Naturalisation process introduced for Honorary Subjects

Honorary Subjects of Austenasia who have held this status for a certain amount of time will from now on be able to apply to the Home Office for naturalisation, thereby becoming non-residential subjects with full Austenasian national status.

For most of Austenasian history, the only way for a non-resident to become an Austenasian was for an Act of Parliament to be passed specifically authorising it, although in 2020 new rules were brought in allowing the Monarch to grant subjectship to an applicant with the sponsorship of an Austenasian noble.

Honorary Subjectship was created in November 2008, when Austenasia was only two months old, after several people interested in Austenasia requested some means of affiliation with the country short of becoming a subject (which, at the time, would have required moving in to the Imperial Residence).

Honorary Subjectship is granted by the Secretary-General after an application is made online.

The new process sets out three categories under which Honorary Subjects can apply for naturalisation, namely those who have:

1. Been an Honorary Subject for more than two years
2. Been an Honorary Subject for more than one year, and can produce letters of recommendation from at least two existing Austenasian nationals
3. Been granted Honorary Subjectship and spent more than six months in voluntary service to the government in some capacity (e.g., a ceremonial diplomat)

All 658 of the Empire’s existing Honorary Subjects have been sent an e-mail explaining this new opportunity, and invited to apply if interested and qualified via an online form.

This marks the first time that Honorary Subjectship has ever been anything other than completely honorary. Although the position will continue to carry no rights or obligations by itself, it now serves as a potential pathway to naturalisation.

This new naturalisation process was set up by the Office of the Secretary-General and the Home Office’s Department for the Census, after being authorised by the Procedures and Offices Act 2023 passed on 2 March earlier this month.