Inherited Nationality.

[TheEclipse]

Right. Ive been in an argument recently.

I was wondering about a legal point of nationality.

Scenario: Two parents, both English have a child, the child is born while they are in a foreign country such as Italy.

Now is the child legally English or Italian?
I thought it was rather obvious myself but it seems some people want to dispute it.

Thanks for help.

[waterboatman]

Hiya TheEclipse
The child would have dual nationality and could hold passports from both countries.

[TheEclipse]

Thanks for the speedy answer.

[legendis.god]

the country of your birth is your nationality.
im sure the duke of wellington was actually irish born , but ask folk and they will assume he was english.

[dustinmyeye]

that seems a tad silly, what if you were on holiday and ended up having your child in that country. spain for example so your child would be classed as spanish nationality because it was born there? ridiculous really

[muddie]

What about if you are born in an in-flight aircraft over international waters? I've often wondered.....

[TheEclipse]

Pfft your not welcome anywhere then! Dam international waters!

[TheEclipse]

Maybe thats why they recommend heavily pregnant women dont fly? So they dont have to work out an answer to that?
Lazy Sods

[dustinmyeye]

ahh they can still drive though lol

[mrs_overall]

Some Polish friends of mine who have lived in the UK for 3 years have just had a baby here. They have obtained a Polish passport for the baby.

Some American friends who have also lived here for 3 years are expecting a child. They intend the child to have dual nationality.

[LoftyLottie]

Found this

"Citizenship By Parentage Under British Law

As we indicated above, the citizenship by birth (jus soli) requirement derived from Britain in 1608. But in 1981, the British abandoned the age-old citizenship by birth (Jus soli) and adopted the parentage-based citizenship law. Under their parentage-based citizenship, a child born to one or two British parents is a British citizen, regardless of where the person was born. Under the British parentage-based citizenship Law, the person�s place of birth no longer determines his citizenship. For example, if the person was born anywhere in the United Kingdom to one or two parents who are not British citizens, that person is not entitled to British citizenship. But if the person is born to one or two British parents in Britain or elsewhere in the world, he is a British citizen."

[LoftyLottie]

http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitize nship/eligibility/children/britishcitizen/livi ngintheuk/

[harryt]

I was 32 weeks pregnant and still allowed to go on holiday so i went on my long deserved holiday to greece! but baby decided to come out early so was born in greece.
I presume he is greek? even though both me and his father are British nationality?

[LoftyLottie]

He is British. I presume you registered his birth in Britain.

[harryt]

yes,we did. even though place of birth was Greece?
Never mind thought he may have been able to have a dual nationality passport

[shaneystar2]

A child born outside the UK on or after 1 January 1983 will automatically acquire British citizenship by descent if either parent is a British citizen otherwise than by descent at the time of the birth.Prior to this a child took the fathers nationality .My children hold their fathers nationality because they were born abroad prior to 1983 and I really had no say in the matter at the time :)).
If they intend to stay in the country where the child was born they can then apply for dual nationality .It's not automatic .
It's all very complicated .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_nationali ty_law

[tomitma]

You are the same nationallity as your father, or mother if you havent got a fathers name on the Birth Certificate at the time .

My sister was born in Benghazi, she is british, both my sons were born in Germany they are British, I was born in Hong Kong, I am British, mind you it does complicate things when applying for passports, jobs, or benefits.

[aniani]

One of my daughters was born in France and therefore has dual nationality

[pastafreak]

My daughter was born in NYC to an English father and American mum.....she grew up here in the UK from the age of 3...she has dual citizenship. BUT....as far as I know-in the States she can only hold citizenship to one country. If she ever decided to live there, she would be required to rescind her british passport.

Mmmm...I suddenly thought...nationality/citizenship...are they the same???

[coccinelle]

Some countries don't allow dual nationalities: Germany for example. Britain allows dual nationalities.