Citizenship education for new citizens is education intended to prepare noncitizens to become legally and socially accepted as
citizens
Citizenship is a membership and allegiance to a sovereign state.
Though citizenship is often conflated with nationality in today's English-speaking world, international law does not usually use the term ''citizenship'' to refer to nationality; ...
, and is carried out by a variety of governmental and non-governmental organizations (
NGO
A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...
).
Belgium
An integration program is organized in the
Flemish Region
The Flemish Region (, ), usually simply referred to as Flanders ( ), is one of the three communities, regions and language areas of Belgium, regions of Belgium—alongside the Wallonia, Walloon Region and the Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region. ...
of Belgium. The program is obliged in many cases and consists of an integration course made up of a basic level Dutch course and career orientation. It is also possible to enroll in the program in
Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
, without any obligation.
Germany
In order to obtain German citizenship, it is compulsory for a citizen to pass the
Integrationskurs
The Integrationskurs is an integration course provided by Germany to help Foreign national, foreigners adjust to life in Germany. The Integrationskurs is intended to prepare noncitizens to become legally and socially accepted as Citizenship, citi ...
- which teaches the basics of the
German language
German (, ) is a West Germanic language in the Indo-European language family, mainly spoken in Western Europe, Western and Central Europe. It is the majority and Official language, official (or co-official) language in Germany, Austria, Switze ...
and German culture and society, such as the German legal system, history, and culture, rights, and obligations in Germany, etc.
Netherlands
In the Netherlands, the citizen education for new citizens is called "inburgeringsplicht". In many cases, the foreigner is obliged to learn very basic Dutch and basic knowledge about Dutch society while still abroad. The immigrant must pass an exam abroad before receiving a visa for temporary residence. All this depends on certain criteria (especially what country the foreigner comes from).
Civic integration examination abroad introduced
website of Immigratie en Naturalisatiedienst retrieved 2010-April-24
United States
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, government programs prepared immigrant
Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not usual residents or where they do not possess nationality in order to settle as permanent residents. Commuters, tourists, and other short- ...
s to take citizenship exams or qualify for citizenship. Many corporations, most prominently Ford, offered similar programs to their employees and families of their employees. In addition, various charities also provided this service.
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
in 2002, David Blunkett
David Blunkett, Baron Blunkett, (born 6 June 1947) is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for Education and Employment from 1997 to 2001, Home Secretary from 2001 to 2004 and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in 2005. ...
introduced a series of proposals where immigrants would take a written "test" and participate in a ceremony before they could be granted British nationality. Before being given a passport, applicants read Life in the United Kingdom
Life, also known as biota, refers to matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes. It is defined descriptively by the capacity for homeostasis, organisation, metabolism, growth, adaptation, respons ...
(a book providing information about the UK), prepare for and sit a 45-minute test on British society, history, and culture.
See also
*Home Office
The Home Office (HO), also known (especially in official papers and when referred to in Parliament) as the Home Department, is the United Kingdom's interior ministry. It is responsible for public safety and policing, border security, immigr ...
*Integration of immigrants
The integration of immigrants or migrant integration is primarily the process of socioeconomic integration of immigrants and their descendants into a society through emancipatory and collective care values of the host country. Secondarily, it i ...
*Immigration and Nationality Directorate The Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) was part of the Home Office, a department of the United Kingdom government. The department had its headquarters in Croydon, South London, where it occupied thirteen buildings. The IND was responsible ...
*UK Visas and Immigration
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) is a division of the Home Office responsible for the United Kingdom's visa system. It was formed in 2013 from the section of the UK Border Agency that had administered the visa system.
History
The then Home Secret ...
References
External links
UK Border Agency
{{DEFAULTSORT:Citizenship Education
Educational programs
Immigration law