Citizenship issues and the approval process

              I.      Obtaining Citizenship in Nova Roma. –There are several routes available to obtain citizenship in Nova Roma:

a.      Scenario I - Apply to start a new Gens (family.)

                                                               i.      A citizenship application is forwarded to the Censores via one of the established methods. (Snail mail, web-application, etc.)

                                                             ii.      Censores collegially review the application.

                                                            iii.      Censores verify that the potential citizen is 18 years or older via application and birth date.

                                                           iv.      Verification that chosen nomen (Roman name) is in fact available.

                                                             v.      Verify the validity of the chosen Roman name. (Name must conform to name selection guidelines as outlined on the Nova Roma web site.) Additionally, Censores may check the Latin-English translation sites to ensure that the chosen name translates correctly.

                                                           vi.      If everything checks out, the citizenship is approved. –If there are any potential problems or issues with the application, the Censores will attempt to contact the applicant to resolve the issue.

                                                          vii.      Citizenship and application approval confirmation is sent via e-mail to the applicant. (Or, via snail mail if the citizen applied via that channel.)
View a sample welcome letter

                                                        viii.      Censores then input the new Gens information in to the citizenship database. (Album Civum.) They will also list whether or not the new pater or mater is accepting/not accepting new Gens members.

                                                           ix.      Database (Album Civum) automatically generates an e-mail to the new pater/mater confirming the completion of the process.

                                                             x.      Citizenship process completed.

           II.      (NOTE:  Flow charts to accompany sections that have decision branching loops.)

a.      Scenario II –Citizenship applicant attempting to join an existing Gens with no name (nomen) modification.

                                                               i.      Utilizing standard citizenship application channels, applicant applies with a name based on the nomen of the Gens they have chosen.

                                                             ii.      E-mail is sent to the pater or mater of the Gens notifying them that a new applicant exists and is attempting to join their Gens.

                                                            iii.      The pater or mater of the Gens should at this point be in direct communication with the applicant to discuss the status of the application.

                                                           iv.      Pater or mater mails the Censores that the applicant is either approved or declined.

                                                             v.      Per the Censorial edicta, Paters must respond within reasonable time to all new applicants.

                                                           vi.      Once approval is granted from the Pater, the Censores follow the same steps outlined in Scenario I above which culminates in the auto-generated e-mail welcoming the new citizen to Nova Roma.

b.      Scenario III –Joining a Gens with a name change modification.

                                                               i.      An exceedingly time-consuming option which requires a lot of maintenance.

         III.      New applicant pursues the normal channels of citizenship application to Nova Roma.

        IV.      Applicant selects the default option of joining an existing Gens.

           V.      The nomen in this scenario, is rejected by the Censores.

a.      An example of this would be a ‘Cognomen of Distinction’ which are disallowed under Nova Roman law. An example would be: “Lucius Cornelius Maximus.” In this case, “Lucius Cornelius” is a valid prename and nomen, but the agnomen of distinction “Maximus” is disallowed.

        VI.      In this case (as in the previous scenario,) the pater or mater is notified and makes the decision whether or not to accept the applicant into the Gens.

      VII.      In parallel with step #4, the Censores also notify the applicant that their chosen name has been declined and the reasons for so doing.

   VIII.      At this juncture, the approval tree forks into two potential avenues:

a.      Applicant responds, changes the name as requested by the Censores. The new name is correct and the citizen is approved.

b.      Applicant does not respond at all. (If applicant fails to respond in 60 days, the existing application is nullified. If applicant later wishes to reactivate or re-apply, the application and approval process must begin again from scratch.)

c.      Applicant refuses to change name. In this case, depending on the circumstances; the Censores may make an agreement with the applicant to the benefit of both parties or the application may be refused. If this situation ensues, then the only avenue for the applicant is to change the name within the 60 days of initial application, or begin the process again after 60 days.

d.      Scenario IV –Applicant attempts to join a different Gens after being denied membership to a previous Gens. This is similar to Scenario II above, except that the pater rejects the application. In this scenario, the Pater has communicated to the Censores and the applicant that the applicant is denied membership in that Gens. When this occurs:

        IX.      Applicant is notified of his rejection by the pater of the Gens.

           X.      Applicant is asked by the Censores if they wish to join another Gens.

        XI.      Process begins again, though the applicant will likely only have to choose a new name since the rest of the application will likely stand. (Depends on the circumstances of application denial in the first place.)

      XII.      Once citizen has been denied, 60-day window begins anew.

   XIII.      At this juncture, either a new Gens may be created (Scenario I,) or the other scenarios resume depending on the wishes of the applicant.

a.      Scenario V –Changing Gens. NOTE:  In general, the Censores do not approve personally of citizenship changing Gens due to familial structural issues. Acceptable circumstances for changing Gens:

                                                               i.      Release of citizen from Gens by Pater or Mater

                                                             ii.      Marriage changes or divorce changes. Reference the Name Change Edict for the full text of these scenarios. Here, we have two distinct possibilities:

1.      Changing the name, but NOT changing the Gens. (When NOT a case of pater changing the name, but one of the Gens members changing the name.)

a.       Citizen e-mails pater with request for a name change.

b.      Pater approves the name change.

c.       Both citizen and pater must contact the Censores regarding the change. Censores require express approval from the pater of the Gens in this case.

d.      If the Censores also approve the change, then the change is done. If the name does not conform to the Nova Roman naming guidelines, then the Censores will suggest alternates.

2.      Pater changes name:

a.       As long as the selected name conforms to Nova Roman law, then the application is approved!

b.      This requires a mail from the pater to the Censores requesting the change.

b.      Scenario VI –Changing Names and Changing Gens as a Pater/Mater

                                                               i.      Gens member wishes to leave the Gens. Said member petitions Censores with their intention.

                                                             ii.      Censores refer applicant to the name-change edict

                                                            iii.      Applicant referred to pater/mater of Gens. (In the flow chart, there will be a fork here for yes or no conditions.)

                                                           iv.      If pater/mater refuses the request, the applicant is trapped in the Gens. In this case, the only choice the member has is to resign from Nova Roma and re-apply for citizenship in six months. (Six month is in force per terms of the Resignation Edict.)

                                                             v.      On the other hand, if the pater accepts the request, then:

1.      Pater confirms that yes, the member may resign from the Gens.

2.      Pater notifies both the Censores and the applicant that approval has been granted to leave the Gens.

3.      Applicant can now join an existing Gens, or create a new one. (Back to Scenario I or II.) In this instance, the applicant must select a new nomen, however praenomens and any cognomens may remain.

c.      Scenario VIIa –Changing name and Gens as a pater or mater.  (Single-member Gens.)

                                                               i.      Pater of Gens mails pater/mater of the Gens they wish to join.

                                                             ii.      Pater either accepts or rejects the petition.

                                                            iii.      If the peition is rejected, then the Pater/mater must stay in their current position in the Gens or may petition another Gens for membership.

d.      Scenario VIIb –Changing name and Gens when more than one member exists in the Gens to be changed:

                                                               i.      Pater/mater petitions mater/pater of the target Gens.

                                                             ii.      Pater/mater must also petition the Censores and existing Gens members have the option of joining the new or merged Gens, merge with a Gens other than the one the pater/mater is joining, OR based on seniority another member of the Gens may also choose to become pater/mater of the Gens in place of the pater/mater leaving the Gens.

e.      Scenario VIII –Citizen Resignation. (Mater/Pater resigns a Gens.)

                                                               i.      Censores are notified of the intended resignation.

                                                             ii.      Resignation Edict clock begins.

                                                            iii.      Censores have to appoint a new pater/materfamilias if the Gens has additional members.

                                                           iv.      Next senior person in the Gens hierarchy becomes mater/pater based on length of citizenship.

1.      Alternate case:  Mater/pater leaves specific instructions on how to handle the Gens restructuring upon notice of their intended resignation. In this scenario, the Censores weigh the wishes of the departing Pater/Mater against the terms of the Resignation Edict and make their determination accordingly.

f.        Scenario IX –Expelling Citizens

                                                               i.      Citizen is expelled from a Gens.

                                                             ii.      Citizen must reapply (sui iuris can create their own Gens or join an existing Gens.

                                                            iii.      Citizens may not keep their existing nomen in this scenario.;

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