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In depth
Special naturalization is the Korean path to citizenship for persons with Korean ancestry, governed by Article 5-2 of the Korean Nationality Act. It is available to persons with at least one Korean parent or grandparent, with reduced residency requirements (no residency requirement in some cases).
Japanese special naturalization (Article 6 of the Japanese Nationality Act) is available to persons with a Japanese parent, with reduced residency requirements (1 year instead of 5).
Special naturalization is distinct from regular naturalization (which requires 5 years residency) and from citizenship by descent (which is automatic at birth). It is the primary path for second and third generation diaspora to acquire citizenship.
Related terms
Naturalization is the legal process by which a non-citizen acquires the citizenship of a country, typically after meeting residency, language, and integration requirements.
The hoju was the Korean family registry system (similar to the Japanese koseki) that was abolished in 2008, replaced by the individual-based family relations register.
The OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card is the Indian document granting lifelong residency and most economic rights to persons of Indian origin, in lieu of full dual citizenship.
PIO (Person of Indian Origin) was a card for persons of Indian origin, merged into the OCI scheme in 2015.
The Law of Return (1950) is the Israeli law that grants Israeli citizenship to Jews, their children, grandchildren, and spouses.
Aliyah is the Hebrew term for Jewish immigration to Israel, the process by which Jews and their descendants claim Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return.