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Date: Fri, Mar 6 2009 4:44 pm
From: Pat West
I have a question. Has anyone else found their ancestors changed their
nationality? On my Grandfather's Ellis Island Manifest he listed his
nationality as Great Britian, but his country of origin as Portugal.
Hi Pat,
The difference between Nationality and Citizenship is the right to vote or
participate in the political process of a country. I have always believed that
Nationality is where you are born. I may be wrong but that is my belief.
I am an American Citizen but I am also an Irish Citizen which makes me an EU
Citizen. Before recently becoming an EU citizen I was legally considered an
American National with no voting rights. I hold American and Irish Passports.
However, my Nationality is American and will always be American as that is
where I was born. Some people also confuse Nationality with ethnic background.
My feeling is your grandfather was misunderstood when he named his nationality.
From what port did he arrive in America? That may be the key to your answer. If
he arrived in America from Britain then he may have been misunderstood when
answering the questions asked. I doubt he was a British National unless he
spent a long time in Britain. If he was a passenger on a ship then he wouldn't
have been considered by Britain to be a National. It is the country you reside
in that determines your status.
Being misunderstood at immigration is easily done. When I moved here they
recorded my birthday as August 1st. My birthday is January 8th. Irish write
their dates backwards from how Americans do.
I would look at his passage to America for your answers. If his Port was
British then it was an error. Unless you can find him residing for a length of
time in Britain and establishing residency.
Regards,
Laura Fitzpatrick
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