What to do with kids' USCIS documents after the oath?

J

Jane Green

Registered Users (C)
On my oath day, as required, I will turn in my green cards and couple of travel documents.
My older kid has several immigration documents of his own.
I know I will need his GC to apply for US passport and maybe certificate, but what to do with his GC and expired RTD after that? Are there any rules about returning kids’ USCIS documents?
 
Jane Green said:
On my oath day, as required, I will turn in my green cards and couple of travel documents.
My older kid has several immigration documents of his own.
I know I will need his GC to apply for US passport and maybe certificate, but what to do with his GC and expired RTD after that? Are there any rules about returning kids’ USCIS documents?
Click to expand...

You will need your original naturalization certificate and his original (certified) birth certificate to apply for his passport. You will not require the green card.

As far as I know there is no requirement to return green cards of kids whose parents became US citizens. But I would hold on to them (but never try to use them).
 
prithis said:
You will need your original naturalization certificate and his original (certified) birth certificate to apply for his passport. You will not require the green card.

As far as I know there is no requirement to return green cards of kids whose parents became US citizens. But I would hold on to them (but never try to use them).
Click to expand...
You do need to send the kid's GC along with birth certificate and the parent's original naturalization certificate with the kid's passport application.
 
mpotturi said:
You do need to send the kid's GC along with birth certificate and the parent's original naturalization certificate with the kid's passport application.
Click to expand...

That is not correct. The Green Card is not required. The documents required for applying for a minor's passport are listed here:

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/minors/minors_834.html

I did not submit my kids' GCs during their passport applications. In fact the post office clerk did not even ask for their GCs.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
prithis, have you got the passports for your kids yet? You need to send the GC along. Please look at the DS-11 form itself:

1) If You Claim Citizenship Through Naturalization Of Parent(s): Submit the Certificate(s) of Naturalization of your parent(s), your foreign birth certificate,
and proof of your admission to the United States for permanent residence.

The application for your children's passport will most likely be rejected. Another poster long time back had a big problem because he had to send the Green Card later and almost got lost, it took him a lot of effort to solve the issue. All for not sending the child's green card along with the application. I hope you don't have that horror story.
 
Huracan said:
prithis, have you got the passports for your kids yet? You need to send the GC along. Please look at the DS-11 form itself:

1) If You Claim Citizenship Through Naturalization Of Parent(s): Submit the Certificate(s) of Naturalization of your parent(s), your foreign birth certificate,
and proof of your admission to the United States for permanent residence.

The application for your children's passport will most likely be rejected. Another poster long time back had a big problem because he had to send the Green Card later and almost got lost, it took him a lot of effort to solve the issue. All for not sending the child's green card along with the application. I hope you don't have that horror story.
Click to expand...

I see it now and thanks for pointing it out. I stand corrected. But howcome this is not mentioned here http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/minors/minors_834.html

I will have to wait and see. I applied for the passports for the entire family on 6/3, and have an online case number, but I have not received any communication from the State Dept.
 
Hi Prithis,

You're right. Someone should point this to the State department. I know quite a few people have been confused about this. They go by the webpage and either file with incorrect documents or think they don't have a right to apply for a passport. They should have at least a link in which they detail all the cases and the supporting documents.

I don't know what to tell you. The State department have a fairly bad record of handling documents sent at a different time than the application. I'm not sure whether it is better to ask them to send you all the documents back and then apply again. It's up to you, but be prepared to send any additional documents in a "trackable" manner (registered or similar), and hopefully they won't mess things up.
 
Going back to the original poster. Keep children Green Cards, they are needed to obtain passport. Other documents are up to you, however I don't know of anyone who goes out of his/her way to destroy or return these documents. Basically make sure they don't fall into the hands of counterfeiters or any other fake document producer. I think that's the main concern and driver on requesting people to surrender their immigration documents at the time of obtaining citizenship.
 
Funny thing is that I took their GCs with me when I submitted the application at the Post Office. The clerk was clueless about whether to accept foreign birth certificates for the kids, and told me "We do not accept foreign birth certificates, do they have American ones?" and "You will probably have to apply for their passports at a consulate".

After I nearly strangled him, he called the State Dept, got clarifications, and then processed everyones applications. My bad luck that the GC requirement skipped my notice and the clerk was unaware about it too.
 
prithis said:
Funny thing is that I took their GCs with me when I submitted the application at the Post Office. The clerk was clueless about whether to accept foreign birth certificates for the kids, and told me "We do not accept foreign birth certificates, do they have American ones?" and "You will probably have to apply for their passports at a consulate".

After I nearly strangled him, he called the State Dept, got clarifications, and then processed everyones applications. My bad luck that the GC requirement skipped my notice and the clerk was unaware about it too.
Click to expand...


OMG, I wouldn't want to turn in my most important documents to incompetent federal employees such as that one!

What's the best way to apply for a passport then?
 
wifey246 said:
OMG, I wouldn't want to turn in my most important documents to incompetent federal employees such as that one!

What's the best way to apply for a passport then?
Click to expand...

Postal employees actually. But I do have an online status now, which means that the applications have made it to the State Department. Now the fun begins.
 
You can shop around, there are multiple postal offices. You might ask the employee how many years of experience they have. My postal employee bragged of twenty years or so and was down to business, no smile, don't mess with me but professional. The agent processed all our passports together and made a photocopy of one of the naturalization certificates to go with my child's application. Only thing is that the agent refused not to staple things, basically everything got pierced by the staple, even the GC (through the optical stripe). It's good we didn't have any use for the GC after obtaining the passport.

I would say, shop around for an experienced passport acceptance agent, one who has dealt with children citizenship through the CCA of 2000.

Prithis, I really hope that everything works out well for you. I'm almost certain you are going to hear from them asking for the Green Card.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top