T H E G L O B A L S TAT E O F C I T I Z E N S H I P 1.2 TRANSMITTING CITIZENSHIP TO A CHILD BORN ABROAD Type of restriction in place to acquire citizenship by descent | 191 countries | 2024 Generational transmission 20% restriction Parental group restriction (particular group, race or religion) 2% 39 4 Parental gender restriction (only if 10% father a citizen) Wedlock restriction 3% Dual citizenship restriction 11% 20 5 21 Generally applicable provision 53% 102 Share and number of countries with type of provision Source: GLOBALCIT Citizenship Law Dataset, v3 | mode: A01b Acquiring citizenship via birth in a country’s territory Is citizenship transmitted both through descent and through birthplace? Territorial birthright citizenship, meaning birth in the territory of a state as grounds for citizenship at birth, exists in 82 out of 191 countries (43%). In 38 countries, mostly in the Americas, citizenship is acquired automatically and unconditionally upon birth in the country (Figure 1.3). Only the children of diplomats are typically excluded from such provisions, as they are not ‘subject to the jurisdiction’ of that country (a clause that gave rise to a widely criticised attempt to restrict the scope of territorial birthright citizenship in the US under the 14th Amendment, via an Executive Order). 6