Under 18 years - apply Citizenship

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siliconhybrid

Registered Users (C)
Hi guys, I have a friend who needs some insights from you. My friend wants to apply for a citizenship, he has 2 sons: 17yr old and another around 21yr old.
The question is, what is the proper application: do they, all 3, have to apply separately, or just the parent applies with the 17yr old (together), and the 21 yr old apply separately?

If the parent does not want to become a citizen, but the 2 sons do, do the boys have to apply separately or the 17yr old can be included in the older brother's application?

Can a 17yr old apply for a citizenship by himself?

Thank you
 
Minimum Required Age is 18.

Hi!

Unfortunately, no. This is one of the requirements. You have to be legally and adult. Otherwise, it is easier either:

1) wait until he/she turns 18
2) have the Alien Registration Card for at least 5 years

or

Have the parent (assuming he/she is a US Naturalized citizen) to apply for him/her.

Also see below, Directly quoted from the Guide:

If you are not a U.S. citizen by birth or did not acquire U.S. citizenship
automatically after birth, you may still be eligible to become a citizen through
the normal naturalization process. People who are 18 years and older use the
“Application for Naturalization” (Form N-400) to become naturalized.



Persons who acquired citizenship from parent(s) while under 18 years of age
use the “Application for a Certificate of Citizenship” (Form N-600) to document
their citizenship. Qualified children who reside abroad use the “Application for
Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate under Section 322” (Form N-600K) to
document their naturalization. You may call the USCIS Forms Line at 1(800) 870-
3676 to request a Form N-400, N-600, or N-600K; or you may download any of
these forms from the Internet at http://uscis.gov.

Hope this helps.
 
First things first:

There is no such thing as "combined applications." Any individual who wants to apply for citizenship has to do to it on his or her own (i.e. different N-400 applications).

To your specific case:
I'm assuming everyone in this family has had their green card for 5 years and that the 17 year old lives with parents (or is supported by parents if he's away at school).

The minimum age to apply for citizenship is 18. So, the 17 year old can not apply for citizenship on his own. However, if the parent naturalizes and the child is under 18 on oath day, the 17 year old automatically gets citizenship.

At that point (assuming he's under 18 when the parent takes the oath), the 17 year old can apply for a US passport based on his parent's citizenship certificate and can also file an N 600, which provides evidence of citizenship for the child.

If the parent does not want to apply for citizenship, the 17 year old has no options. He can not "combine" with an older brother, etc. The best thing to do would be to wait until he's 18 and then file an N-400.

The 21 year old is on his own. He can not derive citizenship from his parents. The only way he can become a citizen is if he applies for citizenship by filing an N-400.
 
Yeah, what he said

BTW, if the other parent is a US Citizen, and they all live together, then the 17 year old is already likely a citizen, and it's possible the 21 year old is as well.
 
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