Editing Citizenship (section)

===Commonwealth===
{{Main|Commonwealth citizen}}
[[File: Citizenship ceremony on beach near Cooktown, Queensland. 2012.jpg|thumb|upright|Citizenship ceremony on beach near Cooktown, Queensland. 2012]]
The concept of "Commonwealth Citizenship" has been in place ever since the establishment of the [[Commonwealth of Nations]]. As with the EU, one holds Commonwealth citizenship only by being a citizen of a Commonwealth member state. This form of citizenship offers certain privileges within some Commonwealth countries:
* Some such countries do not require tourist [[visa (document)|visas]] of citizens of other Commonwealth countries or allow some Commonwealth citizens to stay in the country for tourism purposes without a visa for longer than citizens of other countries.
* In some Commonwealth countries, [[permanent resident|resident]] citizens of other Commonwealth countries are entitled to political rights, e.g., the [[right to vote]] in local and national elections and in some cases even the right to stand for election.
* In some instances the right to work in any position (including the [[civil service]]) is granted, except for certain specific positions, such as in the defense departments, [[Governor-General]] or [[President (government title)|President]] or [[Prime Minister]].
*In the United Kingdom, all Commonwealth citizens legally residing in the country can vote and stand for office at all elections.

Although [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] was excluded from the Commonwealth in 1949 because it declared itself a republic, Ireland is generally treated as if it were still a member. Legislation often specifically provides for equal treatment between Commonwealth countries and Ireland and refers to "Commonwealth countries and Ireland".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/246/pdfs/uksi_20050246_en.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101218091234/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/246/pdfs/uksi_20050246_en.pdf |archive-date=2010-12-18 |url-status=live|title=The Commonwealth Countries and Ireland (Immunities and Privileges) (Amendment) Order 2005}}</ref> Ireland's citizens are not classified as foreign nationals in the [[United Kingdom]].

Canada departed from the principle of nationality being defined in terms of allegiance in 1921. In 1935 the [[Irish Free State]] was the first to introduce its own citizenship. However, [[Irish citizen]]s were still treated as [[British subject|subjects of the Crown]], and they are still not regarded as foreign, even though Ireland is not a member of the Commonwealth.<ref>''Murray v Parkes'' [1942] All ER 123.</ref> The ''[[Canadian Citizenship Act, 1946|Canadian Citizenship Act]]'' of 1946 provided for a distinct [[Canadian nationality law|Canadian Citizenship]], automatically conferred upon most individuals born in Canada, with some exceptions, and defined the conditions under which one could become a naturalized citizen. The concept of [[History of British nationality law|Commonwealth citizenship was introduced]] in 1948 in the [[British Nationality Act 1948]]. Other [[dominion]]s adopted this principle such as [[New Zealand]],  by way of the [[British Nationality and New Zealand Citizenship Act 1948]].