Do the Passport people let USCIS know you are a citizen when passport is issued?

[Bluegrass1]

Under the Child Citizenship Act, you can get a US Passport if you meet certain qualifications...without having to get a COC. A lot of people I know say that one of the big reasons why you should also get a COC for your child is to let the USCIS people know that he/she is now a citizen (proven by issuance of the passport) so they can change their records accordingly.

Is that true? When a child is issued a US Passport (via the child citizenship act), does the Passport people let the USCIS know that this person has a passport and is in fact a citizen? Or do you have to file an N-600 (for a COC) to get USCIS to simply update their records so the person will not always be listed as a permanent resident in the USCIS records?

I would hope that the 2 agencies communicate with each other and share the information so everything can be listed correctly.

 

[nwctzn]

Under the Child Citizenship Act, you can get a US Passport if you meet certain qualifications...without having to get a COC. A lot of people I know say that one of the big reasons why you should also get a COC for your child is to let the USCIS people know that he/she is now a citizen (proven by issuance of the passport) so they can change their records accordingly.

Is that true? When a child is issued a US Passport (via the child citizenship act), does the Passport people let the USCIS know that this person has a passport and is in fact a citizen? Or do you have to file an N-600 (for a COC) to get USCIS to simply update their records so the person will not always be listed as a permanent resident in the USCIS records?

I would hope that the 2 agencies communicate with each other and share the information so everything can be listed correctly.

Don't know about the communication among the two agencies but I would apply for N-600 so that the child has an additional proof of citizenship besides the US passport.

 

[Bluegrass1]

Don't know about the communication among the two agencies but I would apply for N-600 so that the child has an additional proof of citizenship besides the US passport.

Thanks, I agree. I'm filling out the N-600 form this week. Trying to make sure I do everything correctly and don't leave anything out.

 

[Jackolantern]

They don't routinely communicate citizenship status to each other. If you want USCIS to have an official record of your son's citizenship, it is important to file the N-600.

 

[Bluegrass1]

They don't routinely communicate citizenship status to each other. If you want USCIS to have an official record of your son's citizenship, it is important to file the N-600.

Thanks Jackolantern, that's what I thought. So unless a N-600 was filed to get a COC, the USCIS would forever think he was "permament resident", eventhough we have a US Passport proving citizenship, right? Does this mean they would expect his "green card" to be renewed after 10 years, even though he is clearly a citizen?

I'm filling out the N-600 this week and hope to have everything mailed in a couple of weeks, I was just curious about how that worked. Seems like it would be simple for the passport folks to just tell the USCIS folks that this person is now a citizen and has a passport...but I understand it doesnt work that way.

All the more reason to go ahead and submit the N-600.

 

[Jackolantern]

Thanks Jackolantern, that's what I thought. So unless a N-600 was filed to get a COC, the USCIS would forever think he was "permament resident", eventhough we have a US Passport proving citizenship, right? Does this mean they would expect his "green card" to be renewed after 10 years, even though he is clearly a citizen?

Without N-600, if he applied for green card renewal at the end of his current card (or you applying on his behalf, since he's so young), they'd probably issue the new GC.

I'm filling out the N-600 this week and hope to have everything mailed in a couple of weeks, I was just curious about how that worked. Seems like it would be simple for the passport folks to just tell the USCIS folks that this person is now a citizen and has a passport...but I understand it doesnt work that way.

Part of the problem is that the standards for issuing a US passport are somewhat more lax than for issuing the citizenship certificate, so USCIS doesn't accept the passport as definitive proof of citizenship -- they want to see the underlying documents and evaluate the facts for themselves. Occasionally USCIS will even ask the Department of State to revoke a passport after USCIS's own analysis of the facts during the N-600 process determined that the individual isn't a US citizen.

However, if the CoC or naturalization certificate is issued first, the Department of State will accept it as definitive proof of citizenship and will issue the passport without challenging the certificate, unless it has obvious errors (e.g. wrong picture or date of birth) or they have reason to believe the certificate belongs to somebody else.

 

[Bluegrass1]

Without N-600, if he applied for green card renewal at the end of his current card (or you applying on his behalf, since he's so young), they'd probably issue the new GC.


Part of the problem is that the standards for issuing a US passport are somewhat more lax than for issuing the citizenship certificate, so USCIS doesn't accept the passport as definitive proof of citizenship -- they want to see the underlying documents and evaluate the facts for themselves. Occasionally USCIS will even ask the Department of State to revoke a passport after USCIS's own analysis of the facts during the N-600 process determined that the individual isn't a US citizen.

However, if the CoC or naturalization certificate is issued first, the Department of State will accept it as definitive proof of citizenship and will issue the passport without challenging the certificate, unless it has obvious errors (e.g. wrong picture or date of birth) or they have reason to believe the certificate belongs to somebody else.

Thanks Jackolantern; this is a moot point because I am sending in the N-600 App. But what about people who don't "renew" their green card because they have a passport showing US Citizenship? What does USCIS usually do when the green card is "never" renewed?

 

[König]

Thanks Jackolantern; this is a moot point because I am sending in the N-600 App. But what about people who don't "renew" their green card because they have a passport showing US Citizenship? What does USCIS usually do when the green card is "never" renewed?

The USCIS will not bother to do anything about your expired GC because the LPR status never expires. Unless you file I-90 yourself, nothing will change.

I would like to see a more standardised procedure of recognising the US citizenship under the Child Citizenship Act of 2000. Now, we have two independent federal agencies that can both acknowledge the US citizenship, but the acknowledgement from one department is weaker than the other. It's a haphazard, if you ask me. Perhaps, it would be better to allow N-400 applicants to include their children (who satisfy the conditions of the Act) in their N-400 applications for the purpose of simultaneous issuance of Citizenship Certificates along with main applicant' Naturalisation Certificates.

 

[Jackolantern]

Thanks Jackolantern; this is a moot point because I am sending in the N-600 App. But what about people who don't "renew" their green card because they have a passport showing US Citizenship? What does USCIS usually do when the green card is "never" renewed?

Nothing. If one has a US passport but not a citizenship certificate, USCIS won't be the initiator of problems if there is ever a problem. The problem would come from elsewhere, a few examples listed below:

1. When replacing a lost or expired passport, especially when abroad, without a citizenship certificate the Department of State may again request the underlying documents that were used to obtain the first passport, like the parent's naturalization certificate and a copy of his green card.

2. Passports expire, citizenship certificates don't. If there is a delay with renewing his passport (like what happened about 5 years ago when passports were taking 2-3 months), or he simply lets it lapse due to forgetfulness/money constraints/whatever, without the CoC he wouldn't have any valid proof of citizenship if a situation arises where he needs it urgently.

3. Occasionally there will be some government agency being overzealous with immigration enforcement that won't accept a US passport as proof of US citizenship if the place of birth is not in the United States. Eventually they'll get a kick in the butt to make them respect the US passport regardless of birth country, but it's best not to get caught up in the battle if it can be avoided with the certificate.

4. States may cross-check with USCIS to confirm citizenship for voter registration or issuing a driver's license; if USCIS tells the state he's a permanent resident but he claimed to be a US citizen on the forms that could create some complications.

 

[König]

4. States may cross-check with USCIS to confirm citizenship for voter registration or issuing a driver's license; if USCIS tells the state he's a permanent resident but he claimed to be a US citizen on the forms that could create some complications.

I can also think of complications that may arise while using eVerify service. If a person has a US passport and has updated SS record, but did not file for a Certificate of Citizenship, eVerify may not immediately confirm such person's right to work. It would be interesting to see the outcome of this hypothetical situation.

 

[Jackolantern]

I can also think of complications that may arise while using eVerify service. If a person has a US passport and has updated SS record, but did not file for a Certificate of Citizenship, eVerify may not immediately confirm such person's right to work. It would be interesting to see the outcome of this hypothetical situation.

While hypothetically possible, I don't know of that ever happening for somebody who has updated their citizenship status with the SSA (which Bluegrass1 should do once his son's US passport or CoC is issued). I understand the SSA is the primary source of eVerify's status information for citizens and permanent residents. But examples 1 to 4 which I listed above have actually happened to somebody, either on this forum or reported in articles elsewhere.

 

[Bluegrass1]

While hypothetically possible, I don't know of that ever happening for somebody who has updated their citizenship status with the SSA (which Bluegrass1 should do once his son's US passport or CoC is issued). I understand the SSA is the primary source of eVerify's status information for citizens and permanent residents. But examples 1 to 4 which I listed above have actually happened to somebody, either on this forum or reported in articles elsewhere.

Thanks! We updated citizenship status with SSA after we got the US Passport. I want to get the COC so there won't ever be an any issue or any problem at all. I have everything ready to send the N-600, so I'm hoping to mail that this weekend. Thanks for all your help. Have a wonderful day.