Derivation of US Citizenship

S

Sashko

Registered Users (C)
Hello All,

What is the proof of US Citizenship if the child have US Citizenship through Derivation of Parents. What is the best option, US passport or Certificate of Citizenship? Also, If the child applies for US passport in the Department of State, does the USCIS will know that the child has already a US passport as a proof of US Citizenship?

Thank you
 
Either a US passport or a certificate of citizenship are proof of US citizenship. Passport is also useful for travel and to prove citizenship for the purpose of employment.
There is no need for USCIS to know that the child has derived citizenship since USCIS is not involved in granting that citizenship. When the child travels with a US passport for the first time, USCIS/CBP might update their records (from being a LPR to a citizen). Of course if you apply for a certificate of citizenship this situation does not arise.
 
The cheapest and fastest is to apply for a passport (I would suggest to get passport book and passport card to have as backup). It is not clear that Department of State and USCIS share information, at least not at the record level. My A-file didn't have any reference to my US passport. I am not sure about children, but assume there is no connection. Getting a certificate of citizenship (which costs $460 and takes about 6 months to obtain) creates a record on the A-file and produces a non-expiring proof of citizenship. If you are going to do this it is better to do it earlier when you have all the information you need at your fingertips, don't let your child grow and have to do this when he's forty or fifty and might become more difficult to prove that citizenship was derived. Some people might go through live happily without ever needing the certificate, however it seems that some government agencies might insist on seeing a certificate for any foreign born person, instead of just a passport. One can say that they are ignorant and don't know about derivative citizenship, but there is no denying it is a hassle to proof them wrong.

Summing up. Get the passports first, and you can also apply for N-600 certificate of citizenship concurrently (you don't need to send originals with the N-600 application) or after you get your passports. If money is an issue you can just not get the certificate and save that money for now, but your child might encounter a situation in the future in which having the certificate can save some hassle.
 
The child now is married and moved out and it is over 18years old. But when the child was less the 18 years old, the child got the US passport. Can the child apply for Certificate now?

Thanks for the great answers.
 
Sashko said:
The child now is married and moved out and it is over 18years old. But when the child was less the 18 years old, the child got the US passport. Can the child apply for Certificate now?

Thanks for the great answers.
Click to expand...

18 years old child? It's time to grew up)):D
 
Yes, he can apply for N-600 on his own. This is not naturalization, just proof of citizenship, so there is no interview, no citizenship test, nothing like that. It can be done by a parent while the child is under 18, or by the person himself or herself after they turn 18. I believe even a person born in the US and with a US birth certificate can apply if he/she wants a certificate of citizenship.

By the way, what makes you ask this question at this time? Has a need for the certificate arisen recently?
 
Huracan said:
Yes, he can apply for N-600 on his own. This is not naturalization, just proof of citizenship, so there is no interview, no citizenship test, nothing like that.
Click to expand...
Actually, some individuals, especially those applying for N-600 as adults, may be required by USCIS to do an interview and oath.
 
Jackolantern,

I agree, but I don't think it is an interview in which they will look into citizenship test or English skills. I guess it is more to verify that the story and the documents are correct and then do the oath. I should have been more clear about the interview. Actually, I shouldn't have written that ;) as I know people might get called to this sort of interview for N-600. I just wanted to say that there is no studying or no name check, no naturalization process, it is about verifying that things match and get people on record of verifying the dates and documents provided to support the N-600.
 
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Yes, the N-600 interview is just a formality to verify and clarify the facts that are already stated on the application, or to ask for additional information in the cases that are not straightforward. But there is the possibility of an interview, so anybody applying should be aware of having to take the time to do that, which means paying attention to what arrives in the mailbox in case the interview notice arrives, and being prepared to fly back for the interview if traveling for an extended period of time.
 
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I was told that if the child is less than 16 years he will only be issued passport valid for a year. If this is the case then passport is not worth.
 
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