N-400 for 9 yrs old

anandsbr

Registered Users (C)
Hi,

I am planning to apply for citizenship for my family including my 9 years old daughter who is still a Green Card holder. My question is do I need to file a separate N-400 for my daughter as well and pay $700 /approx and she should be a part of interview/oath process as well. I was told that if parents become citizens, children are automatically become citizen as well. It sounds little odd without filing anything.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
 
You don't file for your daughter during your citizenship process; you file N-600 and/or apply for your daughter's US passport after you become a citizen.

If you file N-600, the certificate you receive at the end of the N-600 process will show that your daughter's citizenship is retroactive to your naturalization date.
 
To add, it's not mandatory to file N-600. After a parent naturalizes, just get your daughter a passport. That will be her immediate proof of U.S. citizenship. Then optionally apply for an N-600 later if you want. It's useful for permanent records, but it's pretty expensive.
 
You don't file for your daughter during your citizenship process; you file N-600 and/or apply for your daughter's US passport after you become a citizen.

If you file N-600, the certificate you receive at the end of the N-600 process will show that your daughter's citizenship is retroactive to your naturalization date.

Thank you so much. So all i need to do is file N-400 for me and my wife and once we got citizenship, apply N-600 for my daughter. This would me save $700.

Thanks gain.
 
Thank you so much. So all i need to do is file N-400 for me and my wife and once we got citizenship, apply N-600 for my daughter. This would me save $700.

Thanks gain.
You save nothing !!! After you become US citizen, it will cost $600/- for filing N-600 for your daughter. Even though it is not mandatory for her to have a certificate of Citizenship, it is most prudent and desirable to have one. To get that you have to file N-600 for her.

Further, a decade down the line USCIS may increase fees to couple of thousands. In the last decade the fees have doubled. It is better to do now.
 
You save nothing !!! After you become US citizen, it will cost $600/- for filing N-600 for your daughter. Even though it is not mandatory for her to have a certificate of Citizenship, it is most prudent and desirable to have one. To get that you have to file N-600 for her.

Further, a decade down the line USCIS may increase fees to couple of thousands. In the last decade the fees have doubled. It is better to do now.

Sound advice.
 
The decision to file N-600 is personal, there is no requirement that a derivative child file N-600 to get US citizenship recognized. Even USCIS states that there are 2 options to get citizenship recognized, US passport or certificate of citizenship and also states that passport may be the more convenient option.
 
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The decision to file N-600 is personal, there is no requirement that a derivative child file N-600 to get US citizenship recognized. Even USCIS states that there are 2 options to get citizenship recognized, US passport or certificate of citizenship and also states that passport may be the more convenient option.

While I agree the passport is a good and cheaper option, I personally would like to get the certificate in the event I ever lose my passport and need to present proof. For us naturalized citizens, the certificate is to us what a birth certificate is to natural born citizens. For peace of mind, I would spend the money to obtain it
 
While I agree the passport is a good and cheaper option, I personally would like to get the certificate in the event I ever lose my passport and need to present proof. For us naturalized citizens, the certificate is to us what a birth certificate is to natural born citizens. For peace of mind, I would spend the money to obtain it
The replacement certificate (form N-565) is much more expensive than a new copy of birth certificate ($345 vs ~$20), and it takes much longer to receive the new certificate of naturalisation/citizenship than to receive a birth certificate. But still it is worth getting it. I would also advise to shed additonal $30 and get a passport card along with a passport book. This way, you will end up with 3 documents proving your citizenship.
 
While it is currently TRUE that a derivative citizen (child of a naturalized parent) can apply directly for a passport, it is more complicated that most people want to deal with and takes longer than a regular passport adjudication. The State Department has stated that they intend to publish additional forms to accompany these types of cases (not sure if it will have an additional fee or not), in the alternative, they might decide to demand that the child get a Certificate of Citizenship first.

As for the current process (which if you took a STRICT reading and interpretation of, EXCLUDES "derivative citizens" and truly ONLY applies to citizens from BIRTH rather than from a parent's naturalization):

SEE: http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/minors/minors_834.html#step3minor click on step 3 and then see the link for Secondary Evidence at: http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/secondary_evidence/secondary_evidence_4315.html and scroll down to:

"Foreign Birth Documents + Parent(s) Citizenship Evidence"

IF you claim citizenship through birth abroad to U.S. citizen parent(s),
but cannot submit a "Consular" Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth,
[OR Certificate of Citizenship (which are all PRIMARY EVIDENCE)],
THEN you must submit all of the following:

Your foreign birth certificate (translated to English)
Evidence of citizenship of your U.S. citizen parent
Your parents' marriage certificate
A statement of your U.S. citizen parent detailing all periods
and places of residence or physical presence in the United
States and abroad before your birth

NOTES:

See Documentation of U.S. Citizens Born Abroad for additional information.
For information on foreign born children adopted by U.S. citizens, see the Child Citizenship Act of 2000.
Foreign language documents should be accompanied by an informal or formal English translation.

[Out of wedlock children have huge additional evidence requirements!]

*******************
Primary Evidence of U.S. Citizenship (One of the following):

Previously issued, undamaged U.S. Passport***
Certified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state
Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth
Naturalization Certificate
Certificate of Citizenship


*** Passports may be easily revoked by the State Department administratively, with NO Administrative Appeal rights. To fight it you have to literally "make a federal case out it" by going to a Federal District Court and then on to the Circuit Court if necessary and finally all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, if that's what it takes.

In the long run, filing the N-600 is the more prudent choice. In the absence of immediate travel plans for the child, wait for the Certificate from USCIS and it ALONE will serve as the child's proof of USC for the passport. Also, the parents' Certificates of Naturalization or Citizenship DO NOT have to be surrendered during the N-600 adjudication they way that they MUST BE handed over during a complex passport adjudication.

Lastly, as previously mentioned, USCIS filing generally only go UP. They fees are studied and may be adjusted every 2 years as required by law.
 
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