Advice needed please.

[DavidL82 1]

USA Citizenship

 

Hi all I'm new to this so I am sorry if I go on a little..

 

So I really don't know where to start. 

I was born in United Kingdom in 1982 and my mother was Born in the UK but she was married to my dad who was born in America.

 

My dad left us when I was roughly around 6 years old and I found out a few years ago that he died it hurt me a little but as I didn't really know him it wasn't the worst news for me. 

 

Now what I wanted to know is do I have rights to be an American citizen as I have my birth certificate and it says my dad's name and that he was born in the USA and my mum in the UK.

 

I'd love to be a USA citizen as well as the UK and I keep searching on the internet but there are so many different things I don't have a clue who to contact so I'd really like someone's help please.

 

Thank you so much

 

Dave.

[Mike E 11,739]

If (addition to the evidence you have described so far) you can:

 

* show your parents were married before you were born 

* show your dad had at least 5 years of physical presence in the USA before you were born 

* shows your dad had at least  2 years of physical presence in the USA after he reached age 14 and before your were born 

 

then your quest for a U.S. passport will succeed.
 

If so make an appointment at the nearest U.S. consulate or embassy to get a U.S. passport. 

 

 

Edited January 16, 2023 by Mike E

[DavidL82 1]

3 minutes ago, Mike E said:

If (addition to the evidence you have described so far) you can:

 

* show your parents were married before you were born 

* show your dad had at least 5 years of physical presence in the USA before you were born 

* shows your dad had at least  2 years of physical presence in the USA after he reached age 14 and before your were born 

 

then your quest for a U.S. passport will succeed.
 

If so make an appointment at the nearest U.S. consulate or embassy to get a U.S. passport. 

 

 

Thank you for a swift reply.

Il definitely have to do some digging and ask my mum about his history in the USA.

 

I think it might be harder to prove his whereabouts now he has died and also my nana his mother has also died.

 

Il ask my mum she should definitely know more as I've never asked her about all this before.

 

From what I knew many years ago my UK born nana I think UK born adopted my dad in the USA she had the American accent so maybe she was full American.... Then she moved to the UK for the rest of her life I know it's confusing I'm confused but il do some digging on this.

 

Thank you. 

 

Dave.

 

[Chancy 6,241]

3 minutes ago, DavidL82 said:

I think it might be harder to prove his whereabouts now he has died and also my nana his mother has also died.

 

To issue you a US passport, note that the US Department of State would want documentary evidence of your dad's US physical presence that @Mike E listed above.  That means your dad's school, employment, medical/vaccination records, etc in the US for the years before you were born.

 

[DavidL82 1]

2 minutes ago, Chancy said:

 

To issue you a US passport, note that the US Department of State would want documentary evidence of your dad's US physical presence that @Mike E listed above.  That means your dad's school, employment, medical/vaccination records, etc in the US for the years before you were born.

 

I see and this seems like it's going to be an impossible task for me to do. Thanks for helping me I'm not going to give up just yet as il ask my mum to see what she knows about his American history.

 

Thank you.

[DavidL82 1]

3 minutes ago, DavidL82 said:

I see and this seems like it's going to be an impossible task for me to do. Thanks for helping me I'm not going to give up just yet as il ask my mum to see what she knows about his American history.

 

Thank you.

I've just given my mum a message to ask her about him etc and she said so far he was born in Indiana and used to serve in the army so maybe I could find out more.

 

She's going to try and find out more too and she will look in to her history and she said she was married before I was born.

[DavidL82 1]

11 minutes ago, DavidL82 said:

I've just given my mum a message to ask her about him etc and she said so far he was born in Indiana and used to serve in the army so maybe I could find out more.

 

She's going to try and find out more too and she will look in to her history and she said she was married before I was born.

No she (my nan) met an American soldier I think over here then went and lived over there, they got divorced, think her first husband was someone Zalinskas don't remember first name, then she met second husband ?Rob or bob A well known golfer first name will come back to me, they got divorced and she came back over here with your dad and Dawn, your dad was about 14 15, then he went back to the states joined the army and came back over when he was about 25 26, I've known them since I was about 14 15. 

 

This is from what my mum is remembering.

[DavidL82 1]

13 minutes ago, DavidL82 said:

No she (my nan) met an American soldier I think over here then went and lived over there, they got divorced, think her first husband was someone Zalinskas don't remember first name, then she met second husband ?Rob or bob lawrence A well known golfer first name will come back to me, they got divorced and she came back over here with your dad and Dawn, your dad was about 14 15, then he went back to the states joined the army and came back over when he was about 25 26, I've known them since I was about 14 15. 

 

This is from what my mum is remembering.

 

[Mike E 11,739]

1 hour ago, DavidL82 said:

I think it might be harder to prove his whereabouts now he has died and also my nana his mother has also died.

Probably not hard for a U.S. private investigator. It comes down to how valuable a U.S. passport is to you.

[DavidL82 1]

Just now, Mike E said:

Probably not hard for a U.S. private investigator. It comes down to how valuable a U.S. passport is to you.

Definitely true it's always down to money I suppose but as I have a family to keep I'm guessing this dream is a long way from my reach at the moment....

[Kanja 201]

Private investigator will be able to find out a lot. It will cost money but if they are doing a lot of computer work it may not be as much as you expect, reach out to one with good google reviews and get a quote. 

[Family 3,988]

 

I got a bit lost in the story , but since you have the www  at your fingertips, I say go for it. You have your birth certificate which lists your fathers place of birth and if lucky his date of birth. 

Have mom give you the marriage certificate and her divorce papers. 
Order his birth certificate. 
Order his death certificate. ..you can try a few states , if you don’t know exactly where he died. 
Get his military record . ..somewhere there should be his Social Security Number.

Get his Social Security Earnings Report.

 

If dad lived in UK for a bit, I will assume he applied for some visa/ residency..so you can FOI / request those records .

 

I don’t know why you think Nan adopted him ( your dad) . ..perhaps he was her biological child fathered by the golfer . 
 

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freedom-of-information-foi/freedom-of-information-requests-accessible-version

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freedom-of-information-foi/freedom-of-information-requests-accessible-version

 

https://www.ancestry.com/search/categories/bmd_death/

 

https://www.ssa.gov/dataexchange/request_dx.html

 

https://www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center/military-personnel

 

https://www.in.gov/health/vital-records/

 

https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry/?ad=true&utm_source=google&utm_medium=search_generic&utm_campaign=US_evergreen_sales_prs&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_9DnovLN_AIVGCytBh2ShwpXEAAYASAAEgIgSfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

[DavidL82 1]

There is some great advice on here I really appreciate this guys.

I'm going to ask about their marriage certificates and from what I can gather he died in the UK so I could probably get a copy of the death certificate quite easily.

 

I know it's all confusing sorry all but as I get bits of information I'm hoping I can piece this all together especially with all of your help on here 👍