How to deal with countryOfBirth and nationality when the country no longer exists in iso-3166-1-alpha-2

[jelmerderonde]

Context: In version 5 of the OOAPI, the countryOfBirth and nationality attributes for the Person entity are defined using ISO 3166 alpha-2 codes. This has led to challenges in handling individuals born in countries that are either no longer recognized or newly established (e.g., Rhodesia, the Soviet Union, and Kosovo).

Issue: There are cases in various SISs where individuals have birth countries that do not conform to the current ISO 3166 alpha-2 standards. While ISO 3166 alpha-4 provides codes for former countries, it does not encompass all relevant entities. For example, Kosovo is recognized by the Netherlands and appears in the BRP list, but lacks an ISO 3166 code due to the absence of a UN resolution.

Proposal:

• Expand Allowed Values: In version 5.1 (or the next version), expand the allowed values for the countryOfBirth attribute to include ISO 3166 alpha-4 codes. This adjustment would resolve issues related to individuals from former countries.
• Mapping for Newly Recognized Countries: For newly recognized countries, SISs should implement mappings to existing countries. For instance, Kosovo could be mapped to Serbia (code RS) until formal UN recognition occurs.

This approach aligns with international standards while acknowledging the complexities of national recognition.