Jus soli

Jus soli is the principle that citizenship or nationality may be acquired by birth within a country's territory, subject to its laws. Its scope varies across countries, from nearly unconditional birthright citizenship to limited forms.

Birthright citizenship: Citizenship granted by law at birth, through birthplace, parentage, or both. Jus soli is one legal route to citizenship at birth.
Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution: The 1868 constitutional amendment defining national and state citizenship and protecting civil rights. Its Citizenship Clause anchors birthright citizenship in the United States.
Roman law: The legal system of ancient Rome and its later influence on civil-law traditions. Roman legal traditions often emphasized descent and status rather than automatic citizenship by birthplace.
Migration: The movement of people from one place to another, within or across national borders. Birthright citizenship is often debated in the context of migration and territorial membership.
Jus sanguinis: The principle that nationality is acquired through descent from a citizen parent. It bases citizenship on parentage rather than birthplace.
United States v. Wong Kim Ark: An 1898 U.S. Supreme Court decision recognizing citizenship for a child born in the United States to Chinese parents domiciled there. The Court interpreted the Fourteenth Amendment's territorial citizenship rule.
English common law: The body of law developed through court decisions in England and adopted or adapted in other jurisdictions. Its territorial allegiance doctrine shaped later jus soli rules in English-speaking countries.
Territoriality: The principle that a state's laws and authority apply within its territory. Jus soli turns territorial birth into a basis for national membership.
Statelessness: The condition of not being considered a national by any state under its laws. Birthplace rules can prevent statelessness when a child would otherwise inherit no nationality.
Canada: A North American country whose citizenship law generally grants citizenship to people born in its territory, with exceptions. Canada is a prominent example of broad territorial birthright citizenship.

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