Where do I stand?

[quickkquestion 0]

Hello all,

 

I am inquiring as to what my status as a citizen might be. My situation is rather complex, but I will try my best to explain in as concise a manner as possible.

 

My maternal Grandparents met in the USA in the early 60s, both living legally there at the time. My Grandmother working as an au pair and my Grandfather working directly for the US Government. They eventually married, and in the 70s my Grandfather naturalised as an American citizen, while my Grandmother chose not to (I believe). Before this, in the 60s, they had two children. One, born in the States, and the other, my Mother, born outside of the States. My uncle, the child born in the States, has never left, and has a wife and child there. My Mother would be given a SSN and a Green Card as a child giving her the right to stay and work there. She would leave at age of 24 permanently. I am unsure if she ever had applied for citizenship in the period before leaving, or if it would've been granted to her in any way automatically. This is my main line of inquiry as to my status, particularly if it would apply automatically. On leaving the States, my Mother would become an alcoholic and, while intending to return before her Green Card expired, she lost it while drunk and her parents (my Grandparents) opted to leave her there to "dry out". 

 

My Father, who I have never met, never signed my birth certificate, and I can not be sure of the identity of as accurate, perhaps unsurprisingly given my final sentences of the last paragraph, is likely a US citizen. I would like to add that I have no way of proving this, one way or the other, though, so I am aware of the impossibility of this route.

 

Finally, I would add I was born in the late 90s outside of the USA.

 

Where do I stand? I have far from the best relationship with my family, and, with every family member being either a US citizen or having previously had at a minimum a Green Card, I would like to move away from them as soon as possible. The US is the most obvious route for this. My Grandparents have retired abroad.

 

 

[milimelo 4,522]

You could try FOIA for your mother's A file - if she naturalized, it would be in there. Then you'd also want to get records from your mother's time in the US - school, doctor, work, and similar (baptism/christening if applicable). Then you want to see what rules were in place for getting citizenship through a parent at that time - sounds like your father was a USC? Same records search as for your mother but with a twist that you'd need him to recognize you since he's not on your birth certificate if you want to proceed to being recognized as a USC. This all will involve a lot of legwork, time, and possibly money with potentially needing some or all cooperation from your family members. 

 

Where were you born? I'd imagine DV lottery if you qualify would be one path to get to the US if you can't find solutions through family. 

[quickkquestion 0]

3 minutes ago, milimelo said:

You could try FOIA for your mother's A file - if she naturalized, it would be in there. Then you'd also want to get records from your mother's time in the US - school, doctor, work, and similar (baptism/christening if applicable). Then you want to see what rules were in place for getting citizenship through a parent at that time - sounds like your father was a USC? Same records search as for your mother but with a twist that you'd need him to recognize you since he's not on your birth certificate if you want to proceed to being recognized as a USC. This all will involve a lot of legwork, time, and possibly money with potentially needing some or all cooperation from your family members. 

 

Where were you born? I'd imagine DV lottery if you qualify would be one path to get to the US if you can't find solutions through family. 

 

Thanks for the reply!

 

The recommendation of a FOIA request sounds like a good idea. I have her SSN and some school/college records with me. If she is a citizen, I should be. My only worry is she never naturalized. She isn't the most sensible of individuals and it would be a major blow to find this out, but I suppose I have to find out one way or the other.

 

Unfortunately, the route with my Father is not possible. I have no way of confirming his identity 100%, let alone more.

 

I was born in the United Kingdom. I'll be registering for 2026 as soon as I'm able.

[Boiler 45,797]

Does she have a US passport?

[quickkquestion 0]

6 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Does she have a US passport?

I don't know, which is a major part of the problem. She has never applied and, therefore, doesn't physically have one. Her eligibility for one, past or present, I do not know. She did have a Green Card at one point, until she drunkenly lost it and didn't bother to replace it. I cannot emphasise enough the messes my biological Mother leaves in her wake.

[Boiler 45,797]

I suppose the first thing to check is how old she was when her father naturalised and where and with whom she was living.

[quickkquestion 0]

2 minutes ago, Boiler said:

I suppose the first thing to check is how old she was when her father naturalised and where and with whom she was living.

I believe she was 14, living with her parents and brother, and living in New Mexico at the time.

[mam521 2,113]

Self delete

Edited July 2 by mam521

[Pinkrlion 2,724]

Does Grandfather still have his Natralization Certificate?  If she was 14 when he naturalized she be a US Citizen. You will have to check the law during that time. Have you talked to an immigration lawyer about all of this. 

[quickkquestion 0]

40 minutes ago, Pinkrlion said:

Does Grandfather still have his Natralization Certificate?  If she was 14 when he naturalized she be a US Citizen. You will have to check the law during that time. Have you talked to an immigration lawyer about all of this. 

 

He should do. He has a US Passport, for sure. 

 

I believe as she was born as she was born prior to February 27, 1983 that she would not automatically naturalise? I could be wrong on this. This is from my understanding of the Child Citizenship Act of 200.