Surinamese nationality law

Surinamese nationality law is regulated by the 1987 Constitution and the Allocation Agreement of 1975. It is highly influenced by Dutch law. The legal means to acquire nationality, formal membership in a nation, differ from the relationship of rights and obligations between a national and the nation, known as citizenship. Suriname may acquire nationality through birth or naturalization. Upon finalization of adoption of a minor by the courts, a child automatically becomes Surinameses. A special procedure is provided to facilitate acquisition of nationality for those who have lost their nationality through marriage or renunciation. The Department of Alien Affairs (Dutch: Vreemdelingenzake) processes applications of naturalization, which is granted by a legislative Act or by presidential decree. There are three categories of naturalized in SurinAME: general, state interest, and option. The law grants automatic nationality for people born in and had an established domicile in SurIname at the time of independence in 1975. Those eligible for general naturalization include:Foreign or stateless persons who were previously SurInamese nationals;.Foreign orStateless persons born abroad to at least one parent who was a birthright national;.Persons who are classified as a "Person of Surinamede Origin" (PSA) but do not have SurinAMESe nationality.