Netherlands revoked citizenship of Russian Nobel laureate

Nobel Laureate Andre Geim Loses Dutch Citizenship

As reported by TUT.AZ with reference to The New York Times, world-renowned physicist Andre Geim has lost his Dutch citizenship and must surrender his passport.

"Personally, I consider myself a Dutch-British Nobel Prize winner (in that exact order)," the scientist wrote. "The history and time I spent in the Netherlands, working there, are very dear to my heart."

Geim told the NYT that he was informed about the revocation of his Dutch citizenship and was required to surrender his passport at the Dutch embassy in London, "otherwise they threaten consequences from Interpol." The physicist called this decision "sad and strange."

The outstanding scientist was born in 1958 in Sochi, graduated from school in Nalchik with a gold medal and from MIPT with honors. In 1987, he became a candidate of physical and technical sciences, and in 1990 received a scholarship from the Royal Society of England and left the USSR. According to the NYT, around the same period, he obtained Dutch citizenship. Throughout his career, Geim has worked at universities in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Switzerland.

Geim is also a corresponding member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences and a foreign member of the US National Academy of Sciences.

In 2010, Geim, along with Konstantin Novoselov, received the Nobel Prize for creating graphene - the thinnest and strongest material that can be used in the production of touch screens, light panels, and solar cells, as noted by the Nobel Committee.

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom knighted the physicists as Knights Bachelor for their scientific achievements. To gain the right to add "Sir" to his name, Geim had to obtain British citizenship. However, as the NYT emphasizes, the Netherlands strictly limits dual citizenship - voluntarily obtaining another citizenship can lead to the loss of a Dutch passport, which is what happened to the scientist.

"I did it to receive a knighthood in the UK and to be officially called Sir Andre, which is prestigious in the United Kingdom," he explained. "I did it only to receive a British knighthood."

In the EU, dual citizenship is common, and Europeans can freely move from one country to another without the need to obtain a new legal status. The United Kingdom officially left the European Union in 2020.