Baby Born On Flight From Jordan To NY

baby born on plane
image: Aero-Shots.com

Talk about a great conversation starter…

Last night a baby girl was born on board a Royal Jordanian flight heading from Jordan to New York City. Lucky for mom, a doctor and nurse happened to be on board to help with the delivery!

I’d imagine that this little girl will have a great story to tell when she is older!

The new mom, 33-year-old Vera Jaber was traveling alone when she went into labor. She gave birth at around 5:00 PM and the plane landed at JFK at 7:30 PM. They were then taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center.

I hope that both mom and baby are doing well. My next thought was:

Which country would the baby be a citizen of?

My assumption would be that for sure the baby is a citizen of Jordan since her mom is Jordanian. But what about the US since that is where the plane landed soon after the girl was born?

Then again, the baby wasn’t born in the US (she was born flying on a plane!) so would that make much sense?

According to Mashable, “Depending on several factors, like the registry of the plane and regional law, a baby born on  a flight can be granted citizenship to the country below the plane. The United States is one of the countries that can grant citizenship to babies born above it, according to”Unruly Places” author Alastair Bonnett”.

The article goes on to say that since the baby was born above the Atlantic, she will most likely be Jordanian like her mother.  

I remember a story years back where a baby was born during a flight. The airline was then generous enough to give the mom and baby free flights for life. I wonder if Royal Jordanian will do something similar for Vera Jaber and her new bundle of joy.

Find out more about the story from Mashable here.

4 thoughts on “Baby Born On Flight From Jordan To NY

  1. James- I am pretty sure that you are right in regards to citizenship laws related to the country where the plane is registered. It seems like a strange way to decide though if you ask me.

  2. My understanding of this area of international law is that assuming the plane is not in/above US territory or waters, it falls to the country of registry for the vessel. i.e. if the plane is registered in Jordan (which makes sense for Royal Jordanian), then the baby is Jordanian.

    That of course can be complicated by the respective citizenship laws of various countries – for example, establishing citizenship through birth and/or lineage.

  3. The notion that a tourist can come to the US and have a baby and that baby is a US citizen is ridiculous. Need to change that law.

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