This is the immigration law of Vatican City, one of the strictest in Europe

@ElentirENG ES 8·29·2024 · 6:01 0

Although Vatican City is the seat of the Pope, the religious leader of the Catholic Church, it is also a sovereign state with civil laws.

The firearms used by the Pontifical Swiss Guard, the smallest army in the world
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A state protected by the Leonine Walls

Vatican City is the smallest and most populous state in the world, but like other states, it has a border and a force charged with guarding it. The border of Vatican City, which separates its territory from Italy, measures approximately 3.2 kilometers. The Vatican is the only country that has most of its border protected by a wall, the Leonine Walls, which date back to the 9th century and reach a height of 14 meters.

The military and police forces that protect this state

To defend this border, the Vatican has a military force, the Pontifical Swiss Guard, made up of 104 soldiers and which is the smallest army in the world. In addition to its traditional swords, halberds and partisan lances, the Swiss Guard also has firearms (automatic pistols and assault rifles) to carry out its work. In addition, this small state has a police force, the Vatican Gendarmerie, made up of 130 agents who are in charge of internal security and public order and who also perform judicial police functions. According to the 2023 census, Vatican City has only 764 inhabitants, making it by far the state with the most soldiers and police per capita in the world.

Only 618 people have Vatican citizenship

According to the Vatican City State itself, only 264 people live within the walls of Vatican City, including the Pope, 9 cardinals and 104 members of the Swiss Guard, although the state indicates that it has 764 inhabitants. According to the aforementioned census, Vatican City has only 618 citizens, of which only 64 have official Vatican City passports, being the most exclusive national passport in the world. The Vatican notes that "approximately half of citizens do not reside in the State, but in other countries, especially for reasons of service (in particular, diplomatic personnel)."

The strict rules for acquiring and maintaining that citizenship

On 13 May 2023, Pope Francis approved a Fundamental Law of the Vatican City State, Article 5 of which states:

"The citizens, residents, and those who, in other capacities and with different functions and responsibilities, permanently carry out their service, in an ecclesial spirit, to the State or to the Holy See, form part of the community of the State."

The laws of the Vatican City State can be consulted here. Under the pontificate of Benedict XVI, in February 2011, an immigration law was passed, called "Legge sulla cittadinanza, la residenza e l'accesso" (Law on Citizenship, Residence and Access, see PDF). In his 11 years of pontificate, Pope Francis has not modified this rule.

In Article 1, this law specifies who are the citizens of Vatican City: the Pope, the cardinals who reside in that state or in Rome, and those who reside in that state by reason of office or service. In Article 2, the law establishes the requirements for obtaining a residence permit in that state, granted by the Pope or by the cardinals who serve as Secretary of State and President of the Governorate.

The strict conditions of the Vatican residence permit

The law states that authorization "for the spouse and children is granted on the basis of the simple observation of the family ties", and that this authorization "ceases for the spouse if the marriage is declared null or void or the marital separation is declared". This article also adds: "The authorizations contemplated in this chapter may be revoked at any time with due notice."

Article 3 indicates the reasons for the loss of Vatican citizenship: that a cardinal no longer resides in that city, that a diplomat of the Holy See has left the service or that persons who had acquired citizenship by virtue of an office or service have ceased to hold them. Anyone who has ceased to reside in the Vatican also loses citizenship, as does the spouse and children of a person who has lost citizenship. In addition, the children of a citizen lose citizenship upon reaching the age of 18.

Chapter II of this law deals with the right of residence. Its articles indicate the rigorous registry that is kept of specific persons who, for certain reasons, are permitted to reside in the Vatican without having its citizenship, authorizations that "may be revoked at any time with due notice" (Article 6).

Conditions of access to Vatican City

Chapter III of the law sets out the strict conditions for access to Vatican City, beyond the areas where access is freely available. The access permit "allows one to remain in Vatican City for the time corresponding to the needs in relation to which it was granted" (Article 9.3). The law warns that the access permit "may be denied if there are justifiable reasons" (Article 9.2).

Furthermore, Article 15 states: "Citizens or residents of Vatican City may not provide accommodation to other persons without the authorization of the Cardinal President of the Governorate."

Vatican City does not allow illegal immigration

It should be noted that, in light of this law, Vatican City does not allow illegal immigration in any form and certainly has one of the strictest citizenship, residency and immigration laws in Europe. The reasons for such strict regulations are obvious: to ensure the safety of the Pope and the other inhabitants of the state, which, after all, are the same reasons why other states have laws to prevent illegal immigration.

On immigration, the Vatican City rigorously interprets point 2241 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church in its second paragraph:

"Civil authorities, taking into account the common good of those under their charge, may subordinate the exercise of the right of immigration to various legal conditions, especially with regard to the duties of emigrants towards their adopted country. The immigrant is obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the host country, to obey its laws and contribute to its burdens."

On this issue, Pope Saint John Paul II, canonized by Pope Francis, stated the following on 25 July 1995:

"Illegal immigration should be prevented, but it is also essential to combat vigorously the criminal activities which exploit illegal immigrants."

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Main photo: Pxhere.com.