Nationality - any ideas?

[Squash64]

We were having a discussion in our family about what determines nationality.

I always thought it was the country of birth, but a relative thinks it is determined
by the nationality of the parents.

I can't quite believe that because what happens when mixed nationalities have
children?

I am English, my husband is Italian.  Our son is married to a Polish woman, so
what nationality is their daughter, who was born here in England?

Any ideas anyone?

[Squash64]

[Silverleaf]

I agree with you - I'd say English, with Polish and Italian ancestry.

Legally I think you can claim citizenship of a country if one of your parents has that nationality. A friend of mine has dual citizenship as her parents are both English but she was born in America, and she has two passports.

If it went on parents we'd all be African, since that's where humans originated. ;)

[GREGME]

its depends for what country, length of residence and date of birth  - but for passport eligibility it depends on the nationality of the parents

( sorry edited as previous reply not correct)

[goodlife]

Umm..for me it is where one is born..no paper of 'label' will change the fact where one's 'umbilical cord' is attached to.
I've lived half of my adult life in UK..and even my home is here and most of time I think and behave more 'English' way, I speak English more than I speak Finnish, but one just cannot shake off where one originate from. For me my Finnish passport is my last 'thread'  of where I come from. I still feel proud if Finn wins in sport events, but I do support British more.
I suppose it all comes down really for how one feels..where is the attachment/what heart says.

[Ellen K]

It's quite complicated for the UK because of all the history with the Commonwealth and such.  You can read up on The British Nationality Act if you've got the whole afternoon lol but your granddaughter is British because she was born here AND has one British parent.  Being born here doesn't necessarily give you automatic right to citizenship any more.  Jus Soli it was called, I remember Salman Rushdie on TV being outraged that we allowed it to go.   But it still exists in the USA as SL says.

** UK born child of former enemy alien here **

[ACE]

If it went on parents we'd all be African, since that's where humans originated. ;)

Excuse me! Everybody knows that it was here on the Isle of Wight. We even invented the wheelbarrow so the rest of you could learn to walk upright.

[alkanet]

If it went on parents we'd all be African, since that's where humans originated. ;)

Excuse me! Everybody knows that it was here on the Isle of Wight. We even invented the wheelbarrow so the rest of you could learn to walk upright.

you may have got there first, but the ones in Africa evolved

[Squash64]

If it went on parents we'd all be African, since that's where humans originated. ;)

Excuse me! Everybody knows that it was here on the Isle of Wight. We even invented the wheelbarrow so the rest of you could learn to walk upright.

you may have got there first, but the ones in Africa evolved

ACE - I think you may have met your match!

[galina]

I am English, my husband is Italian.  Our son is married to a Polish woman, so
what nationality is their daughter, who was born here in England?

Any ideas anyone?

European !

[peanuts]

Interestingly, we have just acquired French nationality, after living here for more than six years, and having gone through a lengthy and rather expensive process.  So with our British passports as well, we have dual nationality, except when on French soil, when we are considered to be only French, legally.
International families - our son married a Brazilian girl, and our daughter a Malaysian - but all live in UK!

[artichoke]

My son has a Thai wife here in UK, my daughter has a German husband and German children and lives in Germany but has decided to keep British nationality. That means she cannot vote in Germany, and cannot vote here because she has not lived here for about 19 years. My Thai daughter-in-law is having repeated problems with visas to live here because their income is too low to qualify. Nationality is quite a problem for some families.