Born in Canada to US Parent

You shouldn't have an issue getting the N-600. You're having to do this since your mom never registered your birth with US officials at the time..I'm sure this happens to many without realizing it until they are faced with having to prove US citizenship later in life.
As for USCIS telling you that you shouldn't be working and have voted, they are answering strictly from their inability to confirm your status rather on the fact that you already are a US citizen. That's like the DMV telling you that you shouldn't own a car since you lost your driver's license and they can't verify your status since their computers are down.
 
confused11 said:
I called the passport office and they said because I was born before 1983 i need to prove citizenship of both parents to receive a passport through parentage. This is a nightmare. I think my only option is to file the N-600 tomorrow, bat my eyelashes and give them my sob story in the hope that they will view this as an urgent case. You all have been very helpful. Note to all, if you were born outside of the United States to a US citizen parent, don't take their word that you are a citizen too.
Click to expand...

Wouldn't this requirement to also prove your father's US citizenship apply for both the passport application and the N-600? What about the divorce decree, does it list your father's citizenship? Could you use that for the passport application?
 
My father had a green card when they were married not citizenship. I told the passport office that my father wasn't a US citizen so apparently I can't apply for a passort through parentage.

I agree about immigration telling me I shouldn't be working. My thing was if I shouldn't be working then I shouldn't be paying taxes. I have filed taxes for the last 15 years. My only concern at this point is the time it will take to get the documents needed to get back to work. One job offer with the county was rescinded because I couldn't provide my social security card and now I have been offered a town job and I am afraid if I do not get this taken care of in a timely manner I will lose another great opportunity.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I think the problem with passport is that you would probably still have to prove that under the laws that applied at the time you derived citizenship. I guess it would mean proof of your mother physical presence in the US prior to your birth. I think you said that you have such records. You could try to book a ticket to Canada, then make an appointment in a passport office and show up with all your documents, birth certificate, proof of your mother presence in the US, anything they might need. If you're lucky you'll get your passport in one or two days, and then you can actually get work with your passport.

This seems to be the kind of proof you need for the passport. I guess you have already read this:

If You Claim Citizenship Through Birth Abroad To One U.S. Citizen Parent: Submit a Consular Report of Birth (Form FS–240), Certification of Birth (Form
DS–1350 or FS–545), or your foreign birth certificate, proof of citizenship of your parent, your parents’ marriage certificate, and an affidavit showing
all of your U.S. citizen parent’s periods and places of residence/physical presence in the United States and abroad before your birth.

It would look like you need to work on getting that marriage certificate, although I am not sure it really matters if your mother is the US citizen. Perhaps it is needed for the family name part.
 
confused11 said:
I called the passport office and they said because I was born before 1983 i need to prove citizenship of both parents to receive a passport through parentage.
Click to expand...

This sounds totally incorrect, according to the State Department's own website:
http://travel.state.gov/law/info/info_609.html


It says there that someone born in wedlock to one Citizen Parent and one Alien Parent
between December 24, 1952 and November 13, 1986
is a U.S. citizen by birth, provided that all of the following conditions are satisfied:

(1) The U.S. citizen parent has lived in the U.S. for at least 10 years prior to the child's birth

(2) at least five of those years must be after the citizen parent turned 14 years old.

Presumably both of these conditions are satisfied in your case. If so, you are a U.S. citizen by birth regardless of your father's nationality.
In that case you should be able to apply for U.S. passport directly and you should also be able to have your N-600 approved.

I think you should try to get a passport first and see how that goes. The people answering the toll-free numbers at the State Department customer service line are sometimes quite incompetent, so I am not that surprised that they might have given you incorrect information.
 
Huracan said:
I think the problem with passport is that you would probably still have to prove that under the laws that applied at the time you derived citizenship. I guess it would mean proof of your mother physical presence in the US prior to your birth. I think you said that you have such records. You could try to book a ticket to Canada, then make an appointment in a passport office and show up with all your documents, birth certificate, proof of your mother presence in the US, anything they might need. If you're lucky you'll get your passport in one or two days, and then you can actually get work with your passport.
Click to expand...

I don't think that OP's going to Canada to apply for a U.S. passport is such a good idea.
It is easier to apply for a passport here, in the U.S., at a post office or at a passport agency.

If the OP goes to Canada and the passport application there is denied for some reason, she may not be able to re-enter the U.S. (since a valid passport is required for that).

Wherever the OP's applies for a U.S. passport, the main problem will be to prove that the OP's mother had lived in the U.S. for at least 10 years prior to the OP's birth and that at least 5 of those years were after the mother turned 14.
A signed affidavit from the OP's mother stating residence and employment dates may
be enough, but most likely they'll need to see more (e.g. the mother's employment and mortgage or rental records, maybe tax records or medical records, high school and college transcripts etc). The same types of documents would be needed for N-600.

As I understood, the fact that the OP was born in wedlock to a U.S. citizen parent will be easy to prove by providing the mother's birth certificate (or passport), the OP's birth certificate, and the mother's marriage and divorce certificates.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
confused11 said:
I have the birth certificates but I only have my parents divorce decree (which I think would suffice).
.
Click to expand...

Actually, I think you will also need a copy of your biological parents' marriage certificate, to prove that you were born in wedlock. If you know where they were married, it should be possible to get a copy of the marriage certificate.

If the divorce decree indicates the date of the original marriage, that might be enough, though.
 
Huracan said:
I think the problem with passport is that you would probably still have to prove that under the laws that applied at the time you derived citizenship. I guess it would mean proof of your mother physical presence in the US prior to your birth. I think you said that you have such records. You could try to book a ticket to Canada, then make an appointment in a passport office and show up with all your documents, birth certificate, proof of your mother presence in the US, anything they might need. If you're lucky you'll get your passport in one or two days, and then you can actually get work with your passport.

This seems to be the kind of proof you need for the passport. I guess you have already read this:

If You Claim Citizenship Through Birth Abroad To One U.S. Citizen Parent: Submit a Consular Report of Birth (Form FS–240), Certification of Birth (Form
DS–1350 or FS–545), or your foreign birth certificate, proof of citizenship of your parent, your parents’ marriage certificate, and an affidavit showing
all of your U.S. citizen parent’s periods and places of residence/physical presence in the United States and abroad before your birth.

It would look like you need to work on getting that marriage certificate, although I am not sure it really matters if your mother is the US citizen. Perhaps it is needed for the family name part.
Click to expand...

Don't book a ticket or travel to Canada. What if this person got stuck in Canada and can't enter USA without a US passport?
 
confused11 said:
My father had a green card when they were married not citizenship. I told the passport office that my father wasn't a US citizen so apparently I can't apply for a passort through parentage.

I agree about immigration telling me I shouldn't be working. My thing was if I shouldn't be working then I shouldn't be paying taxes. I have filed taxes for the last 15 years. My only concern at this point is the time it will take to get the documents needed to get back to work. One job offer with the county was rescinded because I couldn't provide my social security card and now I have been offered a town job and I am afraid if I do not get this taken care of in a timely manner I will lose another great opportunity.
Click to expand...

Tell the passport office that your mother is a US citizen. Is it possible for your mother to apply for US passport for herself? If so, then make a copy of your mother's passport in order to apply for a US passport for yourself. Does your birth certificate show your mother's name?
 
Does the OP at least have the proof of the Canadian citizenship? Being totally undocumented is not fun.
 
I might have hit a snag. As I understand I am suppose to prove my mother lived in the US 10 years prior to my birth. Can someone please tell me if the following documents are going to be enough.

My mothers birth certificate issued early 1956 in Detriot Michigan
My mothers baptismal record dated April 29,1956 in Boston MA
My mothers 1969-1970 Boston Schools report card showing she is class of 1975
Church record of my mothers marriage to my father on April 6, 1974 in Canada
Divorce decree issued in Boston, MA on June 13, 1984
My mothers marriage certificate to my stepfather issued August 15, 1987 in Boston, MA
My mothers social security report showing income in 1970, no income 1971, income 1972-1973, no income 1974-1980, income 1981-1987, no income 1988, income 1989-2000, no income 2001-present
I also have my birth certificate with my parents names listed, my social security reports dating back to 1993 and an affidavit from my aunt, my mothers sister, explaining the situation.

I also have my sisters Certificate of Citizenship because she obtained it the same way I am trying.

My mother left for Canada for 6 days in 1974 to get married. She came back and left for 4 years early 1975.

I know this is alot....any help would be appreciated.
 
confused11 said:
I might have hit a snag. As I understand I am suppose to prove my mother lived in the US 10 years prior to my birth. Can someone please tell me if the following documents are going to be enough.

My mothers birth certificate issued early 1956 in Detriot Michigan
My mothers baptismal record dated April 29,1956 in Boston MA
My mothers 1969-1970 Boston Schools report card showing she is class of 1975
Church record of my mothers marriage to my father on April 6, 1974 in Canada
Divorce decree issued in Boston, MA on June 13, 1984
My mothers marriage certificate to my stepfather issued August 15, 1987 in Boston, MA
My mothers social security report showing income in 1970, no income 1971, income 1972-1973, no income 1974-1980, income 1981-1987, no income 1988, income 1989-2000, no income 2001-present
I also have my birth certificate with my parents names listed, my social security reports dating back to 1993 and an affidavit from my aunt, my mothers sister, explaining the situation.

I also have my sisters Certificate of Citizenship because she obtained it the same way I am trying.

My mother left for Canada for 6 days in 1974 to get married. She came back and left for 4 years early 1975.

I know this is alot....any help would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

Does your mom have any old passports she kept that has travel stamps in them?
 
She never had a passport. Getting 40 year old records is impossible. She happened to have one of her report cards, but her school has closed and they said they didn't keep the records. I feel like this isn't going to be enough.
 
Bobsmyth said:
And the purpose of booking a ticket to Canada is:confused:
Click to expand...

To make an interview appointment at the passport office in the US. The only way that will happen is if you need the passport in a hurry. The poster suggesting to buy a ticket omitted "for the next two days" in the post.

When you get the passport get a refund on the ticket.

That's my reading of that suggestion anyway.
 
confused11 said:
She never had a passport. Getting 40 year old records is impossible. She happened to have one of her report cards, but her school has closed and they said they didn't keep the records. I feel like this isn't going to be enough.
Click to expand...

Her school transcripts will be the best evidence. Ask her if she was part of any associations during the time that can demonstrate she lived in US.
 
WhichWay2Go said:
To make an interview appointment at the passport office in the US. The only way that will happen is if you need the passport in a hurry. The poster suggesting to buy a ticket omitted "for the next two days" in the post.

When you get the passport get a refund on the ticket.

That's my reading of that suggestion anyway.
Click to expand...

Makes more sense now, as long as you buy fully refundable ticket with no refund fees.
 
I wrote to Obama and tomorrow I am going to fax a release to Congressman Stephen Lynch allowing him to discuss my case with immigration. Hopefully this will speed up the process.
 
How did you lose your Social Security card? You carried it around in your wallet? The Social Security office advises people to lock it up in a safe place and NOT carry it around. Of course, it's too late for you, but other people reading this may learn from your mistake. And your mother's mistake of failing to organize your citizenship papers.
 
WhichWay2Go said:
To make an interview appointment at the passport office in the US. The only way that will happen is if you need the passport in a hurry. The poster suggesting to buy a ticket omitted "for the next two days" in the post.

When you get the passport get a refund on the ticket.

That's my reading of that suggestion anyway.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that was the idea. I didn't want to suggest canceling the ticket. I thought the trip to Canada could be a way to celebrate getting the passport ;) I didn't want to tell someone to abuse the system, so the right thing would be to have an honest travel need within two weeks so she can schedule an appointment with the closest passport agency. I wasn't suggesting that she goes out of country to apply for a passport. I thought that the passport agency could do two things, either reject or approve the passport withing one or two days, or ask her for more documents right there. I thought it might be quicker and more interactive than doing it at the post office.

My 2 cents.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top