Immigration & Asylum

Decided by Patrick in v0.14 (October 13, 2026). This page replaces the old once-per-lifetime Exile & Asylum rule in 16. Migration & Mobility with a fuller move system. All numbers tagged [PROPOSAL] are first tuning proposals, not final values. Both the onboarding grace period (one free change in the first 48 real hours, before any political action) and the requirement to hold exactly one nation at a time stay as they are.

Core principle: applying never guarantees approval. This holds in democracies and for asylum too. The destination nation’s AI leader decides every case based on what it judges best for its nation: labor needs, security, ideology, diplomacy and population. It can deny anyone, and its reasoning always appears in a Reasoning Brief.

1. Two paths

Path	Who it’s for	Who decides
Regular immigration	Any citizen who wants to move to another nation	The destination nation, under its own system’s rules
Asylum	Citizens fleeing authoritarian states (Korund, Meridian, the Confluence, Varkand, Aurelle, Ilmar)	The destination nation. Asylum claims get priority review there, but can still be denied

In both cases the destination’s AI leader makes the decision and publishes a Reasoning Brief explaining it (see AI Leadership). The applicant always sees the reasons for a denial.

2. How it varies by system

Nation	Leaving (exit side)	Arriving (entry side)
Kindle, Hoarvale, Veldwood (democracies)	Free to leave	Anyone may apply (applications are open), followed by a waiting period (7 real days [PROPOSAL]). The AI leader still decides each case and may deny it
Korund, Meridian, The Confluence, Varkand	Hard to leave. You need an exit permit, which can be denied. Without one, the only way out is a risky defection (asylum claim, with the chance of being caught, Suspicion and penalties at home)	Their own approval rules apply
Aurelle, Ilmar	Leaving follows the state’s rules	May require an oath of loyalty (Aurelle) or a religious conversion (Ilmar)
Fulmara	Free to leave	May sell residency to applicants above a wealth threshold

Each AI leader can only choose from the moves the rules engine allows for its system. For example, a democracy can’t ban emigration, and Korund can’t drop exit permits.

3. Costs of moving

Savings: most local savings are lost, because national currencies don’t convert freely. The only neutral way to carry value is to convert to the Tessera beforehand, under each nation’s FX limits (Economy & Currency). Proposal: whatever isn’t converted is lost at 75% [PROPOSAL].
Standing and influence: you lose part of both (50% [PROPOSAL]). Ranks, titles and offices do not transfer.
Household and heirs: each member of the household chooses to come along or stay behind (Household & Family). A partner or heir who stays keeps their own citizenship. Partnership rules are unchanged: a move never creates, assigns or ends a partnership by itself, and the destination’s own partnership rules apply after arrival.
Work: you arrive at the destination’s work board and job system. Your Work Capacity moves with you, and any active shift has to be finished first.

4. Limits

Cooldown: a 3 real-month cooldown [PROPOSAL] between moves. The old once-per-lifetime cap is retired.
Closed borders: sanctions or war can stop movement between the nations involved (Trade, Diplomacy & Sanctions, Territory, Cities & Warfare).
Treaties can create easier movement between signatories, such as shorter waits, waived permits or better savings conversion.
Anti-spy safeguards: the existing rules are kept as proposals. New arrivals can’t enlist, inform or write state media for 180 real days, and nations may cap yearly intake.

5. Public emigration statistics

Each nation’s arrivals and departures are public. Population loss feeds into how an AI leader is judged and puts pressure on it, so an unpopular regime visibly bleeds citizens.

6. Safety

16–17-year-olds may immigrate. Age-gated features stay locked for them: no partnership features and no cash-out until 18.
Partnership rules are unchanged. See Household & Family.
A defection risk can cost you in-game status only. It never exposes real-world identity.