This specification describes a Linked Data vocabulary for asserting Verifiable Credentials related to residency and citizenship information, such as given name, family name, country of citizenship, birthday, and other attributes used to determine the citizenship status of a citizen.

Introduction

This specification describes a Linked Data vocabulary for asserting Verifiable Credentials related to citizenship information, such as given name, family name, country of citizenship, birthday, and other attributes used to determine the citizenship status of a citizen.

Use Cases and Requirements

The following use cases outline a number of key scenarios that readers might find useful:

Examples

Minimal Permanent Resident Card Example



          

          
        

Full Permanent Resident Card Example



          

          
        

Minimal Employment Authorization Document Example



          

          
        

Full Employment Authorization Document Example



          

          
        

Minimal Certificate of Naturalization Example



          

          
        

Full Certificate of Naturalization Example



          

          
        

Minimal Certificate of Citizenship Example



          

          
        

Full Certificate of Citizenship Example



          

          
        

Terminology

The Citizenship Vocabulary

This vocabulary assumes all classes and terms specified in the base Verifiable Credentials [[VC-DATA-MODEL]] context.

Classes

The following classes are available for specifying information related to residency, employment, and citizenship status.

Class Description
QuantitativeValue A point value or interval for product characteristics and other purposes. Used with `height`.
PostalAddress A mailing address.
Person Specifies that the subject of the credential is a person.
PermanentResident Specifies that the subject of the credential is a permanent resident.
PermanentResidentCard Specifies that the object is a Permanent Resident Card.
PermanentResidentCardCredential Specifies that the credential is a permanent resident card credential.
EmployablePerson Specifies that the subject of the credential is authorized for employment.
EmploymentAuthorizationDocument Specifies that the object is a Employment Authorization Document.
EmploymentAuthorizationDocumentCredential Specifies that the credential is a Employment Authorization Document credential.
NaturalizedPerson Specifies that the subject of the credential is a naturalized person.
CertificateOfNaturalization Specifies that the object is a Certificate of Naturalization.
CertificateOfNaturalizationCredential Specifies that the credential is a Certificate of Naturalization credential.
Citizen Specifies that the subject of the credential is a citizen.
CertificateOfCitizenship Specifies that the object is a Certificate of Citizenship.
CertificateOfCitizenshipCredential Specifies that the credential is a Certificate of Citizenship credential.

Terms

This document also specifies the following terms for expressing residency, employment, and citizenship status:

Term Description
additionalName An additional name for a Person, can be used for a middle name.
addressCountry The country code provided as a two-letter ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code.
addressLocality The locality of within an `addressRegion`.
addressRegion The region within an `addressCountry`.
birthCountry The country in which a individual was born.
birthDate The date on which a individual was born.
certificateOfNaturalization The `CertificateOfNaturalization` of the Person.
certificateOfCitizenship The `CertificateOfCitizenship` of the Person.
cisRegistrationNumber The registration identifier which is used to identify the citizen by the country's official body for making such a determination.
commuterClassification A code that specifies whether an individual lives in a specific country or commutes across a border to work.
employmentAuthorizationDocument The EmploymentAuthorizationDocument of the Person.
familyName The name of the family with which the individual identifies.
filingLocation The `PostalAddress` where paperwork was filled.
formerNationality The Person's country of former nationality presented as a two-letter ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code.
gender The gender of the individual.
givenName The non-family name with which the individual identifies.
height The height of the item.
image A representative image of the individual.
insRegistrationNumber The registration identifier which is used to identify the naturalized person by the country's official body for making such a determination.
lprCategory The category for a legal permanent resident as specified by the country's official body for making such a determination.
lprNumber The identifier which is used to identify the legal permanent resident by the country's official body for making such a determination.
maritalStatus The current marital relationship status of the Person. Example: married, single, divorced, widowed, previously married, etc.
marriageCertificateNumber Certificate of Marriage identification number.
marriageLocation The `PostalAddress` of the previously performed marriage ceremony.
naturalizationLocation The `PostalAddress` where naturalization occurred.
naturalizedBy The entity that performed the naturalization.
permanentResidentCard The permanent resident card of the Person.
residence The `PostalAddress` in which the `Person` currently resides.
residentSince The date from which the individual is considered a resident.
unitCode The unit of measurement given using the UN/CEFACT Common Code (3 characters) or a URL. Other codes than the UN/CEFACT Common Code may be used with a prefix followed by a colon. Used with `height`.
value The value of a `QuantitativeValue`. Used with `height`.

additionalName

An additional name for a Person, can be used for a middle name.

Term additionalName
URL https://schema.org/additionalName
Expected Value string

addressCountry

The country code provided as a two-letter ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code.

Term addressCountry
URL https://schema.org/addressCountry
Expected Value string

addressLocality

The locality of within an `addressRegion`.

Term addressLocality
URL https://schema.org/addressLocality
Expected Value string

addressRegion

The region within an `addressCountry`.

Term addressRegion
URL https://schema.org/addressRegion
Expected Value string

birthCountry

The country in which a individual was born.

Term birthCountry
URL https://schema.org/birthCountry
Expected Value string

birthDate

The date on which a individual was born.

Term birthDate
URL https://schema.org/birthDate
Expected Value Datetime

CertificateOfCitizenship

Specifies that the object is a Certificate of Citizenship.

Term CertificateOfCitizenship
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#CertificateOfCitizenship

certificateOfCitizenship

The `CertificateOfCitizenship` of the Person.

Term certificateOfCitizenship
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#certificateOfCitizenship
Expected Value CertificateOfCitizenship

CertificateOfCitizenshipCredential

Specifies that the credential is a Certificate of Citizenship credential.

Term CertificateOfCitizenshipCredential
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#CertificateOfCitizenshipCredential

CertificateOfNaturalization

Specifies that the object is a Certificate of Naturalization.

Term CertificateOfNaturalization
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#CertificateOfNaturalization

certificateOfNaturalization

The `CertificateOfNaturalization` of the Person.

Term certificateOfNaturalization
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#certificateOfNaturalization
Expected Value CertificateOfNaturalization

CertificateOfNaturalizationCredential

Specifies that the credential is a Certificate of Naturalization credential.

Term CertificateOfNaturalizationCredential
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#CertificateOfNaturalizationCredential

cisRegistrationNumber

The registration identifier which is used to identify the citizen by the country's official body for making such a determination.

Term cisRegistrationNumber
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#cisRegistrationNumber
Expected Value string

Citizen

Specifies that the subject of the credential is a citizen.

Term Citizen
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#Citizen

commuterClassification

A code that specifies whether an individual lives in a particular country or commutes across a border to work.

Term commuterClassification
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#commuterClassification
Expected Value String

EmployablePerson

Specifies that the subject of the credential is authorized for employment.

Term EmployablePerson
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#EmployablePerson

EmploymentAuthorizationDocument

Specifies that the object is a Employment Authorization Document.

Term EmploymentAuthorizationDocument
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#EmploymentAuthorizationDocument

employmentAuthorizationDocument

The EmploymentAuthorizationDocument of the Person.

Term employmentAuthorizationDocument
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#employmentAuthorizationDocument
Expected Value EmploymentAuthorizationDocument

EmploymentAuthorizationDocumentCredential

Specifies that the credential is a Employment Authorization Document credential.

Term EmploymentAuthorizationDocumentCredential
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#EmploymentAuthorizationDocumentCredential

familyName

The name of the family with which the individual identifies.

Term familyName
URL https://schema.org/familyName
Expected Value string

filingLocation

The `PostalAddress` where paperwork was filled.

Term filingLocation
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#filingLocation
Expected Value string

formerNationality

The Person's former nationality presented as a two-letter ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code.

Term formerNationality
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#formerNationality
Expected Value string

gender

The gender of the individual.

Term gender
URL https://schema.org/gender
Expected Value string

givenName

The non-family name with which the individual identifies.

Term givenName
URL https://schema.org/givenName
Expected Value string

height

The height of the item expressed as a QuantitativeValue.

Term height
URL https://schema.org/height
Expected Value QuantitativeValue

identifier

An alternate identifier used by the issuer of the credential to refer to information associated with the credential.

Term identifier
URL https://schema.org/identifier
Expected Value string

image

A representative image of the individual.

Term image
URL https://schema.org/image
Expected Value URL

insRegistrationNumber

The registration identifier which is used to identify the naturalized person by the country's official body for making such a determination.

Term insRegistrationNumber
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#insRegistrationNumber
Expected Value string

lprCategory

The category for a legal permanent resident as specified by the country's official body for making such a determination.

Term lprCategory
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#lprCategory
Expected Value string

lprNumber

The identifier which is used to identify the legal permanent resident by the country's official body for making such a determination.

Term lprNumber
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#lprNumber
Expected Value string

maritalStatus

The current marital relationship status of the Person. Example: married, single, divorced, widowed, previously married, etc.

Term maritalStatus
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#maritalStatus
Expected Value string

marriageCertificateNumber

Certificate of Marriage identification number.

Term marriageCertificateNumber
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#marriageCertificateNumber
Expected Value string

marriageLocation

The `PostalAddress` of the previously performed marriage ceremony.

Term marriageLocation
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#marriageLocation
Expected Value PostalAddress

naturalizationLocation

The `PostalAddress` where naturalization occurred.

Term naturalizationLocation
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#naturalizationLocation
Expected Value PostalAddress

naturalizedBy

The entity that performed the naturalization.

Term naturalizedBy
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#naturalizedBy
Expected Value URL

NaturalizedPerson

Specifies that the subject of the credential is a naturalized person.

Term NaturalizedPerson
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#NaturalizedPerson

PermanentResident

Specifies that the subject of the credential is a permanent resident.

Term PermanentResident
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#PermanentResident

PermanentResidentCard

Specifies that the credential is a permanent resident card.

Term PermanentResidentCard
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#PermanentResidentCard

permanentResidentCard

The permanent resident card of a legal permanent resident.

Term permanentResidentCard
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#permanentResidentCard
Expected Value PermanentResidentCard

PermanentResidentCardCredential

Specifies that the credential is a permanent resident card credential.

Term PermanentResidentCardCredential
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#PermanentResidentCardCredential

Person

Specifies that the subject of the credential is a person.

Term Person
URL https://schema.org/Person

PostalAddress

A mailing address.

Term PostalAddress
URL https://schema.org/PostalAddress

QuantitativeValue

A point value or interval for product characteristics and other purposes.

Term QuantitativeValue
URL https://schema.org/QuantitativeValue

residence

The `PostalAddress` in which the `Person` currently resides.

Term residentSince
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#residence
Expected Value PostalAddress

residentSince

The date from which the individual is considered a resident.

Term residentSince
URL https://w3id.org/citizenship#residentSince
Expected Value Datetime

unitCode

The unit of measurement given using the UN/CEFACT Common Code (3 characters) or a URL. Other codes than the UN/CEFACT Common Code may be used with a prefix followed by a colon. Used with `height`.

Term unitCode
URL https://schema.org/unitCode
Expected Value string

value

The value of a `QuantitativeValue`. Used with `height`.

Term value
URL https://schema.org/unitCode
Expected Value Number

Privacy Considerations

This section details the general privacy considerations and specific privacy implications of deploying this specification into production environments.

Security Considerations

There are a number of security considerations that implementers should be aware of when processing data described by this specification. Ignoring or not understanding the implications of this section can result in security vulnerabilities.

While this section attempts to highlight a broad set of security considerations, it is not a complete list. Implementers are urged to seek the advice of security and cryptography professionals when implementing mission critical systems using the technology outlined in this specification.

Accessibility Considerations

There are a number of accessibility considerations implementers should be aware of when processing data described in this specification. As with any web standards or protocols implementation, ignoring accessibility issues makes this information unusable to a large subset of the population. It is important to follow accessibility guidelines and standards, such as [[WCAG21]], to ensure all people, regardless of ability, can make use of this data. This is especially important when establishing systems utilizing cryptography, which have historically created problems for assistive technologies.

This section details the general accessibility considerations to take into account when utilizing this data model.

Internationalization Considerations

There are a number of internationalization considerations implementers should be aware of when publishing data described in this specification. As with any web standards or protocols implementation, ignoring internationalization makes it difficult for data to be produced and consumed across a disparate set of languages and societies, which would limit the applicability of the specification and significantly diminish its value as a standard.

This section outlines general internationalization considerations to take into account when utilizing this data model.

Revision History

v4rc1

v3

v2

Note: `v2` is deprecated in favor of v3.