International Legal Development of Dual Citizenship: Historical and Legal Aspect
The article is devoted to the study and analysis of the international legal development of dual citizenship regulation in the historical context up to the beginning of the XXI century. Special attention is paid to scientific approaches to the dual citizenship institution in various historical epochs. The article reveals the attitude to dual citizenship in the Ancient world, when the first beginnings of international legal regulation of the phenomenon of dual citizenship appeared in the form of Greek agreements on epigamy. There was a significant increase in the number of cases of dual citizenship after the development of the New World and the emergence of new states, when European citizens who lived in the New World became simultaneously citizens of newly formed states. The author dwells in detail on the first attempt of the international community to resolve issues of dual citizenship by adopting a single universal act at the Hague Conference on the codification of international law, held under the auspices of the League of Nations in 1930, as well as on the results of regional summits in the framework of the seventh International conference of American States in 1933 and the Afro-Asian Legal Consultative Committee in 1964. The article analyzes the practice of states on bilateral regulation of issues of dual citizenship. Special attention is paid to the policy of the Russian Federation regarding dual citizenship. It is noted that over time, the attitude to dual citizenship in the science of international law and the practice of countries around the world has become much more tolerant and liberal. Examples are given of how, over time, with the change of the political regime in a particular state, the country's policy towards the phenomenon of dual citizenship changes dramatically. To sum up, the author suggests that as an effective mechanism for regulating the phenomenon of dual citizenship, which would remain so without taking into account the policies of individual States, the adoption of a single universal framework international legal act associated with regional cooperation of the world's countries on a geographical basis.