After two years of intense debate and an official announcement that it would be tabled on 17 June 2021, the bill on the acquisition of nationality by marriage (No. 1038) was voted on 24 November 2021 by the National Council.
It will now be necessary to be married for twenty years to a Monegasque to acquire the nationality.
Refusing to abolish the possibility of acquiring Monegasque nationality by marriage, the National Council has chosen to double the period which was ten years since the entry into force of the 2011 law.
This measure was voted to preserve the Monegasque social and economic model.
As the Monegasque State is not expandable, the vote of this law is a measure aimed at preserving the rights and benefits of nationals for future generations while allowing the unity of nationality within families.
The bill has already been voted but, following the Commission's wish given the multiple postponements of marriages due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the law will come into force on 1st of July 2022.
Thus, the new twenty-year marriage period will only apply to marriages celebrated after the 1st of July 2022: couples married before that date will remain subject to the ten years period.
