If a Haitian gives birth to a baby in a foreign hospital, is the newborn baby Haitian?

PHOTO: Child and Baby Deported at Midnight from the Dominican Republic to Haiti

You know how bad the healthcare system is in Haiti. Many times, couples who have the financial capability travel to another country like the United States or the Dominican Republic to give birth to their child, especially if it is a complicated pregnancy.

What ends up happening when they get back home is that that have to lie to the local "Officier d'Etat Civil" (the registrar) and say that the baby was born in Haiti if they want to get a Haitian birth certificate for the child.

The Haitian constitution says in article 11:

"Possède la Nationalité Haïtienne d'origine, tout individu né d'un père haïtien ou d'une mère haïtienne qui eux-mêmes sont nés Haïtiens et n'avaient jamais renoncé à leur nationalité au moment de la naissance."

Does it matter where the baby is born if the mother or father is Haitian? Is the baby Haitian legally?

Did you know??? All babies born in the Dominican Republic by a Haitian or foreign mother who is not a legal resident of the country and the father is not Dominican is considered an "Estranjero!" -- A foreigner born on Dominican soil.

So if Haiti does not give these children birth certificates, they become stateless.

There is a serious identity crisis in Haiti that needs to be addressed...

What do you think about that?

Write a comment  (9)

You might also like

• Haiti Music - New bust of Nemours Jean Baptiste at Place Sainte-Anne in Port-au-Prince
• If you are POOR an living in Little Haiti Miami, it's time to move out, you have no choice!
• Are you stressed out? Maybe it is because you are not getting enough sleep

Return to Articles List

All Comments (9)