Residency req for a child having GC for US Citizenship

[sept2001]

What is the residency req for a child (under 8) who is a permanent resident?

All the members of my family (myself, wife and child) have approved I-485. By 2007, I and my wife can apply for US citizenship, if we complete the residency req.

1. What will happen to the child, who was born outside the US? he cannot apply for citizenship until he is of age 18, right?

2. Does he need to ensure continued US residency until age 18?

3. Is there any provision by which he can take a long leave of absence for studies - 5 years or so - without making the yearly visits?

4. By 2007, parents will be US Citizens and can we afford to lose permanent residency for child and reapply by the time he is of age 16 or so? - is this safe?

[C R S]

Check out: http://www.ins.gov/lpBin/lpext.dll/i...-pl106395i101a

If your minor child is a permanent resident and is in your legal and physical custody, then he/she will automatically become a U.S. citizen when you do.

If your minor child were to reside abroad and cease to be a permanent resident, I believe that he/she can become a U.S. citizen if you do the following:

1. attain U.S. citizenship through naturalization;
2. sponsor your minor child for permanent residence as an immediate relative;
3. apply for a US passport for your minor child soon after he/she becomes a permanent resident and is in your physical and legal custody.

The last step is merely to obtain a formal document that provides evidence of citizenship.

[sept2001]

Thank you CRS. That is good news. I am planning to complete the residency reqs for the whole family. Take up citizenship for me and the kid and spend time in India to let have him study in India. Then come back to the US later.

In this case, will he be given a US citizenship along with me at the time I am given US citizenship (incluing a US passport?)?

From the link provided, my wife does NOT have to take US citizenship for the kid to get US citizenship.- right?

[C R S]

If your child is a permanent resident of the US when you become a US citizen, he/she will automatically become a citizen at the same time and will be eligible for a US passport. Only one parent has to take up citizenship to achieve this; if you elect to become a citizen, then your wife can continue to be an Indian citizen.

[gcny]

Sept2001,
You are saying that you will get citizenship and that way your child will also get citizenship.
That is fine, but from your post it looks like, the citizenship won't be achieved till 2007. So, are you going to have to wait for that long before you are going to send your child outside the US for studies?
That seems too long. There got to be a better way...
Thoughts?