Arrived in the US with an Immigrant Visa, now what?

[jarj 13]

Hello, 

My daughter is now 1 week here in the US. She entered with an IR2 visa. Now i'm not sure what to do or process next.

I'm a US Citizen, my daughter is 13 years old. 

I'm not sure if USCIS will be mailing us her green card or a citizenship certificate or shall we apply for it. Please advise as I'm not too sure which guide to read as there's several contradicting guides in the USCIS website. 

Links to read is greatly appreciated.

 

[aaron2020 11,651]

USCIS will not mail her a Certificate of Citizenship (N-600).  If you want one, you will have to apply for it and pay for it.  You don't need it.  I have never used mine in 35 years except to get my first US passport.

If you paid the $220 immigrant fee, then your daughter will get a plastic green card (I-551).  You don't need to pay this.  Your daughter will not need it.

Your daughter's immigrant visa endorsed by CBP when she entered the US is a temporary 1 year green card (I-551).  You can use this, your naturalization certificate, your driver's license, and her school registration to get her a US passport.  The US passport will serve as her proof of US citizenship.  

[Mike E 11,742]

3 hours ago, jarj said:

Hello, 

My daughter is now 1 week here in the US. She entered with an IR2 visa. Now i'm not sure what to do or process next.

I'm a US Citizen, my daughter is 13 years old. 

I'm not sure if USCIS will be mailing us her green card or a citizenship certificate or shall we apply for it. Please advise as I'm not too sure which guide to read as there's several contradicting guides in the USCIS website. 

Links to read is greatly appreciated.

 

If you can show physical and legal custody of your daughter then you can apply for a US passport and passport card for your daughter.  
 

After you have that, I recommend you file an N-600 to her a certificate of citizenship.  Some federal government jobs requirement one.  If she petitions an alien for a green card, some IOs will want to see a certificate of citizenship.  And to register to vote online in Tennessee she will need it.  

[jarj 13]

20 hours ago, aaron2020 said:

USCIS will not mail her a Certificate of Citizenship (N-600).  If you want one, you will have to apply for it and pay for it.  You don't need it.  I have never used mine in 35 years except to get my first US passport.

If you paid the $220 immigrant fee, then your daughter will get a plastic green card (I-551).  You don't need to pay this.  Your daughter will not need it.

Your daughter's immigrant visa endorsed by CBP when she entered the US is a temporary 1 year green card (I-551).  You can use this, your naturalization certificate, your driver's license, and her school registration to get her a US passport.  The US passport will serve as her proof of US citizenship.  

 

17 hours ago, Mike E said:

If you can show physical and legal custody of your daughter then you can apply for a US passport and passport card for your daughter.  
 

After you have that, I recommend you file an N-600 to her a certificate of citizenship.  Some federal government jobs requirement one.  If she petitions an alien for a green card, some IOs will want to see a certificate of citizenship.  And to register to vote online in Tennessee she will need it.  

Thank you. I can definitely apply for her passport now.  

To make things more complicated though...

...I had my daughter out of wedlock. Now I'm married, and would like my daughter to use my husband's name. She is still using my maiden name. Is it possible for her to use my married name when we apply for passport or would that be a different process. Just checking our options. 

[aaron2020 11,651]

10 minutes ago, jarj said:

 

 

To make things more complicated though...

...I had my daughter out of wedlock. Now I'm married, and would like my daughter to use my husband's name. She is still using my maiden name. Is it possible for her to use my married name when we apply for passport or would that be a different process. Just checking our options. 

You would need to petition for a name change with your local state court in order to change her last name.   That's the only way to change her last name.  

[Chancy 6,243]

12 minutes ago, aaron2020 said:

You would need to petition for a name change with your local state court in order to change her last name.   That's the only way to change her last name.  

 

They could also consider step-parent adoption.  Also through state court.

 

[Mike E 11,742]

54 minutes ago, jarj said:

 

Thank you. I can definitely apply for her passport now.  

To make things more complicated though...

...I had my daughter out of wedlock. Now I'm married, and would like my daughter to use my husband's name. She is still using my maiden name. Is it possible for her to use my married name when we apply for passport or would that be a different process. Just checking our options. 

You should prioritize, especially in a pandemic, whether it is more important to secure her proof of citizenship or that she has a different name.  
 

So many times we read about parents that delayed doing the passport and N-600 for their children and years later as adults the kids have no clue they are citizens and worse the trail of evidence has grown cold. The situations can be tragic.  Especially for adults who later get into trouble with the law and face deportation because they have no proof of citizenship.  
 

My advice is to decouple   the two objectives and prioritize the safety of your child over a new name.  If cost is an issue you can spend $65 now to get your child a passport card, then pursue the name change, then the passport and passport card in the new name and finally the N-600 filing.  

[jarj 13]

2 hours ago, Mike E said:

You should prioritize, especially in a pandemic, whether it is more important to secure her proof of citizenship or that she has a different name.  
 

So many times we read about parents that delayed doing the passport and N-600 for their children and years later as adults the kids have no clue they are citizens and worse the trail of evidence has grown cold. The situations can be tragic.  Especially for adults who later get into trouble with the law and face deportation because they have no proof of citizenship.  
 

My advice is to decouple   the two objectives and prioritize the safety of your child over a new name.  If cost is an issue you can spend $65 now to get your child a passport card, then pursue the name change, then the passport and passport card in the new name and finally the N-600 filing.  

This is what i was thinking of doing just so atleast she has an ID already and not worry about it later. 

And should we process an SSN before passport or the other way around?

[Mike E 11,742]

12 minutes ago, jarj said:

This is what i was thinking of doing just so atleast she has an ID already and not worry about it later. 

And should we process an SSN before passport or the other way around?

I'd process the passport card first so that you don't have to make two trips to SSA.