How does the child citizenshi Act work?

[winner 0]

My wife and I have a child who was born before we married and before they came to the US.Now they are here and have a greencard (both).I am USC. How can I get the child citizenship? It seems the N-600 requires the child be a natural child.

I was thinking of getting a DNA test done and send those tests along with the birth certificate,proving am the dad.How acceptable is that, to show am the natural father?

Further clarification:

Child was born outside US.Parent became USC AFTER child was born hence child could not become USC at birth.

Any ideas?

[jaynel 0]

My wife and I have a child who was born before we married and before they came to the US.Now they are here and have a greencard (both).I am USC. How can I get the child citizenship? It seems the N-600 requires the child be a natural child.

I was thinking of getting a DNA test done and send those tests along with the birth certificate,proving am the dad.How acceptable is that, to show am the natural father?

Further clarification:

Child was born outside US.Parent became USC AFTER child was born hence child could not become USC at birth.

Any ideas?

hi there,

You the USC parent can apply for your childs citizenship by birth abroad through one u.s citizen parent...but i think you have to apply on the US embassy where your child was born. Call the US embassy from where your child was born and request forms for application for passport, forms for application for citizenship by birth abroad...there is a complete set for this forms. im sorry i dont know the website where you can read on this. still have to ask my fiance. we have the same case as with you but my fiance did a consular report of birth abroad right after our baby was born so we had her blue passport before going to the states so im not sure if it does still apply as with your case because your child already has a green card there.. . so my best advice is to inquire on the U.S embassy where yourchild was born....

[winner 0]

Thanks for the answer but you misunderstood my situation a little. Our child was born BEFORE I was USC, so not eligible for naturalization at birth. This is a child citizenship Act issue.

My wife and I have a child who was born before we married and before they came to the US.Now they are here and have a greencard (both).I am USC. How can I get the child citizenship? It seems the N-600 requires the child be a natural child.

I was thinking of getting a DNA test done and send those tests along with the birth certificate,proving am the dad.How acceptable is that, to show am the natural father?

Further clarification:

Child was born outside US.Parent became USC AFTER child was born hence child could not become USC at birth.

Any ideas?

hi there,

You the USC parent can apply for your childs citizenship by birth abroad through one u.s citizen parent...but i think you have to apply on the US embassy where your child was born. Call the US embassy from where your child was born and request forms for application for passport, forms for application for citizenship by birth abroad...there is a complete set for this forms. im sorry i dont know the website where you can read on this. still have to ask my fiance. we have the same case as with you but my fiance did a consular report of birth abroad right after our baby was born so we had her blue passport before going to the states so im not sure if it does still apply as with your case because your child already has a green card there.. . so my best advice is to inquire on the U.S embassy where yourchild was born....

[jaynel 0]

Thanks for the answer but you misunderstood my situation a little. Our child was born BEFORE I was USC, so not eligible for naturalization at birth. This is a child citizenship Act issue.

My wife and I have a child who was born before we married and before they came to the US.Now they are here and have a greencard (both).I am USC. How can I get the child citizenship? It seems the N-600 requires the child be a natural child.

I was thinking of getting a DNA test done and send those tests along with the birth certificate,proving am the dad.How acceptable is that, to show am the natural father?

Further clarification:

Child was born outside US.Parent became USC AFTER child was born hence child could not become USC at birth.

Any ideas?

hi there,

You the USC parent can apply for your childs citizenship by birth abroad through one u.s citizen parent...but i think you have to apply on the US embassy where your child was born. Call the US embassy from where your child was born and request forms for application for passport, forms for application for citizenship by birth abroad...there is a complete set for this forms. im sorry i dont know the website where you can read on this. still have to ask my fiance. we have the same case as with you but my fiance did a consular report of birth abroad right after our baby was born so we had her blue passport before going to the states so im not sure if it does still apply as with your case because your child already has a green card there.. . so my best advice is to inquire on the U.S embassy where yourchild was born....

oh sorry i must have not read the note that says further clarification ....maybe you can try to claim citizenship of child through naturalization of parent(s) if you are a naturalized USC... you need to submit certificate of naturalization of parent, the foreign birth certificate of child and proof of admission to the US for permanent residence.....if your case is a different one again then i guess cant help no more....

[Dakine 26]

My wife and I have a child who was born before we married and before they came to the US.Now they are here and have a greencard (both).I am USC. How can I get the child citizenship? It seems the N-600 requires the child be a natural child.

I was thinking of getting a DNA test done and send those tests along with the birth certificate,proving am the dad.How acceptable is that, to show am the natural father?

Further clarification:

Child was born outside US.Parent became USC AFTER child was born hence child could not become USC at birth.

Any ideas?

Looks to me you will have to legally adopt your child.

Have legal and physical custody of child for 2 years and your child will automatically become a USC 2 years from date of final adoption decree

N-600 doesn't require the child to be natural. Can be adopted also!

Applying for US passport doesn't require natural child either.

Only 2 ways to find out if child does have USC is the N-600 or applying for passport.

Passport is cheaper. $92

I'm still waiting to hear a final decision from them. There's seem to be a few of variables.

[KingMedusa 0]

My wife and I have a child who was born before we married and before they came to the US.Now they are here and have a greencard (both).I am USC. How can I get the child citizenship? It seems the N-600 requires the child be a natural child.

I was thinking of getting a DNA test done and send those tests along with the birth certificate,proving am the dad.How acceptable is that, to show am the natural father?

Further clarification:

Child was born outside US.Parent became USC AFTER child was born hence child could not become USC at birth.

Any ideas?

The child citizenship act is very clear. By default, your child is a U.S. Citizen as soon as he entered/was admitted in the USA with an Immigrant Visa that had been petitioned by one USC biological/natural parent.

Whether the child was born out of wedlock or not is not the issue. Form N-600 is filed to further authenticate the citizenship of the child. You don't need any DNA test. If they doubt, they'll ask you to do it but I even doubt that. All the documents you sumbitted when you petitioned are in their archives and they can prove the validity of your claim.

Edited July 26, 2007 by KingMedusa

[maya62 7]

You may find this page and/or the links on the right side of this page helpful regarding USCIS requirements.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00045f3d6a1RCRD

And regarding DOS requirements for a passport (for child under age 14):

http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/get/m...minors_834.html

I think Jaynel is correct... my guess is that your child is a USC already by virtue of your naturalization, assuming the child is your natural child and is under 18 years of age. But that's just a guess.

I wonder if an Infopass appointment might steer you in the right direction?

Best wishes,

Maya