MPs want citizenship barrier removed for children of unmarried parents

A select committee of MPs is pushing for a law change to remove a citizenship barrier affecting some children of parents born outside marriage.

The rule applies to people born overseas before 1977, and can block citizenship by descent where a parent was born to unmarried parents. BBC journalist Laura Ancell told 1News earlier this year about tracing her family history and then finding her New Zealand lineage would not be recognised because of her father's so-called illegitimacy.

MPs across the committee described the provision as an anachronism that punishes people for the marital status of grandparents, with no policy purpose in a modern citizenship framework.

Any change would require amending legislation, but the committee's recommendation puts pressure on the Government to act on a rule that affects a small number of people with a disproportionate impact on each of them.