Few people — if any — would consider having a baby overseas. But if you are having a baby, or you’re considering it… The following two countries will give your child immediate citizenship, and you, as the parents, can get permanent residency and expedited citizenship if you travel there to give birth.
Let’s get into the details below…
Give your unborn child the ultimate gift — a second passport — in one of these two countries…
There are few assets you can give your child in their lives that will be more powerful than a second passport. Throughout their lives, they’d benefit from having a second home to run to should things go terribly wrong in your own country.
They’d be able to go study there with ease, benefiting from the same privileges any other citizen would enjoy there. And ultimately, they’ll enjoy greater optionality in terms of places to live, work and invest.
(Simon himself has first-hand experience of having a baby in Mexico, while another member of the Sovereign Man team gave birth in Chile some years ago as well. Simon reports that the entire birth experience in Mexico was excellent, from start to finish. The doctors, facilities and level of care they received was world class; in fact, he can’t imagine that it could have been any better.)
Two countries where a local birth also delivers a robust Plan B…
There are over 30 countries where a baby will automatically become a citizen if they are born there. This principle is referred to as “birthright citizenship”, or jus soli in Latin.
There are also a number of countries where the foreign parents of newborn citizens enjoy a fast-track route to either permanent residency or citizenship.
In these countries, you can hit two birds with one stone: You can give your child the competitive advantage of second citizenship, while also securing either second residency and/or citizenship for yourself and your spouse in the near term.
Sovereign Man regards the following two countries highly in terms of their merits as “birthright destinations”.
Birthright Country # 1: Brazil (Passport Ranking: B+)
When your child is born in Brazil, they automatically get Brazilian citizenship. And you and your spouse, as their parents, are eligible to apply for a “residency of indefinite term” – effectively permanent residency. This grants you the right to stay, live, work and travel outside Brazil’s borders.
The first step is to apply for your newborn’s passport, which takes about a month to arrive. To apply, you have to submit your child’s birth certificate and copies of your and your spouse’s passports. The application must be done in Portuguese.
And after securing residency, one year later, you and your spouse can apply for citizenship. You will be required to pass a financial means test and a Portuguese language exam though.
But these hurdles pale in comparison to the benefits of Brazilian citizenship: according to our ranking, the Brazilian passport scores a B+ grade, offering visa-free travel to Europe’s Schengen area.
Brazil is also a founding member of MERCOSUR, a bloc of South American countries offering the simplified movement of people across its borders. Your child will be able to move to any other South American country with minimal paperwork.
Again, your citizenship isn’t instant. But, you become a citizen in an exciting country, and you won’t have to pay $140,000+ for a second passport via a CBI Program in the Caribbean.
Current Covid entry restrictions: Non-resident visitors entering Brazil must have a negative Covid RT-PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before departure. The results must be in English, Spanish or Portuguese. Non-resident passengers who have transited through India, South Africa or the UK are not allowed to enter or transit through Brazil.
Birthright Country # 2: Mexico (Passport Ranking: B+)
Mexico is another jus soli country very worthwhile considering as a birthplace for your child. Your child will become a Mexican by virtue of being born there. But Mexico also permits the foreign parents, and even grandparents, of a newborn Mexican to apply for permanent residency.
And in Mexico, you will be able to apply for a passport after only two years of residency, instead of the standard five.
As a bonus, Mexico is part of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Community (APEC). Mexican citizens can therefore obtain the APEC Travel Card which allows for visa-free access to China, Russia, Australia and the other member countries which are usually hard to get to.
Current Covid entry restrictions: None whatsoever.
NOTE: If you’re a Sovereign Confidential member, you can look forward to a detailed Sovereign Confidential Alert on the actual birthing experience in these countries this coming Friday. The Alert contains details regarding hospitals, medical care, the application process, the cost, and much more…
Additional considerations when choosing a country for second residency and citizenship
| Consideration | Brazil | Mexico |
| Instant citizenship for children born there | Yes | Yes |
| Permanent residency for parents of children born there | Yes | Yesd |
| Expedited citizenship for parents of children born there | Yes, one year instead of four. | Yes, two years instead of five. |
| Participations in regional blocs | Mercosur | NAFTA, but it does not come with freedom of people movement. |
| Passport quality | Sovereign Man Passport Ranking: B+. Offers visa-free access to 148 countries, including the EU and UK. |
Sovereign Man Passport Ranking: B+ Offers visa-free access to 140 countries, including the EU, UK and Japan. Mexican citizens can also obtain the APEC Business Travel Card. |
The bottom line
Just about no one would have a child exclusively to obtain a second residency or citizenship… But if you are planning or expecting a child, the relatively little time and effort required to book a birthing trip abroad can deliver a powerful Plan B.
Yours in Freedom,
Team Sovereign Man
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