These are the people who automatically qualify for US citizenship even if they were not born in the US
The naturalization is the legal process in which a person can become American citizen despite not having been born in the country. Those who meet certain requirements will be able to access this status at birth or after birth, according to the authorities of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) through its official website.
Some people even have the possibility of accessing naturalization automatically without having to be born in US territory, as long as they meet a series of requirements.
Among the requirements is being born parents US citizens, being under 18 years of age and others. All details are specified in the internet page USCIS official.
Some children born abroad, who are adopted by American citizensacquire citizenship automatically upon entering the country as legal permanent residents.
Adopted minors who can be naturalized must enter the country with one of the following visas:
- IR2: adopted by an immediate family member.
- IR3: orphan adopted abroad.
- IR4: orphan who arrives in the United States for adoption.
According to immigration authorities, they are “automatically eligible” for US citizenship status upon entering the country.
“Children who were born or adopted in a foreign country and who qualify can obtain U.S. citizenship before they turn 18 under the Child Citizenship Law (CCA)”, reads the US State Department website.
According to the CCA, cited by USCIS officials, a child born outside the US “You automatically become a US citizen” upon meeting the following conditions:
- The person is a child of a US citizen parent birth either naturalization.
- Is under 18 years old.
- Is legal permanent resident (LPR).
- The child resides in the United States under the legal custody and physical of the US citizen father.
According to authorities, “there is no specific order in which the conditions required by law to obtain citizenship must be met,” as long as they are all met at some point before the child turns 18.
As explained by the US Government, when a child of parents who are US citizens is born outside the country, they generally must present a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA), this is issued by the Department of State before the minor age reaches 18 years and serves the function of being proof of your citizenship.
In case the parents have not applied for a CRBA, there are two options for citizenship to be recognized:
Apply for a US Passport
In case your parents have not registered your birth in a embassy either consulate from the US, you will need the following documents:
- Foreign birth certificate showing the name of the parents.
- Proof of US citizenship of a father
- Parents’ marriage certificateif applicable.
- Statement from U.S. Citizen Parents indicating where and when they lived in the US and abroad before their birth.
- Request for a citizenship certificate
For this, form N-600 must be submitted. The document, according to the portal of the Government from the US, serves to prove that you are a US citizen and you can present it if you were born abroad and claim your citizenship at birth through your parents.
Not all applicants must appear for an interview, however, USCIS will always have the final say.
If you have to appear for an interview, you must bring all the original documents of the copies that you presented when requesting the N-600 form, as well as “any additional document that establishes your eligibility”. All those that are not in English must be accompanied by a certified translation, according to information available on the USCIS website.
