KATHMANDU: Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said the government is working to simplify the citizenship process for children born to Nepali mothers, especially in cases where the father is unknown or absent.

Speaking during a meeting of the House of Representatives’ State Affairs and Good Governance Committee on Thursday, Minister Lekhak emphasized that the government is moving toward a provision based on self-declaration by the mother.

The statement came during deliberations on the Nepal Citizenship (Second Amendment) Bill, 2024, which aims to revise the Nepal Citizenship Act, 2006.

Minister Lekhak explained that while citizenship is currently granted without difficulty when the father’s citizenship certificate is available, legal and bureaucratic challenges arise when only the mother is Nepali. “The proposed amendment is intended to address such complexities,” he said.

He also pointed out that the bill addresses lingering issues related to naturalized citizenship, and added that District Administration Offices and their local branches have been providing citizenship services efficiently through a token system and consultation facilities.

Calling the bill crucial for resolving nationwide citizenship issues, Lekhak urged lawmakers to expedite its passage.

More than 80 amendment proposals have been registered for the bill so far.