Nigerians have begun to seek other opportunities to explore automatic citizenship by birth following a recent announcement by the United States government.
The United States Mission in Nigeria on Monday warned that any visa applicant found to be travelling primarily to give birth in the U.S. to secure citizenship for their child will be denied entry.
With the development, many Nigerians have begun to explore other countries that grant automatic citizenship by birth.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass, in this article, lists six countries that uphold unrestricted birthright citizenship, granting nationality to anyone born on their soil, regardless of parental status.
1. Canada
Canada automatically grants citizenship to any child born on its soil. While these children are recognized as citizens from birth, their foreign parents must undergo a separate immigration process to obtain citizenship, which is usually through family reunification methods.
Canada’s passport ranks among the top 10 most powerful in the world.
2. Mexico
Mexico also has unrestricted birthright citizenship, excluding only children of foreign diplomats. All others born on Mexican territory are entitled to citizenship by law.
3. Brazil
In Brazil, all children born in the country are constitutionally guaranteed citizenship.
Parents are allowed to apply for residency, and can proceed to naturalization after just one year.
The Brazilian passport ranks among the 20 strongest passports globally.
4. Argentina
Argentina provides automatic citizenship to any child born within its borders.
Foreign parents can apply for citizenship after only one year of residence, making it one of the most lenient systems in the world.
The Argentine passport also ranks among the top 20 globally.
5. Peru
Peru grants citizenship to any child born in the country, regardless of their parents’ immigration status.
While the child becomes a citizen at birth, foreign parents can apply for residency and later seek naturalization.
Peru’s passport grants visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to over 130 countries, including most of Latin America and parts of Europe.
6. Costa Rica
Children born in Costa Rica automatically receive citizenship.
Parents can apply for residency after three years and may seek naturalization after a total of ten years (three years before application + seven years of residency).
Though the process is longer, the country remains an attractive option due to its stable legal framework and peaceful environment.
