The social media landscape in Nepal has been flooded with reactions to recent statements by several politicians who declared that the government cannot grant citizenship to Nepali citizens who have already obtained foreign citizenship.
While a few people support this view, the majority of Nepalis living abroad disagree — highlighting deeper issues that have forced many to migrate in the first place.
Citizenship has always been a sensitive and politically charged issue in Nepal. Every country has its own interests when determining who qualifies for naturalized citizenship, and Nepal is no exception.
Historically, Nepal maintained a balanced and fair approach — granting citizenship to foreigners who demonstrated loyalty and long-term contribution to the nation, and only after fulfilling specific legal criteria. This principle remained largely intact until the political transformation of 1990.
However, following the 1990s democratic changes, multiple attempts were made to loosen citizenship laws, often influenced by external political interests. These efforts were repeatedly blocked by the then monarchy and the Supreme Court, which sought to protect national integrity.
After the abolition of the monarchy in 2006, political parties amended the citizenship law to make the process more lenient. In recent years, the government has passed several citizenship amendments that appear to make it easier for foreigners to obtain naturalized citizenship, while simultaneously making it difficult for Nepalis living abroad — many of whom were forced to migrate due to economic hardship — to reclaim or retain their Nepali identity.
Many argue that Nepalis abroad take foreign citizenship not out of disloyalty, but out of necessity. It is nearly impossible to sustain a livelihood overseas without the social benefits that host countries provide exclusively to their citizens. Critics allege that successive Nepali governments have often made these policy changes under foreign pressure, ultimately weakening Nepal’s cultural and national strength.
After the 1990s, many state-owned industries were privatized. Unfortunately, the process was riddled with corruption and mismanagement.
Private owners often took large loans and defaulted, leading to widespread industrial collapse. Political parties also established partisan labor unions that frequently organized strikes under the guise of protecting workers’ rights — though often serving political motives.
This cycle crippled production, caused factories to close, and left thousands unemployed. As a result, countless Nepalis were forced to seek employment abroad, leaving behind their families and communities.
This mass labor migration not only weakened family bonds but also created generational social impacts, including emotional distance, unstable family structures, and loss of cultural continuity.
Although the cost of education in Nepal’s public schools is relatively low, it remains unaffordable for families without stable income. Even those who complete higher education often struggle to find jobs that justify their financial and personal investment.
Before the 1990s, the government provided free education up to grade five, including free textbooks. After political liberalization, private schools expanded rapidly, marketing themselves as “quality institutions” while charging exorbitant fees. Education soon became a status symbol rather than a universal right.
Meanwhile, public schools and universities turned into battlegrounds for student politics. Party-affiliated student unions frequently disrupted classes with strikes and protests, undermining academic quality and discouraging parents from enrolling their children in government institutions.
This toxic environment pushed many students to pursue education abroad, fueling a steady brain drain and expanding the labor migration pipeline.
In developed nations, health care and education are considered fundamental rights. In Nepal, however, they have become commercial enterprises.
For example, completing a nursing degree may cost up to four million rupees, but graduates often earn only 15,000–20,000 rupees per month.
Nepotism and political favoritism in public institutions further discourage talented individuals without connections.
These conditions drive many skilled youth to migrate abroad, seeking dignity, fairness, and opportunity — values they struggle to find at home.
Corruption and inefficiency within Nepal’s bureaucracy remain some of the greatest obstacles to national progress.
Ordinary citizens without political ties or wealth face endless delays and harassment even for routine administrative tasks.
Bribery has become an open secret, sustained by low salaries and high living costs.
In such an environment, honest and ethical individuals feel trapped and disillusioned, often leaving the country not for wealth, but for mental peace and self-respect.
Life abroad is far from easy. High tuition fees, rent, and living costs force many Nepali students to work long hours while studying.
Yet, obtaining foreign citizenship often offers stability, access to healthcare, social security, and education — protections that are uncertain or unavailable in Nepal.
This sense of security and fairness makes foreign citizenship a practical necessity rather than a betrayal of national loyalty.
Nepal’s economic inequality continues to deepen.
Ordinary citizens work tirelessly but struggle to make ends meet, while those with political influence enjoy unchecked privilege and luxury.
This systemic inequality is one of the key drivers of migration, as hardworking Nepalis lose faith in domestic systems that reward corruption and punish merit.
The resulting social frustration is evident in the growing disillusionment toward politics and governance.
Some politicians argue that those who left Nepal voluntarily should not expect citizenship benefits.
However, such arguments ignore the real causes of migration — corruption, nepotism, and lack of opportunity at home.
Instead of blaming citizens who seek better lives abroad, political leaders should confront the systemic failures that push them away.
To reduce mass emigration and rebuild trust among citizens, the Government of Nepal must take decisive and ethical action:
Eliminate political interference in education and civil service.
Reopen and revive industries that collapsed after the failed privatization of the 1990s.
Ensure the independence and integrity of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches.
Guarantee basic social security, free education, and accessible healthcare for all citizens.
By addressing these root causes, Nepal can move toward a society where people feel secure, respected, and proud to belong — without needing to leave their homeland to survive.