriminate against naturalised citizens, says Yadav (ht 22/11/2016)

‘Naturalised citizens cannot be allowed to hold key constitutional posts’ (ht 20/11/2016) [Okay, but then treat children of both Nepali men or Nepali women, who are married to foreigners, equal!!], Govt planning to bring constitution amendment bill next week (ht), Panel fails to send Parbat restructuring report (kp 20/11/2016)

No solution in sight: The argument that naturalized citizens by marriage be treated as ‘special’ is fraught as we are dealing with people of two different countries, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep17/11/2016) [?? The problem is the continued different treatment of two genders, men and women by the constitution!!]

All citizens should have equal rights, says TMDP leader Lal (ht), Clinging to creed: A diverse country cannot live in peace and harmony by making one religion constitutionally superior to another, by Pramod Mishra (kp 10/11/2016)

Morcha leaders clear air on naturalised citizenship: Blame major parties for ‘uncalled for controversy’, by Roshan Sedhai (kp 09/11/2016), Ripples Of Naturalised Citizenship Issue, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn 09/11/2016)

Citizenship issue tough nut to crack: According to the new  constitution, only citizens by descent can hold the constitutional positions (kp 08/11/2016), NC not for retaining interim statute provisions: Shekhar; Says a majority of leaders are against naturalised citizens holding key posts, by Sarin Ghimire (kp 08/11/2016)

Nepal Citizenship Act, 20163 (2006)

Nepal Citizenship Rules, 2063 (2006)