A little help

[Ron and Rhea 42]

Hey y'all...well the wife is now a US citizen, and good to go. She has ordered her US passport. Now for the question, we brought her son, who is almost 8, here 2 1/2 years ago. He has not adjusted well and hates it here actually, he wants to badly go back and live with LoLo and LoLa and all the other family in the Philippines. He is still a Philippine citizen, has his Philippine passport, so we wondered about flying back to the Philippines and let him live there for a while and see if he misses living here in the US. I mean since the wife has become a US citizen does that change the boys status?

We know lots of Filipina's who live here in America and never brought their kids here...they just go back and see them on vacation...so other than the emotional toll and such, and ideas?

[Greenbaum 12,259]

He is a US citizen as he is a derivative of his mother. Get him a US passport at the same time as your wife.

The laws regarding the derivative acquisition of U.S. citizenship by minor children were broadened by the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 (CCA). This law became effective February 27, 2001, and remains effective as of this writing. Under current law, children under 18 automatically acquire U.S. citizenship if three requirements are met.

1. The child must have U.S. lawful permanent resident status (green card holder).

2. At least one parent must be a U.S. citizen by birth or naturalization.

3. The child must be residing in the United States in the legal and physical custody of a USC parent.

In this situation, once all three requirements are met, U.S. citizenship is automatically conferred upon the child/ren by operation of law without the need to file a specific application requesting U.S. citizenship. These provisions apply to ones adopted child/ren as well as biological child/ren.

Edited July 21, 2016 by Greenbaum

[MAHALisMAHAL 5]

He may not be happy but he is only 8 years old. What he does not realize is how lucky he is. He has no future in the Philippines. Education is completely lacking and there are no jobs. What jobs there are, pay like #######. Our son is almost 4. Born here in the Philippines but we will be moving back to the States in a few years so he can get an education and have opportunities when he becomes an adult. My advice is he stays in the USA. Get him his citizenship and the blue passport so he can have a chance in life.

[xmaricrisx 25]

Speaking from my own experience (I immigrated to the US with my parents when I was 5), I was unhappy because I was "different" from the other kids in school. It's difficult for a child to adjust, especially when English is the 2nd language. But as MAHALisMAHAL stated, your son doesn't understand how lucky he is. He can get a much better education and life here in the US. It may seem like the easier route to just let the child go back home, but believe me, it's to his advantage to stay. Try to talk to him, and maybe get him involved in sports or a club so that he can make more friends

[minions2 24]

He may not be happy but he is only 8 years old. What he does not realize is how lucky he is. He has no future in the Philippines. Education is completely lacking and there are no jobs. What jobs there are, pay like #######. Our son is almost 4. Born here in the Philippines but we will be moving back to the States in a few years so he can get an education and have opportunities when he becomes an adult. My advice is he stays in the USA. Get him his citizenship and the blue passport so he can have a chance in life.

true. that is why i am also trying to get my siblings by petitioning my mom, she can get them for a shorter time instead of 30 yrs if it is me.. or maybe have him visit them once a year or in special occasions like christmas.. children should grow with there parents by there side

[Ron and Rhea 42]

Great advise guys!!!

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

Seriously the child is 8. Why would you be seriously listening to what an 8 year old thinks they want or know? I say this because I have 9, 7, and a 2 year old children in my family. My two older children are from my first wife, and they would love to live with their mother because she has a no rules type of house hold and I don't. But an 8 year old does not know what is good for them. So what will happen if the child goes back to the Philippines, will you bring him back when he wants to come back to the USA?

[Randyandyuni 2,682]

I agree, an 8 year old should be told what to do not dictate what happens

[FxL 39]

Speak to him about his concerns. Does he feel like he won't fit in school? Does he find english hard to speak? Does he feel alone? Get to the bottom why he truly wants to go back to the Philippines. Let him know you're on his side and you're willing to help him. If he misses his grandparents, let him speak to them on Skype. Maybe he won't get that choice to go back home, but don't leave him feeling the way he does... Help him feel America is home now.