Canberra: Fiona Nash, deputy leader of the Nationals, is just the latest politician to be swept into the dual citizenship saga.
Nash joins her party leader and the deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, the Greens’ Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters, One Nation’s Malcolm Roberts and Liberal Matthew Canavan, whose careers have been put in doubt by the sudden confusion over their citizenship.
So, how would you go about determining if you were also a citizen of another country? Here’s how to find out if you’re more than just Australian ... Citizenship by birth If you were born in another country, it is likely you might still be a citizen of that country. This, of course, would depend on its laws, which can vary from country to country.
For example, Waters was born in Canada to Australian parents, who were studying overseas but returned when she was 11 months old. She grew up in Brisbane and has not been to Canada since then. Under Canadian law, you acquire citizenship by birth if you are born on Canadian soil, unless revoked. You can find out if you are a Canadian citizen here.
Citizenship by descent If your parents were born overseas or are citizens of another country, you could be a citizen of that country by descent — even if you were born in Australia. In some cases, you can also obtain citizenship rights through your grandparents’ heritage. Your citizenship status remains valid until you renounce it. This applies even if you have never visited that country or were unaware of your status.
Fiona Nash’s dual citizenship was triggered by her Scottish-born father. Nash, who was born in Sydney in 1965, says her father was born in Scotland in 1927 and she had little contact with him after her parents divorced when she was eight. The British Nationality Act of 1948 enabled the Empire’s dominions to adopt their own separate citizenship while retaining the common status of a British subject. The Immigration Act of 1971 meant Commonwealth citizens automatically lost their right to remain in the UK, and faced the same restrictions as those from elsewhere.
Those with a direct personal or ancestral connection to Britain, however, were exempt. Nash said she had sought clarification on Monday from the UK Home Office and was advised by a caseworker that “on the basis of the limited facts I had provided, I was a British citizen by descent, through my Scottish-born father”. According to the UK government website, in most cases you will be a British citizen if your mother or father was born in the UK or naturalised there at the time of your birth.
Citizenship by migration If you have migrated to a country and intend to live there for a long time, you may be eligible for dual citizenship. Again, the laws regarding this can vary among countries. Some are more lenient in their approach, so it may be worth checking with the embassy or consulate of that country if you are in doubt. You can check if you’re a British citizen here and if you’re a New Zealand citizen here. You could also check with your parents to see if they have applied at any time for any other citizenship on your behalf, as in the case of Canavan.