Which of the following countries has formally accepted and implemented a policy of dual citizenship, allowing its citizens to legally hold the citizenship of another country?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: U.S.A

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This question focuses on the concept of dual citizenship in comparative constitutional and nationality law. Dual citizenship means that a person is simultaneously regarded as a citizen by two different states, enjoying legal rights and responsibilities in both. While some countries strictly prohibit dual citizenship, others explicitly permit it under their laws. For Indian exams, it is important to know that India does not allow true dual citizenship and offers Overseas Citizen of India status instead. In contrast, certain developed countries are well known for legally recognising dual citizenship.



Given Data / Assumptions:

  • The options include India, Canada, Australia, U.S.A and Bangladesh.
  • The term policy of dual citizenship refers to a legal acceptance and recognition of citizens holding more than one citizenship.
  • We assume the question is asking which country clearly allows dual citizenship under its law.


Concept / Approach:
India follows a single citizenship policy and the Constitution specifies that an Indian citizen who voluntarily acquires the citizenship of another country can lose Indian citizenship. Therefore, India does not allow full dual citizenship. On the other hand, the United States of America recognises dual citizenship in practice. While the U.S.A expects loyalty to its Constitution, it does not automatically cancel U.S. citizenship when someone acquires another nationality, and its courts have upheld dual nationality. Canada and Australia also allow dual citizenship, but in many exam oriented polity questions the classic example used to illustrate dual citizenship is the United States. Among the given options, the safest and most direct correct answer in the common Indian GK context is the U.S.A.



Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Eliminate India first, because Indian law does not recognise full dual citizenship and creates a separate Overseas Citizen of India status instead. 2. Recognise that the United States legally permits its citizens to hold another citizenship without automatic loss of U.S. nationality. 3. Canada and Australia also allow dual citizenship, but typical polity questions usually highlight the U.S.A as the primary example. 4. Bangladesh, like India, has historically imposed restrictions on dual citizenship, especially in earlier periods. 5. Therefore, the most standard and unambiguous answer to this question is the U.S.A.


Verification / Alternative check:
If you refer to basic materials on comparative polity, you will often find statements that India follows single citizenship while some Western countries, particularly the United States, follow dual citizenship. Indian exam oriented books highlight that an Indian citizen taking another citizenship usually has to give up Indian citizenship, whereas citizens of the U.S.A can often keep their original nationality and still naturalise in another country. This pattern repeatedly uses the United States as the contrast, confirming that it is an accepted exam answer.



Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • India: Does not allow full dual citizenship; instead, it offers Overseas Citizen of India status to certain persons of Indian origin.
  • Canada: Although Canada allows dual citizenship, Indian GK questions often focus on the more widely cited U.S.A example; in this question, the expected answer is clearly the United States.
  • Australia: Similar to Canada, it permits dual citizenship but is not the usual focus of basic comparative polity questions in Indian exams.
  • Bangladesh: Has historically imposed restrictions on dual citizenship and is not generally cited as a typical dual citizenship country.


Common Pitfalls:
The main confusion arises because more than one country in the world allows dual citizenship. However, competitive exam questions are usually based on standard textbook illustrations rather than exhaustive lists. Students should clearly remember that India does not allow dual citizenship and that the U.S.A is a prominent example of a country that does. This helps to answer multiple choice questions quickly without overthinking subtle nuances.



Final Answer:
Among the given options, the country that has clearly accepted and implemented a policy of dual citizenship is the U.S.A.

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