Birth aboard aircraft and ships

The subject of birth aboard aircraft and ships is one with a long history in public international law.

Before 1961, a number of states expressly provided, in their laws, that births and deaths aboard an aircraft registered to that state are considered to have occurred on national territory, and thus the nationality laws of that territory apply.

Since in most cases a child would be covered by one or more countries' jus sanguini at birth (getting the same citizenship as its parents), this convention rarely comes into play.

But being born in a Canadian-registered vehicle would establish a connection with Canada which would probably be taken into account, if application was made to have the person declared a Canadian citizen.

[4] A child born in flight in a region where no country claims sovereignty would list their place of birth as "IN THE AIR".