In a recent interview with ZNS NewsChief Passport Officer, Nicholas Symonette spoke about the impact the citizenship ruling by the Privy Council is having on the Passport Office.

The ruling allows the children of unwed Bahamian fathers and foreign mothers the right to citizenship at birth. Symonette said, “we rolled that out earlier in the year, I think around March, we did so. There are Bahamians born in every country and we’ve seen it. So it requires also this office now to do research on the documentation those persons bring forth. Not just to say verify it based on apostille or authentication but also to verify that the document is legitimate.”

The Chief Passport Officer also addressed confusion surrounding who is entitled to a Bahamian passport. He said, “anybody born in country to a Bahamian parent can now be the recipient of that citizenship by descent. When you’re born outside the country it still remains the same, only a married Bahamian man who was born in The Bahamas can pass on his citizenship to a child born outside the country. Only a single Bahamian female who was born in The Bahamas could pass on citizenship to a child born outside of country.”