WORLD Policy Analysis Center

Does the constitution explicitly guarantee non-citizens’ right to freedom of movement?

The right to freedom of movement is considered to be protected for non- citizens when freedom of movement is explicitly granted to non-citizens, or when it is granted in general and the constitution states that non-citizens enjoy rights on an equal basis as citizens.

Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted means the constitution explicitly reserves freedom of movement for citizens or permits restrictions on the right to freedom of movement 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 the right to freedom of movement.

No specific provision means that the constitution does not explicitly mention the right to freedom of movement. 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 freedom of movement 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 freedom of movement. This language may be interpreted to exclude non-citizens from the right to freedom of movement.

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

Guaranteed for non-citizens means that the constitution guarantees the right to freedom of movement for non-citizens in authoritative language. For example, constitutions in this category might guarantee foreign citizens lawfully in the country the right to freedom of movement or guarantee that non-citizens enjoy the same rights as citizens, including the right to freedom of movement.

Countries

Angola - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Antigua and Barbuda - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Bahamas - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Barbados - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Belize - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Botswana - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Bulgaria - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Cabo Verde - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Dominica - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

El Salvador - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Ghana - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Grenada - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Guinea-Bissau - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Guyana - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Kiribati - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Lesotho - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Mauritius - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Mexico - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Mongolia - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Papua New Guinea - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Portugal - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Sao Tome and Principe - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Sierra Leone - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Solomon Islands - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

St. Lucia - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

St. Vincent and the Grenadines - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Eswatini - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Tuvalu - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Vanuatu - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Zambia - Explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Australia - No specific provision

Bangladesh - No specific provision

Belgium - No specific provision

Brunei - No specific provision

China - No specific provision

Democratic Republic of the Congo - No specific provision

Republic of the Congo - No specific provision

Denmark - No specific provision

France - No specific provision

Greenland - No specific provision

Haiti - No specific provision

India - No specific provision

Iran - No specific provision

Ireland - No specific provision

Israel - No specific provision

Japan - No specific provision

Lebanon - No specific provision

Liechtenstein - No specific provision

Luxembourg - No specific provision

Marshall Islands - No specific provision

Monaco - No specific provision

Myanmar - No specific provision

Nauru - No specific provision

The Netherlands - No specific provision

Qatar - No specific provision

Saudi Arabia - No specific provision

Tonga - No specific provision

United Kingdom - No specific provision

United States of America - No specific provision

Afghanistan - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Algeria - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Austria - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Bhutan - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Burundi - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Cambodia - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Cameroon - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Canada - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Cote d'Ivoire - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Djibouti - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Equatorial Guinea - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Eritrea - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Gabon - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Germany - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Greece - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Iraq - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Italy - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Jordan - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Republic of Korea - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Madagascar - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Malaysia - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Maldives - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Malta - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Mauritania - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Micronesia, Federated States of - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Mozambique - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Nepal - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Nigeria - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Pakistan - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Palau - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Romania - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Rwanda - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Samoa - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

San Marino - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Senegal - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Singapore - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Somalia - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

South Sudan - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Sri Lanka - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Sudan - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Suriname - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Sweden - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Syria - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Thailand - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Tunisia - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Uganda - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

United Arab Emirates - 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

Bahrain - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

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

Burkina Faso - 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

Croatia - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Cyprus - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Egypt - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Fiji - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

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

Guatemala - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Guinea - 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

Kenya - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Kuwait - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Latvia - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Liberia - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Libya - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Malawi - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Mali - 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

New Zealand - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Norway - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Oman - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Panama - 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

Seychelles - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

South Africa - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

St. Kitts and Nevis - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Switzerland - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

Timor-Leste - Guaranteed right, not specific for non-citizens

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

Türkiye - 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

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

Chad - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Colombia - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Comoros - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Costa Rica - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Cuba - 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

Ethiopia - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Finland - 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

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

Togo - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Turkmenistan - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Ukraine - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Uzbekistan - Guaranteed for non-citizens

Zimbabwe - Guaranteed for non-citizens