NATO Members, European, Asian, and Americas Countries: Unrestricted Jus Soli Status
Below is a list of NATO members, all European and Asian countries, and countries in the Americas, with their unrestricted jus soli status (automatic citizenship by birth on soil, regardless of parental status) as of 2025, sourced from the Global Legal Research Directorate and World Population Review. Following that, countries that ended unrestricted jus soli due to birth tourism or espionage/security concerns are listed with reasons. The response concludes with estimates of jus soli births in the U.S., largest origin countries and associated issues.
NATO Members (31 Countries)
1. Albania: No unrestricted jus soli.
2. Belgium: No.
3. Bulgaria: No.
4. Canada: Yes.
5. Croatia: No.
6. Czech Republic: No.
7. Denmark: No.
8. Estonia: No.
9. Finland: No.
10. France: No.
11. Germany: No.
12. Greece: No.
13. Hungary: No.
14. Iceland: No.
15. Italy: No.
16. Latvia: No.
17. Lithuania: No.
18. Luxembourg: No.
19. Montenegro: No.
20. Netherlands: No.
21. North Macedonia: No.
22. Norway: No.
23. Poland: No.
24. Portugal: No.
25. Romania: No.
26. Slovakia: No.
27. Slovenia: No.
28. Spain: No.
29. Sweden: No.
30. Turkey: No.
31. United States: Yes.
Europe (44 Countries)
No European country offers unrestricted jus soli.
1. Albania: No.
2. Andorra: No.
3. Armenia: No.
4. Austria: No.
5. Azerbaijan: No.
6. Belarus: No.
7. Belgium: No.
8. Bosnia and Herzegovina: No.
9. Bulgaria: No.
10. Croatia: No.
11. Cyprus: No.
12. Czech Republic: No.
13. Denmark: No.
14. Estonia: No.
15. Finland: No.
16. France: No.
17. Georgia: No.
18. Germany: No.
19. Greece: No.
20. Hungary: No.
21. Iceland: No.
22. Ireland: No.
23. Italy: No.
24. Kosovo: No.
25. Latvia: No.
26. Liechtenstein: No.
27. Lithuania: No.
28. Luxembourg: No.
29. Malta: No.
30. Moldova: No.
31. Monaco: No.
32. Montenegro: No.
33. Netherlands: No.
34. North Macedonia: No.
35. Norway: No.
36. Poland: No.
37. Portugal: No.
38. Romania: No.
39. Russia: No.
40. San Marino: No.
41. Serbia: No.
42. Slovakia: No.
43. Slovenia: No.
44. Spain: No.
45. Sweden: No.
46. Switzerland: No.
47. Turkey: No.
48. Ukraine: No.
49. United Kingdom: No.
50. Vatican City: No.
Asia (49 Countries)
Only Pakistan offers unrestricted jus soli.
1. Afghanistan: No.
2. Bahrain: No.
3. Bangladesh: No.
4. Bhutan: No.
5. Brunei: No.
6. Cambodia: No.
7. China: No.
8. Cyprus: No.
9. East Timor: No.
10. Georgia: No.
11. India: No.
12. Indonesia: No.
13. Iran: No.
14. Iraq: No.
15. Israel: No.
16. Japan: No.
17. Jordan: No.
18. Kazakhstan: No.
19. Kuwait: No.
20. Kyrgyzstan: No.
21. Laos: No.
22. Lebanon: No.
23. Malaysia: No.
24. Maldives: No.
25. Mongolia: No.
26. Myanmar: No.
27. Nepal: No.
28. North Korea: No.
29. Oman: No.
30. Pakistan: Yes.
31. Palestine: No.
32. Philippines: No.
33. Qatar: No.
34. Russia (Asian territory): No.
35. Saudi Arabia: No.
36. Singapore: No.
37. South Korea: No.
38. Sri Lanka: No.
39. Syria: No.
40. Taiwan: No.
41. Tajikistan: No.
42. Thailand: No.
43. Turkey: No.
44. Turkmenistan: No.
45. United Arab Emirates: No.
46. Uzbekistan: No.
47. Vietnam: No.
48. Yemen: No.
Americas (35 Countries)
Most countries in the Americas offer unrestricted jus soli.
1. Antigua and Barbuda: Yes.
2. Argentina: Yes.
3. Bahamas: No.
4. Barbados: Yes.
5. Belize: Yes.
6. Bolivia: Yes.
7. Brazil: Yes.
8. Canada: Yes.
9. Chile: Yes.
10. Colombia: No.
11. Costa Rica: Yes.
12. Cuba: Yes.
13. Dominica: Yes.
14. Dominican Republic: No.
15. Ecuador: Yes.
16. El Salvador: Yes.
17. Grenada: Yes.
18. Guatemala: Yes.
19. Guyana: Yes.
20. Haiti: No.
21. Honduras: Yes.
22. Jamaica: Yes.
23. Mexico: Yes.
24. Nicaragua: Yes.
25. Panama: Yes.
26. Paraguay: Yes.
27. Peru: Yes.
28. Saint Kitts and Nevis: Yes.
29. Saint Lucia: Yes.
30. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Yes.
31. Suriname: No.
32. Trinidad and Tobago: Yes.
33. United States: Yes.
34. Uruguay: Yes.
35. Venezuela: Yes.
Countries That Ended Unrestricted Jus Soli and Why
1. Ireland (2004):
• Reason: Birth tourism, especially from Nigeria and China, exploited Irish citizenship for EU residency (e.g., Chen v. Home Secretary case). Security concerns about non-integrated citizens were secondary.
2. Australia (1986):
• Reason: Birth tourism from Asian countries drove reform to control immigration. Security was a minor concern.
3. India (1987, tightened 2004):
• Reason: Immigration from Bangladesh and Pakistan, with espionage and terrorism risks cited. Birth tourism was a lesser factor.
4. United Kingdom (1983):
• Reason: Postcolonial immigration and birth tourism from former colonies. Loyalty concerns were noted, with espionage secondary.
5. New Zealand (2006):
• Reason: Birth tourism from Pacific and Asian nations. Security and espionage were minimal concerns.
6. Malta (1989):
• Reason: Birth tourism exploiting EU status. Security concerns, including foreign influence, were secondary.
7. Dominican Republic (2010, tightened 2013):
• Reason: Haitian immigration, with security and “foreign infiltration” concerns. Espionage was not explicit.
8. Thailand (1972):
• Reason: Illegal immigration from Burma (Myanmar) led to reform. Birth tourism and security were secondary concerns.
Jus Soli Births in the U.S., Largest Origin Countries, Illegal Immigrant Estimates, and Issues
• Jus Soli Births in the U.S.:
• Approximately 300,000–370,000 births per year to non-citizen parents (legal and illegal), based on 2014–2023 estimates. The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) estimates ~225,000–250,000 births to illegal immigrants and ~70,000 to temporary visitors (e.g., birth tourists) in 2023. Total U.S. births are ~3.7 million annually.
• Largest Origin Countries for Birth Tourism:
1. China (20,000–25,000 births/year): Strategic rival with espionage history (e.g., tech theft). High risk of citizens raised under CCP influence accessing U.S. sectors.
2. Russia (3,000–5,000 births/year): Adversary with election meddling record. High risk of recruitment for spying.
3. Nigeria (1,000–2,000 births/year): Partial ally. Low espionage risk, but fraud concerns.
4. South Korea (2,000–4,000 births/year): Strong ally. Negligible espionage risk; motives are educational.
5. Turkey (1,000–2,000 births/year): Strained NATO ally. Moderate risk of coercion by authoritarian government.
• Issues with Jus Soli:
• Birth Tourism Exploitation: ~33,000 birth tourism births annually incentivize visa fraud, costing billions (e.g., hospital bills, public services). China and Russia’s involvement raises security flags.
• Security Risks: Citizens raised in adversarial nations (China, Russia) could access sensitive U.S. sectors or vote with foreign loyalties, though no confirmed espionage cases exist.
• Chain Migration: Jus soli citizens can sponsor family at 21, amplifying immigration flows.
• Policy Misalignment: Only 17.95% of countries (35/195) offer unrestricted jus soli, mostly in the Americas. Europe and most of Asia have ended it to curb abuses.