The Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons defines a ‘stateless person’ as a ‘person who is not considered as a national by any state under the operation of its law’. The principles governing determination of statelessness are to be drawn from international law.

The protection provided to stateless persons in accordance with the QD is the same as the protection provided to third-country nationals.

Specific considerations

Article 1D Geneva Convention and Article 12(1) QD, relating to protection or assistance from organs or agencies of the United Nations other than the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), may be relevant to take into account.

When such protection or assistance has ceased for any reason, without the position of such persons being definitely settled in accordance with the relevant resolutions adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations, those persons shall ipso facto be entitled to the benefits of the QD.

In some national legal frameworks, individuals are also able to receive protection based solely on the fact of their statelessness

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