Political parties including the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, CPN (Unified Socialist), and the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) have expressed their commitment to amend laws to ensure the rights guaranteed by the Constitution to Non-Resident Nepali (NRN) citizens. Meanwhile, the RSP and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) have pledged to initiate constitutional and legal arrangements that would allow Nepali citizenship to remain intact even after acquiring foreign citizenship.

In its manifesto under the heading “Nepali Diaspora: An Inseparable Bond, An Extended Nepal,” the Nepali Congress included the slogan “Once a Nepali, Always a Nepali,” addressing the issue of Nepalis who have obtained foreign citizenship. The manifesto states: “Embracing the spirit of ‘Once a Nepali, Always a Nepali,’ we will ensure continuity of citizenship, property rights, and voting rights, and connect the emotions, knowledge, skills, and capital of all generations of the diaspora to the nation’s prosperity.”

The Nepali Congress has pledged to introduce additional legal provisions to strengthen and sustain the economic, social, and cultural ties of the second generation of NRNs with Nepal. The party stated that it has long recognized the NRN community or Nepali diaspora as an important partner in nation-building. It claimed that it played a key role in implementing legal provisions such as the Non-Resident Nepali Act (2007), the Social Security Fund, and constitutional provisions related to NRN citizenship to ensure their identity, rights, and economic and intellectual investment. The party added that it remains committed to creating further legal and policy arrangements to fully utilize the potential of all generations of NRNs, connect the skills and experiences gained abroad to Nepal’s development, and deepen their emotional ties with the country.

The Congress has also committed to ensuring the rights and interests granted under NRN citizenship as guaranteed by the Constitution. While unveiling the manifesto in Kathmandu, party leader Gagan Thapa said, “The Congress is clear about the Nepali diaspora—‘Once a Nepali, Always a Nepali.’ We will amend the Constitution and laws as necessary. We have granted Non-Resident Nepali citizenship, but we have been very restrictive regarding the rights it should provide. Passing the NRN Act alone is not enough; unless dozens of other laws are amended, NRNs will not be able to exercise their rights.”

Thapa mentioned that the party has studied laws that obstruct the exercise of rights under NRN citizenship and will clarify legal grounds to protect ancestral property and allow NRNs to conduct transactions involving their land. He also said the party would work toward agreements to provide relief from double taxation, establish a permanent philanthropic fund for NRNs, and create institutional arrangements allowing them to contribute to Nepal’s universities, civil service, and other institutions even while residing abroad.

Similarly, the CPN-UML mentioned NRNs in its manifesto under the title “Ambassadors of Goodwill: Meaningful Contribution of NRNs to Motherland Development.” The manifesto states: “We consider Non-Resident Nepalis living abroad as Nepal’s goodwill ambassadors in the international arena. We will ensure representation in various public bodies to enhance the diaspora’s contribution to policy-making, business promotion, investment mobilization, and social development.” The UML has pledged to protect the property of Nepalis living abroad in Nepal, create legal provisions allowing them to repatriate profits earned from investments, and provide additional tax exemptions to NRNs investing in nationally prioritized sectors.

The CPN (Unified Socialist) stated in its commitment document that it would adopt a policy to make NRN citizenship more rights-based. It pledged to utilize the knowledge, skills, and earnings of NRNs for nation-building and to take effective initiatives to protect the labor and other rights of migrant Nepalis. It also committed to encouraging the federal government to develop special plans to attract NRN investment into the country and to enact necessary laws to make NRN citizenship more empowered.

The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), raising the slogan “Once a Nepali, Always a Nepali,” has stated that it stands in favor of dual citizenship. The party has pledged that if it secures a majority, it will amend the Constitution to provide for dual citizenship. In a pledge document made public in Surkhet by party president Rabi Lamichhane, senior leader Shah, vice presidents DP Aryal and Swarnim Wagle, among others, the party committed to supporting dual citizenship.

Point number 99 of the RSP manifesto states: “The RSP views Nepalis abroad as a key pillar of the country’s economic transformation. We will grant voting rights to Nepalis living abroad and, respecting the emotional bond of ‘Once a Nepali, Always a Nepali,’ will, in principle, stand in favor of dual citizenship with certain specific exceptions and immediately end administrative hassles related to property rights.”

Swarnim Wagle, coordinator of the committee that drafted the RSP manifesto, said that if the party gains a majority, it will pursue constitutional and legal reforms to accept dual citizenship. He said, “Based on the principle of ‘Once a Nepali, Always a Nepali,’ we will advocate for the continuity of your citizenship. Once sufficient numbers and capacity are achieved, we will formalize it legally.”

The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) mentioned NRNs in only one point in its commitment paper. It stated that a person who has acquired Nepali citizenship by descent will retain Nepali citizenship even after obtaining foreign citizenship. The party said, “To utilize the skills and capital earned by the NRN community for national development, continuity of citizenship by descent will be maintained to ensure ‘Once a Nepali, Always a Nepali.’” It also pledged to use the skills, knowledge, and experience of Nepalis abroad as “brain gain” to contribute to national progress.

Nepal’s Constitution provides for NRN citizenship. However, Nepali law states that NRNs do not receive political rights. Those who obtain NRN citizenship are entitled only to economic, social, and cultural rights. In contrast, individuals who acquire Nepali citizenship by descent are entitled to economic, social, cultural, and political rights. Positions such as President, Vice President, Prime Minister, ministers, chiefs of security agencies, and heads of administrative services require full political rights.

Article 14 of the Constitution provides for NRN citizenship. It states: “A person who has acquired the citizenship of a foreign country, except a member state of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, and who previously held Nepali citizenship by descent or by birth, or whose father, mother, grandfather, or grandmother was a citizen of Nepal and later acquired foreign citizenship, may be granted Non-Resident Nepali citizenship in accordance with federal law, allowing the enjoyment of economic, social, and cultural rights.”