SECTION I: My father's Bahamian citizenship
Chapter 2, 3, -(1):
Every person who, having been born in the former Colony of the Bahamas Islands, is on 9th July 1973 a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies shall become a citizen of the Bahamas on 10th July 1973. Source: The Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas
My father was born on February 12, 1966, in the Bahamas, when it was still the Colony of the Bahamas Islands. Being born in the Colony granted him citizenship by birth of the United Kingdom and Colonies. Therefore, he became a citizen of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas on July 10, 1973.
Before the age of 18, my father moved to the United States of America. He was not required to become naturalized, because his parents were already U.S. citizens prior to his birth. In the U.S., you are required by law to renounce any citizenships you held when you become naturalized. However, Bahamian law states that a Bahamian can only renounce his or her citizenship by a declaration made and registered in The Bahamas.
Chapter 2, 12, -:
Any citizen of The Bahamas who has attained the age of twenty-one years and who-Source: The Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas
SECTION II: My Bahamian citizenship
Chapter 2, 8, -:
A persons born outside The Bahamas after 9th July 1973 shall become a citizen of The Bahamas at the date of his birth if at that date his father is a citizen of The Bahamas otherwise than by virtue of this Article or Article 3(2) of this Constitution. Source: The Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas
In the previous section, we proved my father's Bahamian citizenship. I was born in the United States of America, and became a U.S. citizen at birth, because the U.S. Constitution states that anyone born in the United States can become a citizen at the time of their birth.
However, the Bahamian Constitution clearly says that any person born outside The Bahamas after July 9, 1973 shall become a citizen of The Bahamas at the time of birth if the father of the child is a citizen of The Bahamas. I was born outside The Bahamas, and I was born after July 9, 1973. Because my father never renounced his Bahamian citizenship, he remains a citizen to this day. Since my father is a citizen of The Bahamas, that makes me a Bahamian citizen as well.
SECTION III: Your Bahamian citizenship
You are a citizen if:
1) you were a citizen of the U.K. and born in The Bahamas before July 9, 1973.
2) your father is, or would have become, a citizen of the Bahamas and you were a citizen of the U.K. prior to July 9, 1973.
3) you were a citizen of the U.K. on July 9, 1973, and were registered in the Bahamas before January 1, 1973.
4) you are a woman who, on July 9, 1973, was or had been married to a person who is a citizen of The Bahamas, or would have been except for their death.
5) you are born in The Bahamas after July 9, 1973, and at least one of your parents is a Bahamian citizen.
6) you are born outside The Bahamas after July 9, 1973, and your father is or was a Bahamian citizen at the time of your birth.
You are eligible for citizenship if:
1) you were born in The Bahamas after July 9, 1973, but neither of your parents is a Bahamian citizen.
2) you are a woman who married a citizen of The Bahamas after July 9, 1973.
Links to other sites on the Web
The Bahamas Independence Order 1973 / The Constitution Of The Commonwealth Of The Bahamas (full document)
Forward Upward home page
The excerpts on this page are taken from The Constitution Of The Commonwealth Of The Bahamas. This and The Bahamas Independence Order 1973 are both viewable at the link above.
Suggested citation:
Koehler, Robert. "My Bahamian Citizenship". Forward Upward.
Apr 24, 2005. http://www.deadendinternet.com/forwardupward/bahamas2.html (Access date.)
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