Affluent Savvy
Photo by Ольга Жарикова Pexels Logo Photo: Ольга Жарикова

What happens if a baby is born on a plane?

Many countries, including the United States, grant citizenship to anyone born in their territorial airspace or waters. That's known in the legal world by its Latin name, "jus soli," or "right of the soil." Other countries rely on "jus sanguinis," or "right of the blood," in these cases.

What is the healthiest oil to cook with 2022?
What is the healthiest oil to cook with 2022?

Choose plant-based oils rich in unsaturated fat. The heart association suggests the following cooking oils, which meet its health standards:...

Read More »
How does the money illusion work?
How does the money illusion work?

Money illusion posits that people have a tendency to view their wealth and income in nominal dollar terms, rather than recognize their real value,...

Read More »
Awaken your dormant DNA ability to attract wealth effortlessly
Awaken your dormant DNA ability to attract wealth effortlessly

The simple yet scientifically proven Wealth DNA method laid out in the report allows you to effortlessly start attracting the wealth and abundance you deserve.

Learn More »

It sounds like a hypothetical problem, like something you might find in one of those conversation-starting party games: If a baby is born on an airplane, where would that baby's citizenship be located? The country they're flying over? The country where the plane took off? Where it's going to land? Somewhere else entirely?

It turns out this is not at all a hypothetical situation. In September 2021, a passenger from Morocco gave birth in the middle of a Turkish Airlines flight between Istanbul, Turkey, and Chicago. In July 2019, a baby was born on a flight between Doha, Qatar, and Beirut, Lebanon, that was diverted to Kuwait so the mother and baby could get immediate care. And during the U.S. evacuation from Afghanistan in 2021, an Afghan evacuee gave birth on a C-17 troop transport plane. The citizenship of babies born midair like these depends on several factors. Many countries, including the United States, grant citizenship to anyone born in their territorial airspace or waters. That's known in the legal world by its Latin name, "jus soli," or "right of the soil." Other countries rely on "jus sanguinis," or "right of the blood," in these cases. That means the baby's citizenship depends on its parents' citizenship. Let's take our party conversation a step further: What if the baby is born over the ocean where territorial rights aren't in play and jus sanguinis isn't an option for some reason? In that case, it could fall to the nationality of the airplane itself. All aircraft have the nationality of the country in which they are registered, no matter where takeoff and landing happen. This rule only applies, though, if the child would otherwise be stateless. Jus soli and jus sanguinis will almost always have a citizenship solution before anyone's nationality has to be determined by on the registration of the aircraft. Now That's a Reach As for the baby born aboard the C-17 transport out of Kabul, Afghanistan, she has Afghan citizenship, just like her parents. According to the U.S. State Department, "a U.S.-registered aircraft outside U.S. airspace is not considered to be part of U.S. territory. A child born on such an aircraft outside U.S. airspace does not acquire U.S. citizenship by reason of the place of birth." This baby did acquire a cool name, though: Her parents named her Reach, after the call sign of the aircraft, Reach 828.

Originally Published: Sep 26, 2006

Can you take too much cinnamon for diabetes?
Can you take too much cinnamon for diabetes?

Summary While eating cinnamon may help lower your blood sugar, eating too much may cause it to fall too low, especially if you're on medication for...

Read More »
When was the last Zodiac killing?
When was the last Zodiac killing?

October 1969 The last known victim, a taxi driver, was shot in October 1969. The murders were the subject of intense investigation and media...

Read More »
Awaken your dormant DNA ability to attract wealth effortlessly
Awaken your dormant DNA ability to attract wealth effortlessly

The simple yet scientifically proven Wealth DNA method laid out in the report allows you to effortlessly start attracting the wealth and abundance you deserve.

Learn More »

Why am I losing confidence as I get older?
Why am I losing confidence as I get older?

As you advance in years, you may tend to lose confidence as you experience changes in your body and face health issues. Losing your self-confidence...

Read More »
What are the benefits of boiling cinnamon sticks?
What are the benefits of boiling cinnamon sticks?

Cinnamon helps to reduce markers of inflammation, which in turn lowers the risk of disease. Antioxidants in cinnamon tea also help to fight against...

Read More »
Awaken your dormant DNA ability to attract wealth effortlessly
Awaken your dormant DNA ability to attract wealth effortlessly

The simple yet scientifically proven Wealth DNA method laid out in the report allows you to effortlessly start attracting the wealth and abundance you deserve.

Learn More »
How can I increase my money flow?
How can I increase my money flow?

6 Strategies for Accelerating Cash Flow in Your Business Reduce your spending. Decreasing your spending is one of the more obvious ways to increase...

Read More »
Awaken your dormant DNA ability to attract wealth effortlessly
Awaken your dormant DNA ability to attract wealth effortlessly

The simple yet scientifically proven Wealth DNA method laid out in the report allows you to effortlessly start attracting the wealth and abundance you deserve.

Learn More »
What happens when you hit 100 000 subscribers on YouTube?
What happens when you hit 100 000 subscribers on YouTube?

To be eligible for a Creator Award, you need to meet the following guidelines: Pass a specific subscriber milestone: Silver: When you reach 100,000...

Read More »