Very Unique Situation, Need Help!

[unceric1 0]

Okay, so when my wife was a little girl, 5-6 years old, she moved to Canada with her Dad. She grew up there and eventually had two daughters there. Her father had moved back to the us at that time and fell ill. She moved back to the US to take care of her dad and never returned to CA. My wife is a US citizen but the girls are CA citizens who have lived here their entire life. They two were very little when they were brought to the US. One of them is married with a stepchild. An attorney told us that we should file form I-864 and I-864a to sponser them but it seems like it should be easier. My wife has no proof of being here other than her birth certificate. Any advice as to how we can get the girls there SS numbers and citizenship? Thanks.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

The married one should have her husband file for her: I-130 & I-485 concurrently (will need I-864).

For the unmarried one I think the fact that she's been out of status blocks her from adjusting in country and if she leaves there will be a re-entry ban.

[Krikit 1,164]

Are the children not US citizens already?

http://travel.state.gov/law/family_issues/birth/birth_593.html

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

Are the children not US citizens already?

http://travel.state.gov/law/family_issues/birth/birth_593.html

Sounds like the mother might not met the residency requirements.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Sounds like the mother might not met the residency requirements.

If the mother was a US citizen when the children were born, and if the children entered the US before they were 18 in the custody of their mother, then they should have been granted US citizenship automatically when they entered the US. There would be no residency requirement for the mother in this case.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

If the mother was a US citizen when the children were born, and if the children entered the US before they were 18 in the custody of their mother, then they should have been granted US citizenship automatically when they entered the US. There would be no residency requirement for the mother in this case.

That's good to know.

[bantam88 1]

Looks like they just need to get their SS numbers. But given one is married with a stepchild, why so long?

[Krikit 1,164]

If you listen to this USCIS YouTube video, at about mark 1:50 it talks about having a claim to US Citizenship and to file Form N-600.