Citizenship for Children
The Child Citizenship Act provides U.S. citizenship to certain foreign-born children, including adopted children, of U.S. citizens.
Specifically, these children include:
- Orphans with a full and final adoption abroad or adoption finalized in the United States;
- Biological or legitimated children;
- Certain children born out of wedlock to a mother who naturalizes; and
- Adopted children meeting the two-year custody requirement.
In general, children who are younger than 18 years old and have at least one parent who is a U.S. citizen, whether by birth or naturalization, are eligible to apply for U.S. Citizenship under this law. Qualifying children who immigrate to the United States with a U.S. citizen parent automatically acquire citizenship upon entry. Children who were born abroad to two, or even one, U.S. citizen parents may also qualify for U.S. citizenship. However, certain conditions apply and it is always recommended to obtain a Certificate of Citizenship through the N-600 or N-600K application to prove U.S. citizenship.
Why do I need a Certificate of Citizenship for my child? Isn't a passport enough to prove U.S. citizenship? No, because:
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A Certificate of Citizenship is the ultimate proof of one's citizenship and does not expire.
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Passports expire (children's expire every five years, as opposed to every 10 years for an adult).
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Passports can be lost during travel.
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Although a passport proves that the U.S. State Department acknowledges a child as a U.S. citizen, no notice is sent to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services so USCIS continues to assume that the child is not a U.S. citizen.
Frequently Asked Questions about Naturalization, including children of U.S. citizens, can be found here.
Information for adoptive parents of foreign-born orphans residing in the United States can be found here.
Information for adoptive parents with children residing abroad can be found here.
The USCIS Child Citizenship Act Program Fact Sheet can be found here.
