Bigmo

hi
I am an American citizen and I have been living in Saudi for a long time now,
since I work here. My question is that I got married to a Saudi woman and had
a child who has a Saudi citizenship, but I want them to get the American
citizenship so we will be able to go visit the States from time to time. I
want to know what
should do to get them the citizenship wtihout having to leave Saudi.
Thanks a lot for your help

Regards...

Ray

You cannot do that ..
http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/howdoi/spouselive.htm

scrubbedexpat099

The child may be a USC, just need to register with the US Embassy.

The wife can not.

Fourth Quark

For child, the path is quite simple, as Boiler has said. Your child can
become
a US citizen by descent, but will have to relinquish Saudi citizenship.

For wife, US citizenship is not possible unless she agrees to live in the US
for at least
3 years. You'll sponsor her for a Green Card, after which she'll need to
maintain
*primary* residence in the US for 3 years. At the 3-year anniversary of her
GC,
she can file for US citizenship. (She'll have to renounce Saudi citizenzhip
to become
a US citizen.) After this, she can leave the US and settle in KSA again.


"bigmo" <u26386@uwe> wrote in message news:6606168c1c176@uwe...
    > hi
    > I am an American citizen and I have been living in Saudi for a long time
    > now,
    > since I work here. My question is that I got married to a Saudi woman and
    > had
    > a child who has a Saudi citizenship, but I want them to get the American
    > citizenship so we will be able to go visit the States from time to time. I
    > want to know what
    > should do to get them the citizenship wtihout having to leave Saudi.
    > Thanks a lot for your help
    > Regards...
    >

Joe Feise

Fourth Quark wrote on 09/10/06 12:39:

    > For child, the path is quite simple, as Boiler has said. Your child can
    > become
    > a US citizen by descent, but will have to relinquish Saudi citizenship.


Not necessarily. The US doesn't care is somebody has another citizenship. If
Saudi-Arabia cares would have to be checked with Saudi authorities.

    > she can file for US citizenship. (She'll have to renounce Saudi citizenzhip
    > to become
    > a US citizen.)


Again, not necessarily. The US citizenship oath contains a renunciation clause,
but that may not have any validity in SA.

Read Rich Wales' excellent Dual Citizenship FAQ: http://www.richw.org/dualcit/

-Joe
--
I am not a lawyer.
For reliable advice, consult a competent immigration attorney.

sgallagher

bigmo wrote:
    > hi
    > I am an American citizen and I have been living in Saudi for a long time now,
    > since I work here. My question is that I got married to a Saudi woman and had
    > a child who has a Saudi citizenship, but I want them to get the American
    > citizenship so we will be able to go visit the States from time to time. I
    > want to know what
    > should do to get them the citizenship wtihout having to leave Saudi.

Your child is very possibly a US citizen already, even if you have not
taken any action to confirm it. A child born outside the US, in
wedlock, to one US citizen parent and one non-citizen parent will
automatically receive US citizenship as long as the US citizen parent,
at some time prior to the birth, has been physically present in the US
for periods that total at least five years with two or more of those
years being after age fourteen.

So, if you spent at least five years of your life physically present
in the US, and at least two of those years were after you were age
fourteen, AND you were married to the mother at the time of the birth,
then your child would hold US citizenship automatically. You should
register the birth with the nearest US consulate so as to be issued a
consular report of birth abroad of a US citizen. This registration is
not a conferral of citizenship, it is proof that the child is already a
citizen. If the birth is not registered, then the first time you
attempt to obtain a passport for the child, you will have to present
the proof that you met the physical presence requirements.

As far as your wife is concerned, there is no way to obtain US
citizenship for her, without you spnsoring her for permanent residency
in the US and then you all going to live in the US for at least three
years, so that she would qualify for naturalization. Then, there would
be another year or so, for the naturalization process to be completed.
Plus, whether this would affect her Saudi citizenship or not, would be
up to Saudi natioanlity law. Still, there is no way for your wife to
become a US citizen simply be being married to you, without her
immigrating to the US to live.

Nguhh

From: bigmo - view profile
Date: Sat, Sep 9 2006 4:09 pm
Email: "bigmo" <u26386@uwe>
Groups: alt.visa.us
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hi
I am an American citizen and I have been living in Saudi for a long
time now,
since I work here. My question is that I got married to a Saudi woman
and had
a child who has a Saudi citizenship, but I want them to get the
American
citizenship so we will be able to go visit the States from time to
time. I
want to know what
should do to get them the citizenship wtihout having to leave Saudi.
Thanks a lot for your help

Regards...



Well, I am not sure why u have to worry about your wife US Citizenship.
FYI, in case you dont already know, US Green Card Holder (US Permanent
Residency Status and the card does not necesary have to be green in
color when issued) can live and work in US legally with the exception
of voting. It really makes no materials difference if she is just
holding the Green card or having US citizenship. She could eventually
become one if she chooses to as stated by others.

Noorah101

Hi Nguhh,

He's concerned because it sounds like he and the family don't want to LIVE in the USA, he just wants his wife to have US citizenship so they can live in Saudi and travel freely to the USA to visit whenever they want, as a family.

As others have advised, he would have to apply first for his wife's permanent residency in the USA, which after several years of living in the USA would make her eligible for US citizenship. As also mentioned, could take around 4 or 5 years of living in the USA to get his wife citizenship. If his job keeps him in Saudi, he won't be able to do this, and there's no way his wife gets US citizenship (or green card, even) simply by being married to him, without taking the proper steps to get it (i.e., living in the USA for a number of years).

Rene

Folinskyinla

Hi Rene:

Did I see anyting about WHO the OP works for? If it is an American company, there might be 319(b) naturalization available. A long time ago, I saw a case where the AmCit petitioner was naturalized and had NEVER lived in the US. It seems that he had married a female soldier in the US Army, obtained his immigrant visa, entered the United States and then stayed the 3 weeks it took to obtain his US Citizenship and then returned to home country.

Noorah101

Oh wow...definitely something for the OP to look into!

Rene

Bob

http://www.geocities.com/jusjih/dncdp.html not official, but I can't be bothered to google much, but thought as much, Saudi doesn't allow dual nationality, so would lose that gaining US citizenship.

http://jeddah.usconsulate.gov/jeddah...attorneys.html

link to the US consulate in Jeddah, KSA.