Population reaches 150 as naturalisation applications approved

The population of Austenasia yesterday saw a huge expansion to its highest ever level, rising to 150 after an unprecedented grant of non-residential subjectships. Thirty six applications for naturalisation have been approved by the Home Office, the largest ever single increase in Austenasia’s population. The applications came from the Empire’s Honorary Subjects, who were invited to apply for naturalisation in March after a new process for such was authorised by Parliament. Of the thirty six new non-residential subjects, seven already served as honorary diplomats representing the Empire abroad. The new Austenasians are from around the world, living in countries including Bulgaria, Egypt, Poland, and Venezuela, although most are from the UK, United States, India, Argentina, and Italy. This huge influx has resulted in a dramatic change to the proportion of residential and non-residential subjects. The former have always been a significant majority, but although residential subjects still outnumber non-residentials, they now do so only by seventy nine to seventy one. Political representation of non-residential subjects – already a topic of interest since the premiership of Lord John Gordon – will now be a far more prominent topic of prospective reform. The government will be communicating with the new Austenasians to find ways in which their specific skills and interests can contribute to the nation.

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: 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.

200th Honorary Subject registered

The two hundredth Honorary Subject was yesterday registered with the Secretary-General. Honorary Subjectship is a completely titular affiliation to Austenasia which carries with it no rights or duties whatsoever. The status – which was created in November 2008 – is granted after applicants register online via a form on the government website. Austenasian Honorary Subjects live in forty one countries throughout the world; the two hundredth is from Portugal.