Comment by incompatible

Citizenship laws are arbitrary. I live in Australia, with a non-married partner, and we have very similar backgrounds, both being born in the same country (not Australia). But she is an Australian citizen, since it turns out that her mother was Australian and emigrated. I could now also become an Australian citizen, by obtaining a partnership visa, but it's a slow and expensive process involving a lot of intrusive paperwork. I'll just live here as a temporary visa holder instead, which I can do indefinitely. I don't lose much besides the right to vote.