Child Citizenship

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Child Citizenship: Securing Your Child's Future

U.S. citizenship offers numerous long-term benefits, providing individuals with stability, legal security, and access to various opportunities. If you are a parent, ensuring your child's citizenship is a crucial step. This section outlines the paths to U.S. citizenship for children, whether born in the United States or abroad.

Why Is U.S. Citizenship for Your Child Important?

Securing your child’s U.S. citizenship provides many long-term benefits, including:

No risk of deportation
Automatic transmission of citizenship to their future children
Access to federal jobs and benefits
Simplified college admissions and financial aid
Freedom to travel without visa restrictions
Greater stability and legal security in the U.S.

Was Your Child Born in the United States?

If your child was born in the United States, they are automatically a U.S. citizen, regardless of your immigration status (with very limited exceptions, such as children of foreign diplomats).

You only need to apply for a U.S. birth certificate and, later, a U.S. passport to prove their citizenship. No immigration application is required.

Was Your Child Born Outside the U.S.?

Children born outside the U.S. may still acquire U.S. citizenship through a parent. This is commonly known as citizenship through parents or derivative citizenship. There are two main ways a child can gain citizenship through their parents.

Citizenship at Birth (Outside the U.S.)

A child born abroad may automatically be a U.S. citizen at birth if at least one parent was a U.S. citizen at the time of the child’s birth, and the U.S. citizen parent met specific physical presence requirements in the United States before the child’s birth.

If eligible, you can apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) through the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for your children. Think of CRBA as the overseas equivalent of a U.S. birth certificate. It establishes the child’s citizenship from birth and allows them to enjoy all the rights and privileges of being a U.S. citizen.

For any questions or complex situations, consulting with an experienced attorney is advisable to help navigate the process smoothly.

Citizenship After Birth (While Living in the U.S.)

If the child is already in the United States, they may automatically become a U.S. citizen if all the following are true (under the Child Citizenship Act of 2000):

The child is under 18 years old.
The child is a lawful permanent resident (green card holder).
At least one parent is a U.S. citizen (by birth or naturalization).
The child lives in the U.S. in the legal and physical custody of the U.S. citizen parent.

In this case, the child does not need to apply for naturalization—citizenship happens automatically by law. However, you should apply for a Certificate of Citizenship (Form N-600) or a U.S. passport to document their status.

🔍 Additional Resources

🔗 Case Status: Click here to check the status of your case online using your USCIS Receipt Number.

🕒 Processing Times: Click here to check current USCIS processing times.

📦 Address Changes: All non-immigrants and permanent residents are required to notify USCIS of any address change within 10 days of moving. Click here to create an account and submit your change of address online.