Countries with Birthright Citizenship

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Almost every other country on Earth establishes citizenship as long as one parent or both parents are citizens (Jus sanguinis). Examples of this include Poland (both parents), Andorra (mother), Bahrain (father), and Iran (father). This is frequently referred to as granting citizenship through heritage rather than residence.

Nevertheless, some nations provide automatic citizenship (birthright citizenship) for every child born in the country.

Birthright citizenship (Jus soli) is a legislative policy under which any child born within a country’s border is automatically given citizenship in that country, even if their parents are not citizens. Currently, 35 nations in the world have unrestricted birthright citizenship (Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chad, Child, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Lesotho, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, the United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela).

Interestingly, almost every country that offers birthright citizenship is located in the Americas. This practice began to be applied in colonial times when European powers keen to populate their settlements in the “New World” established more tolerant and immigration-friendly citizenship policies. 

In addition to the countries listed above, some other nations may offer birthright citizenship under specific cases. For example, Azerbaijan, Chad, Guinea-Bissau, and Luxembourg sometimes grant jus soli when the child is orphaned. Chad extends jus soli, but not until the child reaches the age of 18, when they can choose whether to accept Chadian citizenship or that of their parents. Tanzania has a similar system in which a newborn child is granted jus soli until the age of 18, at which time they must choose one citizenship or the other.

Almost every other country on Earth establishes citizenship as long as one parent or both parents are citizens (jus sanguinis). Examples of this include Poland (both parents), Andorra (mother), Bahrain (father), and Iran (father). This is frequently referred to as granting citizenship through heritage rather than residence.

Nevertheless, some nations provide automatic citizenship (birthright citizenship) for every child born in the country.

Birthright citizenship (jus soli) is a legislative policy under which any child born within a country’s border is automatically given citizenship in that country, even if their parents are not citizens. Currently, 35 nations in the world have unrestricted birthright citizenship (Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chad, Child, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Lesotho, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, the United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela).

Interestingly, almost every country that offers birthright citizenship is located in the Americas. This practice began to be applied in colonial times when European powers keen to populate their settlements in the “New World” established more tolerant and immigration-friendly citizenship policies. 

In addition to the countries listed above, some other nations may offer birthright citizenship under specific cases. For example, Azerbaijan, Chad, Guinea-Bissau, and Luxembourg sometimes grant jus soli when the child is orphaned.