A representative of the Consular and Political Affairs office at the High Commission for the Countries of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States provided the following information in an 11 May 2004 telephone interview: Renouncing citizenship in Dominica is a voluntary process that a citizen would have to undertake only if, for example, the citizen moved to a country, such as Germany, that did not allow dual citizenship. Generally speaking, the government of Dominica would not deny any citizen of his or her citizenship.

Nevertheless, according to Chapter VII of the Constitution of Dominica ("Citizenship"), Section 101 (b), the Parliament may make provision for "depriving of his citizenship of Dominica any person who is a citizen of Dominica otherwise than by virtue of section 97, 98 or 99 of this Constitution" (Constitutions of the Countries of the World Mar. 1997, 92). The sections mentioned in Section 101 address those persons who became citizens of Dominica on 3 November 1978 (the date Dominica became an independent Commonwealth state) (Section 97), persons born in Dominica on or after 3 November 1978 (Section 98), and persons born outside Dominica on or after 3 November 1978 who have at least one Dominican parent (Section 99) (ibid., 90-91). Please find attached pages 90 and 91 of the Constitutions of the Countries of the World pertaining to Sections 97 to 99 of the Constitution of Dominica.

Moreover, information provided on Immigration-World, a Website sponsored by the private company Vista International Success Agency, stated that persons accepted into the Economic Citizenship Program could have their Dominican citizenship revoked any of the following took place: 1) the applicant provided false data or counterfeit documents in order to obtain citizenship, 2) the applicant broke the conditions or terms outlined by the Program, 3) the applicant proved to be disloyal to Dominica, 4) within the first five years of being a citizen, the applicant was sentenced to more than one year in prison in any country of the world (Immigration-World 2002).

Information about the Economic Citizenship Program can be found in DMA36698.E of 17 April 2001 and DMA35929.E of 14 November 2000.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Constitutions of the Countries of the World. March 1997. "Commonwealth of Dominica." Edited by Gisbert H. Flanz. Dobbs Ferry, NY: Oceana Publications.