NATIONALITY AND CITIZENSHIP.

No. 58 of 1950.

An Act to amend the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948.

[Assented to 14th December, 1950.]

BE it enacted by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—

Short title and citation.

1.—(1.) This Act may be cited as the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1950.

(2.) The Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948 is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.

(3.) The Principal Act, as amended by this Act, may be cited as the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948–1950.

Commencement.

2. This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

Definitions.

3. Section five of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by adding at the end of the definition of “naturalized person” in sub-section (1.) the words “, but does not include a woman who—

(a) was a British subject at birth; or

(b) at any time before the date of commencement of this Act married a British subject”; and

(b) by adding at the end thereof the following sub-section:—

“(4.) The provisions of this Act (other than the definition of ‘New Guinea’ in sub-section (1.) of this section, and sub-sections (1.) and (3.) of section twenty-five) shall be construed and applied as if the Island of Nauru were part of New Guinea.”.

Declaration of intention to apply for naturalization.

4. Section fourteen of the Principal Act is amended by omitting sub-section (3.) and inserting in its stead the following sub-section:—

“(3.) The Minister may, if he considers that there are circumstances which justify his so doing, exempt a person from the requirements of sub-section (1.) of this section.”.

Citizenship by naturalization

5. Section fifteen of the Principal Act is amended by omitting sub-section (4.) and inserting in its stead the following sub-section:—

“(4.) Notwithstanding anything contained in section fourteen of this Act or in sub-section (1.) of this section, the Minister may, upon application in the prescribed form, grant a certificate of naturalization as an Australian citizen to an alien woman who satisfies him—

(a) that she is the wife or widow of an Australian citizen; and

(b) that she has resided in Australia or New Guinea, or partly in Australia and partly in New Guinea, for a continuous period of not less than one year.”.

Evidence in support of application for registration or naturalization.

6. Section thirty-six of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by omitting from sub-section (1.) the words “a certificate of registration or”: and

(b) by omitting from that sub-section the words “registration or”.