Question from my lil' bro...

[whiskeysheri]

Hi everyone. My brother's asked me to post a question for him. He's having a debate on the school bus with his friends. He wants to know, if both of your parents are English but you are born in America, does that make you American?

(I was embarrassed that I couldn't tell him!)

Thanks x

[kipchik]

If you're living in america?I would suppose so yeah!Never really thought about it!

[Quizmonster]

Different countries doubtless have different rules regarding citizenship. In the circumstances you describe, the child would normally have dual nationality. Click here for a web-page which might help.

[frangale]

My friend and her husband are both Australian, their son was born in the UK while they were living here - her husband was here on a working visa, as hubby was on a working visa their son has no rights to nationality in this country and is classed as Australian. I guess it may be different in other circumstances

[kpt]

I have lots of cousins in America, who's parents were Irish but they were born in America, they insist on calling themselves Irish Americans but to me, they are Yanks.

[Loosehead]

He is English, born in US, this means he can have a US passport and a British one. I have a friend who was born in Bombay to English parents, by no stretch of the imagination would he claim to be Indian. He can of course have an Indian passport.

[Peter Pedant]

It will be governed by US law whiskey.

some US law maker will have balanced jus solium - the law that means that if you are born in a country you are a citizen of that country - and the jus gentium the law that means that if your parents are English, then you are.

The jus solium - you take the nationality of the country you are born in usually wins.

I take it they are legal immigrants. I dont think the children of illegal Mexican immigrants get US nationality or else Tijuana would be full of pregnant girls just about to hop across the border.

Tobe English, your friends parents would have to register the birth pretty quick at a British Consulate.

oh and you can't be stateless nowadays.

[whiskeysheri]

Thanks all of you for your fab replies. Just what he needed! x

[newtron]

Actually, Peter Pedant, in the United States, if illegal imigrants give birth to a child, the child is a US citizen.