Children born in Fiji automatically receive citizenship by law, without the need for authorization from the Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration, according to Grace Road Group. This clarification comes in response to a recent statement from Minister Pio Tikoduadua, who announced an investigation regarding the issuance of what has been termed “unauthorized” Fiji passports for the child of two members of the Grace Road Church.
On Thursday, Minister Tikoduadua indicated that the investigation seeks to uncover how a Fiji passport was issued, allowing the child and her father to exit the country. The children’s mother reports that she and her husband immigrated from Korea around eight years ago, and their four-year-old child was born at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva. She noted that her child had not been registered in Fiji during her four years of life.
The mother alleged that she had escaped from Grace Road’s True Mart in Navua, accusing the organization of subjecting her to eight years of “slavery.” In response, Grace Road Group emphasized that, per Section 6 of the Citizenship of Fiji Act 2009, children born in Fiji are entitled to citizenship, and the child’s birthright entitles her to a passport as a Fiji citizen. They assert that the father merely applied for the passport for his child and that the older sibling possesses a Korean passport.
Grace Road Group contends that the ministry’s press statement appears strategically timed to divert attention from ongoing legal matters involving their president in the High Court.
This situation highlights the complexities of citizenship and legal rights in immigration contexts, especially for children born to foreign nationals. It is a reminder of the importance of protecting the rights of individuals, particularly vulnerable groups. Hopefully, the investigation will clarify the matter and uphold the legal rights of all children in Fiji, reinforcing the principle that every child deserves recognition and protection in their home country.
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