Because The States grants citizenship to almost everyone who is born within her boundaries –even if they are only there for a weekend visit to Disneyland- a cottage industry has sprung up around birth tourism. Citizens of South Korean, China, Taiwan, and yes –Hong Kong- are the ones who probably take fullest advantage of this legal anomaly. Several travel agencies in South Korean actively market to pregnant women and offer travel packages that provide all travel arrangements, accommodations, and a little gift basket for the new mother. One of the big draws is that once a child has a U.S. passport, it is much easier –and cheaper- for them to gain admittance to a U.S. university later in life. An initial investment of $20,000 up front by mom and dad, can reap a savings of tens of thousands of dollars once junior is of college age.
A colleague of mine taught in Seoul, South Korea, and she pointed out that another advantage is that the South Korean government makes it much easier to get a coveted spot in one of Seoul’s international elementary or secondary school if a person holds a foreign passport.
Great Britain, Ireland, India, and Australia used to have jus soli citizenship laws like the United States still does, but in the last few years they have modified their birthright laws to no longer automatically extend citizenship to every child born within their borders.
I think that it would be really cool to have grandchildren who hold Chinese citizenship. I imagine that these might come in really handy one day in the not-so-distant future. Wouldn’t it be great if one day my married daughters could book a vacation to China for a few weeks, take in the sights, deliver a baby quick a minute, and then be handed a Chinese passport for the newborn on the way out of the country?
That would be awesome.
Unfortunately, that is not how the world works.
Well, at least not most of the world.
No comments:
Post a Comment