Immigration Services

We help businesses, families, and individuals navigate the immigration process and reach their goals

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Children of American Citizens
Upon turning 18 years old an individual becomes eligible for naturalization so long as they possess an immigration status that allows for it. That means that kids under the age of 18 are not eligible to apply for naturalization. In typical situations, any minor children in an immigrant family would not be able to file for US citizenship through the naturalization process, regardless of their parent’s eligibility. That is because it is not considered necessary for them to do so: their citizenship status accrues from their parent upon the parent’s naturalization.
Family Based Immigrant Visas
This is established in the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, which clarifies that children under 18 years of age are eligible to automatically derive their US citizenship from parent provided that the following three requirements are met:

1. The child is a Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card Holder) of the United States
2. At least one of the parents is a United States Citizen (either by Birth, or Naturalization)
3. The child is physically present in the United States and the legal and physical custody of the US Citizen parent
If you and your family satisfy all the three criteria listed above, then any children under the age of 18 can have US citizenship conferred without filing for any individual applications. All that is necessary is to establish the identity of the child by submitting the N 600 Application for Certificate of Citizenship, and then apply for a passport in order to establish an identity document for the young American.

N 600
The N 600- Application for Citizenship Certificate is an important form to keep in mind. Even though citizenship is considered to be conferred by the qualifying circumstances of a citizen parent, it is still important to establish the national identity of the child. Putting in the effort to make sure this process is taken care of can save significant headaches and trouble later on.

Children on United States Citizens who are born abroad
The children of American citizens, even if born abroad, are considered American citizens under section 301(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), if at least one of the parents resided in the United States or one of its outlying possessions before the person’s birth. If you are a US Citizen and have a child born overseas, you need to report the birth to the nearest US Embassy or the Consulate. Once you register the birth, your child would be issued a document called a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA). This document is crucial to claim the US citizenship of your child and should not be overlooked when verifying all of the needed documentation that comes with a newborn child.

The Immigration attorneys at Rijal Law Firm have helped countless families obtain certificates of citizenship for their children. For something as vital as the citizenship of your child, it is prudent to retain the services of a law firm that understands the stakes.

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