Legislation approved to grant citizenship to Haitians born in Dom Rep

Lawmakers in the Dominican Republic have approved legislation establishing a system for granting naturalised citizenship and permanent residency to people of Haitian descent born in the Spanish-speaking Caribbean country.



All 26 members of the Senate voted for the bill during an emergency session.



It must now be officially published by President Danilo Medina to become law.



The measure was introduced by Medina's administration and the lower house unanimously passed it last week.



Last year, the Dominican Republic came under intense scrutiny after the Constitutional Court ruled in favour of stripping citizenship from children of Haitian migrants.



The decision applies to those born after 1929 - a category that overwhelmingly includes descendants of Haitians brought in to work on farms.



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