WORLD Policy Analysis Center

Does the constitution explicitly guarantee equality or non-discrimination for non-citizens?

Explicit guarantees of equality or non-discrimination for non-citizens include prohibitions of discrimination against non-citizens, and guarantees of equal rights, guarantees of equality before the law, and guarantees of overall equality for non-citizens in a country.

Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted means the constitution explicitly reserves full equality for citizens or permits restrictions on the right to equality and/or non-discrimination for non-citizens. For example, the constitution may state that foreign citizens enjoy all rights except those reserved for citizens and separately state that citizens enjoy equality before the law.

No specific provision means that the constitution does not explicitly mention the right to equality or non-discrimination. This does not mean that the constitution denies this right, but that it does not explicitly include it.

Right guaranteed using citizenship language means that the constitution protects the right to equality and/or non-discrimination in authoritative language, but uses the word “citizen” instead of “person” to guarantee the right. For example, constitutions in this category might guarantee that citizens have the right to equality before the law. This language may be interpreted to exclude non-citizens from the right to equality.

Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens means that the constitution guarantees equality to “everyone”, but does not specifically protect non-citizens’ right to equality or non-discrimination.

Guaranteed for non-citizens means that the constitution guarantees the right to equality and/or non-discrimination for non-citizens in authoritative language. For example, constitutions in this category might prohibit discrimination based on citizenship or guarantee that non-citizens enjoy the same rights as citizens.

Countries

Antigua and Barbuda - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Barbados - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Belize - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Botswana - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Cabo Verde - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Dominica - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

El Salvador - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

The Gambia - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Ghana - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Grenada - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Guinea-Bissau - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Guyana - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Kiribati - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Lesotho - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Malta - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Marshall Islands - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Mauritius - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Monaco - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

New Zealand - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Palau - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Panama - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Portugal - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Sao Tome and Principe - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Sierra Leone - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Solomon Islands - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

St. Kitts and Nevis - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

St. Lucia - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

St. Vincent and the Grenadines - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Tuvalu - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Vanuatu - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Zambia - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Australia - No specific provision

Bahamas - No specific provision

Bangladesh - No specific provision

Brunei - No specific provision

Democratic Republic of the Congo - No specific provision

Republic of the Congo - No specific provision

Denmark - No specific provision

Greenland - No specific provision

India - No specific provision

Israel - No specific provision

Democratic People's Republic of Korea - No specific provision

Liechtenstein - No specific provision

Nauru - No specific provision

Saudi Arabia - No specific provision

Sweden - No specific provision

Afghanistan - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Algeria - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Austria - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Bahrain - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Belgium - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Burkina Faso - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Burundi - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Cambodia - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Cameroon - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

China - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Cote d'Ivoire - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Egypt - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Equatorial Guinea - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

France - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Gabon - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Greece - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Guinea - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Haiti - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Iran - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Iraq - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Ireland - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Italy - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Jordan - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Republic of Korea - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Kuwait - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Lebanon - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Libya - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Luxembourg - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Mali - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Mauritania - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Mozambique - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Myanmar - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Nepal - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Nigeria - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Oman - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Pakistan - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Papua New Guinea - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Qatar - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Romania - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Rwanda - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

San Marino - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Somalia - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

South Africa - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

South Sudan - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Sri Lanka - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Syria - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Thailand - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Timor-Leste - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Togo - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Tunisia - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Türkiye - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Vietnam - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Yemen - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Argentina - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Armenia - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Bhutan - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Bosnia and Herzegovina - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Canada - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Central African Republic - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Chile - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Cuba - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Cyprus - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Djibouti - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Eritrea - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Ethiopia - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Fiji - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Finland - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Germany - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Guatemala - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Hungary - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Iceland - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Indonesia - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Jamaica - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Japan - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Kenya - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Latvia - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Liberia - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Madagascar - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Malaysia - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Maldives - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Micronesia, Federated States of - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Mongolia - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Montenegro - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Morocco - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Namibia - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

The Netherlands - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Norway - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Paraguay - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Peru - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

The Philippines - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Poland - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Samoa - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Senegal - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Seychelles - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Singapore - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Sudan - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Suriname - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Eswatini - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Switzerland - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Trinidad and Tobago - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Uganda - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

United Arab Emirates - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

United Kingdom - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

United States of America - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Uruguay - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Venezuela - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Albania - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Andorra - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Angola - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Azerbaijan - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Belarus - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Benin - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Bolivia - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Brazil - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Bulgaria - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Chad - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Colombia - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Comoros - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Costa Rica - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Croatia - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Czech Republic - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Dominican Republic - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Ecuador - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Estonia - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Georgia - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Honduras - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Kazakhstan - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Kyrgyzstan - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Laos - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Lithuania - Guaranteed for non-citizens

North Macedonia - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Malawi - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Mexico - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Moldova - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Nicaragua - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Niger - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Russian Federation - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Serbia - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Slovakia - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Slovenia - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Spain - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Tajikistan - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Tanzania - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Tonga - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Turkmenistan - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Ukraine - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Uzbekistan - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Zimbabwe - Guaranteed for non-citizens