There are generally two ways in which your children under 18 years old can obtain citizenship. In this article, we will discuss both processes.
Process 1: Consular Report of Birth Abroad
This process is carried out in the country of your son/daughter's birth. Once this process is completed, your child will automatically have citizenship and will be able to enter the United States as a U.S. citizen. The requirements for this process are as follows:
- The citizen parent must have lived in the United States for 5 years before the birth of the child, with 2 of those years being after the age of 14.
- This presence must be proven with tax statements, school records, bank accounts, lease contracts, etc.
The process is relatively fast, allowing the child to obtain their certificate of citizenship in approximately 3 months.
Process 2: Residency → Citizenship
This type of process is for those U.S. citizen parents who did not live in the United States for 5 years before the birth of their child. In this situation, you must apply for residency for your child. Once the child has entered the United States as a resident, they will automatically become a citizen.
To discuss these processes further, call us at 915-314-2363 for a free evaluation of your case.
