Is she English or Portuguese? Please help me settle a debate

[Takeawaypizzatonightcbacooking]

I live in Portugal, I’m English, as is Dh, but Dd was born here.
My dad says Dd is Portuguese as she was born here, I say English because we’re both English…who is right? How does it work if you’re born in a different country to your parents etc?

The answer is you go with citizenship she is entitled to according to the law.

She's Portuguese with English heritage.

@ArnoldBee Sorry, what do you mean?

Depends on the law of Portugal. In Ireland you wouldn't be Irish.

Different countries have different laws, so you'd need to check the laws in Portugal.

Being born in a certain country doesn't necessarily mean you're that nationality.

Portugal and the UK both have laws that determine someone's citizenship.ie what passport that they are entitled to. Some people born in Goa for example are considered Portugese.

I think she’s English. My sister’s kids were born abroad but are English with a British passport etc

Our DD born in Germany is 100% British. She has no claim on German nationality.

Your daughters nationality will depend on Portuguese law, but shes a British citizen by British law.

If you remain in Portugal her entire childhood, attending local schools etc she will be culturally Portuguese even if not legally.

It depends on the nationality laws of the country in question. Most countries do not operate on the jus soli principle - the USA is a big exception here - where all babies born in that country automatically receive citizenship. Most operate on the basis of where the baby was born and the residential/nationality status of parents (e.g. the UK - unlike in the US just because a baby is born in the UK they are not automatically a British citizen).

Your DD is definitely British by decent as you and your DH are British. Whether she is Portuguese as well is to be determined by the nationality laws of Portugal.

Isnt this more of her own identity kind of question, so there isnt a wrong or right? As in, when she grows up she'll feel a certain way. I imagine if she grows up in Portugal she will describe herself as Portugese with English heritage when she grows up?

Is she entitled to citizenship in both countries? Ie would she qualify for both English and Portuguese nationality?
If she would, then she is both. If only one, then there's your answer

I'm sure she will form her own opinion of how she sees herself as she grows up. If you stay in Portugal, she is likely to see herself as Portuguese with English parents. Portuguese education, customs, culture, holidays, food, geography, etc will be her normal, English ones will be something that her parents tell her about but not really her lived reality.

She's English because you're both English.

She might be entitled to Portuguese citizenship (eventually?) on the basis of years of residency.

Living in Portugal, as indeed anywhere, will have an effect in shaping her.

I don't think OP meant legally.
Are you there permanently? If yes, I would say Portuguese with English heritage.
If you are just temporarily and will come back to uk, just go with English

Worth determining as she may qualify for an EU passport.

1st generation Portuguese

I'd say English but if your dd gets a Portuguese passport then she may consider herself Portuguese when she's older.

I gave birth to my son in Germany and neither of us are German. Ds doesn't consider himself German either

English, but a Portuguese citizen

My dc was born in Portugal, DH and I are English. Dc is English and holds a British passport

She might be one or the other or both. Depends really on how you define it. She might well be Portuguese, but that doesn't mean she can't also be English.

If you lived in Portugal for more than 2 years (or possibly 5 depending on her age) before she was born then she's entitled to Portuguese citizenship.

If one of you has British citizenship and was born in the UK, then she's entitled to British citizenship.

Whether she herself will feel more Portuguese, more English, or a bit of both as she grows up is impossible to say.

Whereas my DD who was born in the UK, has never lived in Germany and whose German vocabulary is very limited has German nationality as she qualifies under their nationality laws. It all depends upon the relevant countries nationality laws. If she isn't already entitled to Portuguese nationality, if you stay in Portugal long term she could potentially qualify for naturalisation later depending upon their requirements.

She’s entitled to Portuguese citizenship as well as English, it’s quite confusing

Depends on whether you are permanently living in Portugal or if it is a temporary move. If you are living there permanently then she is Portuguese with a English parents. If you are living there temporarily then she is English living abroad. It also depends on her citizenship status. Is she entitled to Portuguese citizenship?

If people migrate to a new country then their offspring are considered of that new country

I have 3 each born in a different country from each other. We live in the last DC country and they all identify as where they were born, not the nationality of their parents (2 different ones). I find it amusing but it’s up to them how they see themselves. They each have a passport of their birth country

She's automatically British, since her parents are British (assuming at least one of you was born in the UK). However she won't be able to pass on British citizenship to her own children unless they are born in the UK.

Whether or not she's also Portuguese, so a dual citizen, depends on the law in Portugal. Our have 3 citizenships: one from each of their parents, plus the country they were born in - but it depends on the individual countries.

Most countries allow dual or multiple citizenships if acquired at birth, btw, even if they don't allow them for people who have naturalised elsewhere. So if Portugal automatically confers citizenship at birth, then she's very likely both.

Just to add- I’m American and hold 3 passports (both my parents came from Europe). I felt American growing up- specifically, I felt Californian. Still do- with close ties to my European heritage.