birthright citizenship: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

No. Many countries, like the US and Canada, have relatively unconditional birthright citizenship. Others, like the UK and Australia, have restricted it, requiring at least one parent to be a citizen or permanent resident.

It is derived from the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which states: '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.'

Critics often argue it can encourage 'birth tourism' and creates a pathway to citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants, which they view as a drain on resources or a threat to national cohesion.

Proponents argue it prevents a permanent underclass of stateless individuals, promotes equality and integration from birth, and is a key component of a civic, rather than ethnic, national identity.

The legal principle that a person's nationality or citizenship is determined by the location of their birth, regardless of the nationality of their parents.

Birthright citizenship is usually formal, academic, legal, political in register.

Birthright citizenship: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbɜːθ.raɪt ˌsɪt.ɪ.zən.ʃɪp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbɝːθ.raɪt ˌsɪt̬.ə.zən.ʃɪp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.