Could you be a surprise dual citizen? Half of us have a parent born abroad so it’s not unthinkable

COULD you be a citizen of another country and not even know it? What happened to Barnaby Joyce isn’t as uncommon as you’d imagine.

Citizenship has become an unexpectedly big issue, thanks to our MPs.

HOW could someone possibly not know they’re a dual citizen of another country?

With half the Australian population having at least one parent born abroad, it might not be as unthinkable as it seems.

In certain circumstances, there are nations that don’t require any paperwork or formal process to declare you one of theirs by descent.

Just ask a growing number of politicians who suddenly find their Canberra careers in jeopardy.

On Monday, constitutional law expert Professor Anne Twomey was sharing her insight on Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce’s problematic discovery that he’s a Kiwi when she discovered she is too.

Could you be a dual citizen and not know it?

Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce discovered he was an automatic dual citizen of New Zealand by descent. Picture Kym Smith

NEW ZEALAND

If one of your parents was a direct New Zealand citizen when you were born, then you’re automatically considered a Kiwi too.

Even if you were born in Australia or elsewhere, the government there views you as a citizen by descent. You don’t even need to do anything either.

Like Mr Joyce, it seems a number of Australians are now questioning whether they too might share an allegiance.

The New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs confirmed to News Corp Australia there was an 11,000 per cent increase in traffic to their ‘check your citizenship’ website on Monday on the back of the Deputy PM’s revelation.

You can check your Kiwi status via an online questionnaire.

RELATED: More high-profile politicians face serious dual citizenship questions

If your mum or dad is an Irish citizen, chances are you could be too. Picture: Cameron Richardson

IRELAND

When it comes to being a citizen of the Emerald Isle, the rules are similar to New Zealand.

“If either of your parents was an Irish citizen who was born in Ireland, then you are automatically an Irish citizen, irrespective of your place of birth,” the Irish Government advises.

You can register and apply for a passport but this isn’t necessary to be considered a citizen.

“You do not need an Irish passport in order to be an Irish citizen,” the government said.

Even if your folks are Irish citizens by descent themselves, you’re still eligible to apply to be one too.

So say your grandparents were Irish, you can take steps to obtain citizenship. Of course there are various rules and exceptions, which you can check here.

BRITAIN

If you were born after January 1, 1983 and one or both of your parents was a direct British citizen, then you could be too.

Generally speaking, in many cases you’d be seen as a Brit by descent automatically and you mightn’t even need to formally register it.

You can therefore obtain a British passport by following the proper channels.

There are lots of rules around this though and can check your personal circumstances by answering a few simple questions.

APPLICATION BY ‘BIRTHRIGHT’

While not automatic, there are a number of countries where you’re eligible for dual citizenship by descent — Australia included.

“If you are born in another country you need to investigate if that means you’ve become a citizen,” Kim Rubenstein, an expert in citizenship and Professor at the ANU College of Law, told the ABC.

“If your parents are born in another country or have another citizenship, that might give right to you having it.”

Here are just a few.

As Senator Matt Canavan discovered, you can obtain Italian citizenship via your parents. Picture: Kym Smith

THE PHILIPPINES

Provided you were born after 1935 and either your mum or dad was Filipino, you can obtain citizenship regardless of where you were born.

It’s not automatic although it can be done pretty easily on your behalf if you’re a minor.

ISRAEL

Anyone with a parent born in Israel qualifies for citizenship by descent, but as Western Union explains it goes further than that.

”Israel’s Law of Return of 1950 grants every Jew, no matter where they were born or live, the right to become an Israeli citizen,” it says.

“This applies to anyone with a Jewish mother or who has converted to Judaism and is not a member of any other religion.”

ITALY

As Nationals Senator Matt Canavan has discovered, you can obtain Italian citizenship via your parents.

“Citizenship is passed on from parent to child without limitation of generation, on the condition that none of the ancestors has ever renounced their citizenship,” the Italian Government says.