My Aussie Baby

I told one woman in my ward that not only are we moving to Australia, but we’re also having our first child. Her question surprised me.

“Are you coming back to the States to have the baby?”

“No. Australia has excellent medical care.”

“But then your baby will be an Australian citizen….”

She told me of a number of people, cousins and friends of cousins and neighbors, who had babies in a foreign country and then the baby had dual citizenship.

I know I had read it somewhere, so I found it again.

This is from an Australian citizenship website.

I am about to give birth in Australia. Will my child be an Australian citizen?

A child is an Australian citizen by birth if, and only if, at least one parent is an Australian citizen or permanent resident at the time of the child’s birth in Australia.

So never fear, my child will not be an Australian citizen. I am sure you were all quite worried. I’m just glad the answer was so easy to find.

FYI, one of the ways to become a U.S. citizen is

By birth, either within the territory of the United States or to U.S. citizen parents

Visit source.

One thought on “My Aussie Baby”

  1. Becky Post author

    As my husband points out, the Constitution says similar things. I could have quoted that:

    All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. – XIV Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

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