Immigration to Cartadania

Immigration to Cartadania, both in the country's modern borders and the many political entities that preceded it, has occurred throughout the country's history. It has spiked during numerous phenomena and conflicts around the country and has allowed the nation to amass the ninth-largest population and fourth-largest economy on the planet. Today, Cartadania is one of the most popular destinations for immigrants in the world, and a majority go on to become Cartadanian citizens.

Historically, Cartadania has been quite welcoming to immigrants from around the world, but the conditions for immigration have changed over time. Cartadania does afford easier opportunity to those immigrating from countries culturally proximal to Cartadania, such as Ceylonia and Pelaxia, though Pelaxians are able to enjoy many of the same rights as citizens due to Cartadania's membership in UNESARP. On the other hand, some nations have historically been restricted from citizenship except in instances of asylum, such as Caphiria during the Great Wars, though this has since returned to the standard model, and Varshan, which still bares restrictions until 2030.

Among the 4.1 million newborns in metropolitan Cartadania in 2027, 29.1% had one or both parents foreign-born, and about one quarter (23.9%) had one parent or both born outside of Sarpedon. Including grandparents, about 22% of newborns in Cartadania between 2025 and 2027 had at least one foreign-born grandparent (9% born in another Sarpedonian country, 8% born in Levantia, and 2% born in another region of the world).

History
Cartadania has historically always been a country welcome to immigrants in some way or another, especially early in its history as a fully independent country. The ways in which immigration occurred often varied from country to country in regards to arrival, but generally speaking, the vast majority arrived by boat, with some also arriving by land border as well. This method was further exacerbated by the maritime history of Cartadania as it ventured westward towards Vallos, the Polynesian Sea, and eventually to Crona, where it established colonies and transported people back and forth to the metropole.

Owing to the vast amount of surface water that surrounds the country, Cartadania has many ports that formerly accepted immigrants, but there are three that were typically used, the largest of which being Port Valor in Valorica, Triessa. From 1837 to 1954, nearly 31 million immigrants arriving at Port Valor were processed there under federal law by the Triessa Port Authority. It became the most well-known Port in the country as a result of this focus.

Santiago became quite popular for immigration in the 18th century forward as well. Located just off the north shore of the Attalus Bay, Newport Island was also a primary point of entry. Cartadania also welcomed immigrants from across the Commonwealth, as well as by land border with Volonia and Caphiria. Cartadania's population dynamics began to change in the middle of the 19th century, though, as it joined the Industrial Revolution. The pace of industrial growth attracted millions of immigrants over the next century, with especially large numbers arriving from Aciria, Caphiria, Pelaxia, Volonia, and the Coscivian isles off Cartadania's west coast.

The First Great War saw a shift in the opposite direction as Alahuela completely stopped all immigration from the east as a result of conflicts with Caphiria. The imperial encroachment of the continent left the country in disarray, and after the fall of the eastern states, Caphirians seeking asylum were turned away in droves in the first instance since the nation's inception. Veltorinans fleeing imperial reign were granted asylum but were required to present documentation proving their status. This became the status quo until the upheaval of the second Great War, where Cartadania annexed the land previously held back into its control. The policy on imperial immigration continued to stand, with Alahuela further imposing restrictions on Daxia, Dericania, and Faneria, though Cartadania opened its borders to much of the rest of the world at this time. These restrictions fell, one by one, until Alahuela finally relaxed all restrictions on Caphirian immigration in 2014, restoring the prior 5-year rule.

Recent trends
In recent years but also throughout history, immigration has flowed heavily from Crona, especially around the conflicts with Varshan during the Final War of the Deluge. The explicity-Varshani population in Cartadania has historically been low, but those who are of Varshani descent have been in higher population since the height of the war. Varshani authorities estimate that the real population of Varshani nationals living in Cartadania is much bigger than Cartadania official figures suggest, establishing them at about 1,000,000, about 800,000 being permanent residents. Aside from the War era restrictions, Cartadania has not recorded any relevant anti-immigration bout to date. According to some analysts, the causes behind this are multiple. In addition to the lack of strong right-wing political parties, it also must be added that the legacy of Imperialism left an ingrained skepticism towards right-wing authoritarianism. Drawing from the experience of many Cartadanians during the 1960s and then again in the beginning of the 21st century when the world saw an economic downturn, there may be also a collective understanding that hardships force people to seek work abroad.

Regulation
Immigration in Cartadania is regulated by the Department of State's Office of Immigration, which designates the immigration law (with consent and approval from the President).

Student visa
Cartadania is an education haven for international students and has been for quite some time. According to surveys conducted in 2027, Cartadania is the world’s fourth most popular destination for foreign students. The government, by opening its gates to international students across the country, has given an economic boom to the education sector. In 2026 alone, it is estimated that a revenue of $57.6 billion was gained from tuition alone. In a given year it is estimated that around 2.4 million international students reside in the country as temporary residents.

The visa issued to international students grants them the right to vote for most public officers, though there is a period of 10 months for which the student must continually be a resident of Cartadania in order to be eligible.

ARGUS visa
The Accord of Romance Governments for University and Solidarity (ARGUS) is an intergovernmental program and union of Romance countries with the goal of reinforcing cultural and linguistic characteristics operated by the governments of Burgundie, Cartadania, and Yonderre for international students. The program grants a visa to students, as well as a national ID card for them to use during their enrollment, though it is only valid for four years unless citizenship is pursued. Though not at all required and not part of ARGUS' mission, many students choose to seek citizenship, a roughly five year process now shortened to two, or in some cases, can be achieved in as little as six months. Otherwise, they are held in similar regard to other international students.

Former territories
The federal position on immigration from Cartadania's former territories, Ceylonia and the Bicarian Islands, has remained largely the same, despite the territories changing sovereign, though it varies between the two in how it is applied, and new laws may soon change the way in which Ceylonians and Bicarian Islanders migrate to Cartadania or obtain citizenship.

For those born in Ceylonia, the process is pretty streamlined and simple. If you were born on or before 1 March 1964, you are legally a citizen of Cartadania in addition to being a citizen of the Ceylon Republic. This automatically extends to their children, but grandchildren only receive citizenship if their parents claim citizenship in metropolitan Cartadania and have lived their for at least two years since turning 18. This restriction to the Jus sanguinis law was applied in 1995 to limit the amount of responsibility the government had abroad and to reduce the citizenship duties of those born in Ceylonia. Because Crona has the largest cohort of immigrants to Cartadania on the planet, though, the citizenship law, in essence, stands as it did before Cartadania relinquished control, with many Ceylonians moving to the country as adults.

For those born in the Bicarian Islands, the jus sanguinis law still applies as it does to Ceylonia, however, the difference with the Bicarian Islands is that Jus sanguinis and Jus soli continue to apply until 2030 when Congress will withdraw the Nevada Act, making Jus sanguinis the only domestic way to confer citizenship. The stipulation to the Jus soli law is that the child must be registered in the consulate or embassy in Nevada, and in some cases, the dual citizenship will need to be approved by the Urcean government. Due to the laws in place within the Kingdom, a third-generation Bicarian islander must return to Cartadania within 180 days of their 18th birthday to claim Jus sanguinis.

Illegal immigration
Irregular migration to Cartadania is the act of foreign nationals entering Cartadania, without government permission and in violation of the given nationality law, or staying beyond the termination date of a visa, also in violation of the law. Despite the positive attitudes towards immigration that Cartadania possesses, there are instances in which people illegally immigrate to Cartadania, such as during the restriction period from 1896 to 2014 when various restrictions were codified against Alstin (1896-1906), Caphiria, Daxia, Dericania (1927-1935), Faneria (1929-1950), the Kiravian Federacy, and Paulastra (1897-1900). The primary paths for this irregular migration was typically through obscurity (e.g., false citizenship in another country, entering via Lake Parima), avoidance (e.g., entering across the Volonian border), or by deliberance.

In order to deal with the overwhelming numbers of illegal immigrants, the government initiated an amnesty in 2005 to reduce the problem, though some critics believe this will only encourage Chain migration.