Does your country give the children of illegals instant citizenship? (legal, title)

[Sophiasmommy]

The thread title says it all. If illegal citizens in your country have a child, is that child automatically a legal citizen?

[Thomas R.]

This presumably refers to "Jus soli" or birthright citizenship. I guess in the Western Hemisphere it's relatively common, but in the Eastern Hemisphere it's relatively rare. I'm not sure about the following source, but it's all I found and I based what I said on that.

Nations Granting Birthright Citizenship | NumbersUSA - For Lower Immigration Levels

[Chava61]

In Israel in order to get Israeli citizenship at birth at least one of the parents of the child must be an Israeli citizen.

[HoustonInhabitant]

Technically, yes. One parent can be an illegal, but the other one must be a legal resident.

[artemis agrotera]

Nope not any more.

[Tiger Beer]

Jus soli is observed in 16% of the world, the United States being the largest practitioner.

States that observe jus soli include:

Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Barbados
Belize
Bolivia
Brazil
Cambodia
Canada
Chile (children of transient foreigners or of foreign diplomats on assignment in Chile only upon request)
Colombia
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Fiji
Grenada
Guatemala
Guyana
Honduras
Jamaica
Lesotho
Mexico
Nicaragua
Pakistan
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Saint Christopher and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago
United States
Uruguay
Venezuela

[steel7]

Originally Posted by HoustonInhabitant

Technically, yes. One parent can be an illegal, but the other one must be a legal resident.

Thats the way it should be in the u.s.

[Buscape]

The US... does and I think it's one of the greatest and most important laws in the US!

[Cornerguy1]

Mod Note:

The question has been asked and it has been answered.

For those who wish to discuss illegal immigration, City Data provides an Illegal Immigration forum.