I was born on an airplane while it was flying over the USA. Do I have a claim to US citizenship?
I was born on an airplane while it was flying over the USA. Do I have a claim to US citizenship?
Answer
Probably, yes. Births on aircraft and vessels may confer US citizenship if the aircraft or vessel was within the territorial area of the US (land territory and 12 nautical mile limit). However, a US registered aircraft/vessel outside US airspace or territory is not considered to be part of the USA. A child born on such an aircraft/vessel outside US territory does not acquire US citizenship by reason of the place of birth. This area of the law is complex and depends on the citizenship status of the parents, aircraft/vessel country of registration, exact geographic position at the time of birth, and port of call immediately following the birth.