How is nationality really determine?

Question

Is it where you were born or how long you lived in a certain area or weather you became a citizen of that area?

ex:GG Grandma was born in Ireland, moved to England at age 2 and moved to the United Stated at 20 but never became a citizen. Married a boy who's mom was 1/4 indian than they had a child in Michigan, whom met and married a person from Canada and they lived in the United States for 20 yrs before moving to Austrialia for 10 yrs and than back to the U.S.

What is the proper nationality. (Star this if you want :) )

Answer 1

Nationality is whatever passport the person is holding. I believe you are asking about national identity. In the case it is whatever the person feel he or she is most of.

Answer 2

Nationality is mostly where you were born and raised for the majority of your formative years. But technically, if you emigrated to America from another country, but became a naturalized American citizen, then your current Nationality would be considered American. But if you areasked what your nationality of "Origin"is, then it would be the original country you came from.

Answer 3

She's Irish by decent, but a British citizen.

I say she's Irish-British.  She's just a visitor in the US since she's not a citizen.

Answer 4

Generally the rule of thumb is that you take on the nationality of your father, but over the years this has been vastly abused.

I am of Irish descent on my mother's side (she is a full blooded Belfast lass) and my father is a soft english southerner.  

So I am english by default, but with very strong irish conections.

Answer 5

There are so many rules involved.  A citizen ship acquired is still a person's citizenship until abandoned (i.e., another citizenship is acquired).  So, the GG Grandma, born in England, moved to England, then to the U.S.  With ONLY that info given, she is either Irish or English (depending upon the status of her parents).  The boy who's mom was 1/4 Indian (from India? or American Native? Boy's nationality is unproven from your info.  The child born in Michigan would be a U.S. citizen.  Moving to Australia itself does not make him an Aussie; unless he renounced his American citizenship, he is an American. His wife, unless she was naturalized, APPEARS to be a Canadian (a person from Canada does NOT mean she is a Canadienne).

Sorry, this is the best I can do with the incomplete information given.

Different countries have different rules: my son was born in Germany, but he would have to immigrate there and apply for citizenship to become a German citizen.  Me being an American, he was automatically granted U.S. citizenship as my son, even though my wife was a Filipino citizen at the time.

Also, anyone born in the U.S. (even on an airplane flying over the U.S.) is a U.S. citizen (but exeptions apply).

Answer 6

Nationality is determined by where you have your citizenship.  It is not the country of your ancestors.  Nationality and ancestral heritage are two different things.

I have had ancestors in this country before the Mayflower.  The Jamestown Virginia settlement was 13 years before and also I have some Native American ancestry but the person who receives naturalization in a federal courthouse today, their nationality becomes just as American as mine.

Answer 7

Nationality is more of a political label.  Someone can be born in any country in the world, then move to the US and become a citizen.  Legally, grandma never became a citizen. She may or may not have become an English citizen after she was born (or her parents could have been English citizens, who lived in Ireland for a period of time.. perhaps as diplomats would, for example).  The child born in Michigan was a US citizen from the start, based on the place of birth.  

The nationality of EACH person will be particular to where they were born, and the laws in that location.  As mentioned above.. grandma may not have been a citizen of Ireland, depending on her parents reason for being in Ireland or where they came from. It will be different for the person born in Canada, Michigan, or children possibly born in Australia.

Genealogy is more directed at "heritage" than nationality, and has less to do with legal citizenship than ancestry.. which INCLUDES all the backgrounds.  A couple, ie from China, may be born in China, come to the US, become a citizen here, and have children here. For genealogy purposes, they will always have Chinese heritage, no matter where they became a citizen, or where they may later move. Their citizenship becomes American, as does their children, even if they live else where for many years. With some exceptions.. nationality/ citizenship is a limited thing that can change.  Heritage/ ancestry is far more inclusive, and includes MORE than just place of birth.

For you.. you have included SOME of the background, but not all. You mention the mom who is 1/4th Indian, but don't identify what the other 3/4th were. So..you really are leaving out pieces of the puzzle that contribute.  It is difficult to describe someone's ancestry completely and "properly" without all the info.

I think what you are looking for is more of a background concept, which would fall into genealogy. To do that.. you have to separate ancestry from citizenship terminology.