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Do you get citizenship if you are born on a plane?

If a baby is born over United States airspace, the jus soli rule means the child would be granted U.S. citizenship, according to the Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual.



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If a baby is born over United States airspace, the jus soli rule means the child would be granted U.S. citizenship, according to the Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual.

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“In most other cases, the child would assume the citizenship of their parents. It's also possible that the child would be given the citizenship of the nation in which the aircraft was registered, regardless of where it departed or landed. This rule only applies to prevent the child from being stateless.”

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Citizenship aside, it was once thought that all babies born on planes received free flights for life. Well, perhaps, but it's not a likely enough possibility to change your birthing plan for.

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Lap infant fares on international flights Most international flights allow children under 2 to fly as lap children, but with one big difference — it's usually not 100% free. Typically, if you're flying on a revenue ticket, you must pay the taxes and fees for your lap infant plus, in some cases, 10% of the fare.

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Do babies fly free? Babies and toddlers under 2 years old aren't legally required to occupy an airplane seat and can instead travel as a lap infant on their parent's ticket. Lap infants are generally free of charge, although you may pay a percentage of the full fare if you're traveling internationally.

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If a child was born on a plane, while flying over a major ocean, what would be the child's citizenship? It would, mostly, be the citizenship of the baby's parents. A few countries give citizenship to anyone born in their airspace, but not in international airspace over an ocean.

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Under the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, for the purposes of determining the obligations under the convention, a birth on a ship or aircraft in international waters or airspace shall be treated as a birth in the country of the ship or aircraft's registration.

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While it's certainly possible to give birth at Walt Disney World in extenuating circumstances, doing so won't get you or your child any special perks—except for maybe some extra attention from the Cast Members! Stay tuned to Disney Fanatic for all the latest Disney news!

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Any person traveling internationally must have a passport, regardless of their age. “I see this question come up frequently in our law practice, and the answer is yes, even babies need a passport to travel internationally,” says Renata Castro, Esq., an immigration attorney with Castro Legal Group.

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Is it safe to fly during pregnancy? Answer From Mary Marnach, M.D. Generally, air travel before 36 weeks of pregnancy is considered safe for people who aren't dealing with any pregnancy problems. Still, if you're pregnant, it's a good idea to talk with your health care provider before you fly.

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The TSA will allow you to go through the metal detector while wearing your baby, although you may be asked to undergo an additional screening even if there is not an alarm. The additional screening will consist of having your hands swabbed for chemical residue, and potentially a pat-down.

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Related: Why you should travel while your baby is an infant If you have a trip that spans your child's second birthday, only the outbound flight will be free. On the return flight, you will be required to purchase your now-2-year-old a seat with a one-way ticket.

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