TEHRAN – Birth certificates have been issued to 84 children born to Iranian mothers and foreign fathers since November 18, Seifollah Aboutorabi, the National Organization for Civil Registration spokesman, said on Thursday.

So far, 1, 8, 19, 42, 14 ID cards have been issued for children in five provinces of Isfahan, Zanjan, Kerman, Hamedan, and Tehran, respectively, he noted.

ID cards of 48 other children in Hamedan province and 19 children in Tehran province are being prepared, he added.

According to the Government of Iran, nearly 75,000 children at risk of becoming statelessness are eligible for Iranian citizenship under a new nationality law, which was amended in 2019 to allow children under 18 years to apply for identity documents.

According to official figures, 28,000 children below the age of 18 years have filed applications to receive birth certificates and a nationality.

According to article one of the law, children of Iranian women and non-Iranian men who were born before or after the law can be an Iranian citizen in case the Iranian mother requested if they have no security problem before the age of 18.

These children, after reaching the age of 18, can apply for Iranian citizenship if not requested by the mother, then will be granted Iranian citizenship in case of no security problem.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees also has welcomed the law as a step toward reducing statelessness around the world.

UNICEF also welcomed the implementation of the Iranian nationality law.

FB/MG