KUALA LUMPUR – The Home Ministry has streamlined the citizenship application process for individuals who are less than 21 years old, significantly reducing processing times since 2020, according to Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
In a parliamentary written reply today, the home minister said the expedited process, governed by Article 15A of the Federal Constitution, encompasses both the National Registration Department (JPN) and the ministry.
“Applications for citizenship statuses under Article 15A apply the same standard operating procedures (SOP) throughout the country.
“The procedure for applications under Article 15A has also been improved in 2020, namely by the shortened application processing period at the JPN from one year to three months, once a complete application is received.
“(Processes in) the Home Ministry also take eight months, as compared to three to five years prior.”
Saifuddin was responding to Lee Chean Chung (Petaling Jaya-PH), who asked the ministry to list out the steps taken to increase SOP in citizenship applications under Article 15A of the constitution and whether the government will issue a set of guidelines for the process.
Meanwhile, the minister said the government has issued a total of 11,711 decisions from the period between December 2022 and December 2023, while decisions made through Article 15A were issued to 5,187 applications.
Additionally, the minister clarified that Article 15A allows the federal government, under special circumstances deemed appropriate, to register individuals under 21 years as citizens, subject to the provisions of Article 18 of the Federal Constitution. – March 6, 2024