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Title 8, Aliens and NationalityRelease 119-102

§1403 Persons Born in the Canal Zone or Republic of Panama on or After February 26, 1904

Title 8 › CHAPTER 12 — IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY › SUBCHAPTER III — NATIONALITY AND NATURALIZATION › Part I — Nationality at Birth and Collective Naturalization › § 1403

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Anyone born in the Canal Zone on or after February 26, 1904, who had a U.S. citizen mother or father when they were born is a U.S. citizen. Anyone born in the Republic of Panama on or after February 26, 1904, who had a U.S. citizen mother or father working for the U.S. government or for the Panama Railroad Company (or its successor) when they were born is a U.S. citizen. These rules apply whether the birth happened before or after the law took effect.

Full Legal Text

Title 8, §1403

Aliens and Nationality, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Any person born in the Canal Zone on or after February 26, 1904, and whether before or after the effective date of this chapter, whose father or mother or both at the time of the birth of such person was or is a citizen of the United States, is declared to be a citizen of the United States.
(b)Any person born in the Republic of Panama on or after February 26, 1904, and whether before or after the effective date of this chapter, whose father or mother or both at the time of the birth of such person was or is a citizen of the United States employed by the Government of the United States or by the Panama Railroad Company, or its successor in title, is declared to be a citizen of the United States.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

For definition of Canal Zone, referred to in text, see section 3602(b) of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse. The

Effective Date

of this chapter, referred to in text, is the 180th day immediately following
June 27, 1952. See section 407 of act
June 27, 1952, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 1101 of this title.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Panama Railroad Company redesignated Panama Canal Company by act Sept. 26, 1950, ch. 1049, § 2(a)(2), 64 Stat. 1038. References to Panama Canal Company in laws of the United States are deemed to refer to Panama Canal Commission pursuant to section 3602(b)(5) of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

8 U.S.C. § 1403

Title 8, Aliens and Nationality

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102