Green card renewal for minor child

[sai20 0]

Hi Friends,

 

Consider this scenario: Parents applied for Naturalization, expected completion date is April 2020. Green Card (GC) for parents and child (age 12 yrs.) expires on January, 2020. Given that parents applied for naturalization, should we apply for renewal of GC for the child now?

• If we do apply for renewal of GC now, once parents become naturalized in April 2020, the child automatically becomes citizen. Would the GC renewal application would be still valid at that point and renewed GC get issued to the child anyways?
• If we do not apply for renewal of GC now and let the GC expire in January, 2020. Once parents get naturalized in April 2020, assuming the child automatically becomes citizen, would expired green card pose any problem in terms of applying for US passport for the child etc.? (is it even a good idea to let GC expire and not apply for renewal in this scenario?).

 

Please provide if you have any thoughts/insights around this scenario.

[azblk 338]

2 hours ago, sai20 said:

Hi Friends,

 

Consider this scenario: Parents applied for Naturalization, expected completion date is April 2020. Green Card (GC) for parents and child (age 12 yrs.) expires on January, 2020. Given that parents applied for naturalization, should we apply for renewal of GC for the child now?

• If we do apply for renewal of GC now, once parents become naturalized in April 2020, the child automatically becomes citizen. Would the GC renewal application would be still valid at that point and renewed GC get issued to the child anyways?
• If we do not apply for renewal of GC now and let the GC expire in January, 2020. Once parents get naturalized in April 2020, assuming the child automatically becomes citizen, would expired green card pose any problem in terms of applying for US passport for the child etc.? (is it even a good idea to let GC expire and not apply for renewal in this scenario?).

 

Please provide if you have any thoughts/insights around this scenario.

A green card is only evidence of status and not the status itself. 

1. If your permanent resident minor child becomes a citizen automatically when you naturalize. It follows that since US citizens do not need green cards - the application will become null and void and will be denied. Waste of money.

2. When you the parents naturalize - you would have to obtain a certificate of citizenship for your minor child which you would then use to obtain a passport for the child. A green card valid or expired is unrelated to US passports.

 

The only good reason to spend money renewing a green card in the middle of naturalization is if you have to travel outside the US in the time between when the card expires and when you naturalize. 

[sai20 0]

Thanks, azblk for your insights. We don't have any plan to travel outside the US between when the card expires and when we naturalize so we're thinking of not apply for renewal for the child. Do you know whether a valid Green card is one of the required document to apply for certificate of citizenship for minor child?

[azblk 338]

10 hours ago, sai20 said:

Thanks, azblk for your insights. We don't have any plan to travel outside the US between when the card expires and when we naturalize so we're thinking of not apply for renewal for the child. Do you know whether a valid Green card is one of the required document to apply for certificate of citizenship for minor child?

No there is no requirement of a valid green card. A copy of the child's permanent resident card or evidence of the child's permanent residence should be provided. Because a child who is a permanent resident acquires US citizenship automatically by operation of the law when the parent/s naturalize, USCIS only has to verify that the child was a permanent resident at the time the parent/s naturalized and that the child is the child of the parent/s so you also have to provide a birth certificate.

 

https://www.uscis.gov/n-600

 

 

[arken 4,197]

19 hours ago, azblk said:

A green card is only evidence of status and not the status itself. 

1. If your permanent resident minor child becomes a citizen automatically when you naturalize. It follows that since US citizens do not need green cards - the application will become null and void and will be denied. Waste of money.

2. When you the parents naturalize - you would have to obtain a certificate of citizenship for your minor child which you would then use to obtain a passport for the child. A green card valid or expired is unrelated to US passports.

 

The only good reason to spend money renewing a green card in the middle of naturalization is if you have to travel outside the US in the time between when the card expires and when you naturalize. 

One is not required to obtain the certificate of citizenship, it’s optional. The one advantage is that by obtaining it for $1,170, you have never expiring proof of citizenship.

 

if the child is gonna make some international travel at some point, can go for passport (another proof of citizenship) directly without certificate of citizenship.

Edited August 1, 2019 by arken