Clive

Hi, you'd think this would be a simple answer to find, but we keep
getting different answers.

My wife's sister just became a U.S. Citizen. She has 2 children, 14
and 17 years old.

She wants to know if these 2 children automatically became citizens
when she did (they live with her, here in the U.S. if that matters),
and what she has to do to make them officially U.S. Citizens?

Someone said all she has to do is apply for passports for them.
Someone else said she has to go through some kind of naturalization
process with fees and such, that this gives them more permanent
citizenship status, whereas with just getting the passports for them,
if the mother dies, they are no longer citizens? Huh?!

What's the real scoop?

Sophie T

"clive" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Hi, you'd think this would be a simple answer to find, but we keep
    > getting different answers.
    > My wife's sister just became a U.S. Citizen. She has 2 children, 14
    > and 17 years old.
    > She wants to know if these 2 children automatically became citizens
    > when she did (they live with her, here in the U.S. if that matters),
    > and what she has to do to make them officially U.S. Citizens?
    > Someone said all she has to do is apply for passports for them.
    > Someone else said she has to go through some kind of naturalization
    > process with fees and such, that this gives them more permanent
    > citizenship status, whereas with just getting the passports for them,
    > if the mother dies, they are no longer citizens? Huh?!
    > What's the real scoop?

Hi there,

My husband just became a citizen last Friday. On the list of frequently
asked questions he was given at the oath ceremony, it said this about
children:
"What about my children? Answer: Under the Child Citizenship Act of 2001,
if on the day you are naturalized, your child is under 18 years of age and
has an Alien Registration Card (is a permanent resident), they become
citizens the same day you naturalized in MOST cases. However, there are a
few exceptions! You may apply directly for a passport for your child when
you apply for your US passport. You may also apply for a Certificate of
Citizenship with the USCIS on an N-600."

So, it sounds like if her children are permanent residents, then they became
citizens the same time she did and that she can apply for their passports
along with hers. I hope that's the case for her. :-) From what I've
read, it seems all they'd need are the passports.

--Sophie

Clive

On Sun, 26 Feb 2006 19:43:59 -0600, "Sophie T" <[email protected]>
wrote:

    >Hi there,
    >My husband just became a citizen last Friday. On the list of frequently
    >asked questions he was given at the oath ceremony, it said this about
    >children:
    >"What about my children? Answer: Under the Child Citizenship Act of 2001,
    >if on the day you are naturalized, your child is under 18 years of age and
    >has an Alien Registration Card (is a permanent resident), they become
    >citizens the same day you naturalized in MOST cases. However, there are a
    >few exceptions! You may apply directly for a passport for your child when
    >you apply for your US passport. You may also apply for a Certificate of
    >Citizenship with the USCIS on an N-600."
    >So, it sounds like if her children are permanent residents, then they became
    >citizens the same time she did and that she can apply for their passports
    >along with hers. I hope that's the case for her. :-) From what I've
    >read, it seems all they'd need are the passports.
    >--Sophie
It is unclear because the USCIS does not come right out and say that
all the child of the US Citizen needs is a passport.

All they do say is that you can get a Certificate of Citizenship by
filing an N-600 for $255. (In typical USCIS fashion, it says on one
page that the fee is $160, then on the very next page it takes you to,
it says $255.)

So the question is this:
Is there any real advantage to going through the N-600 process and
paying $255 or is it just as good to just get a U.S. passport?

Sophie T

"clive" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > On Sun, 26 Feb 2006 19:43:59 -0600, "Sophie T" <[email protected]>
    > wrote:
    >>Hi there,
    >>My husband just became a citizen last Friday. On the list of frequently
    >>asked questions he was given at the oath ceremony, it said this about
    >>children:
    >>"What about my children? Answer: Under the Child Citizenship Act of
    >>2001,
    >>if on the day you are naturalized, your child is under 18 years of age and
    >>has an Alien Registration Card (is a permanent resident), they become
    >>citizens the same day you naturalized in MOST cases. However, there are a
    >>few exceptions! You may apply directly for a passport for your child when
    >>you apply for your US passport. You may also apply for a Certificate of
    >>Citizenship with the USCIS on an N-600."
    >>So, it sounds like if her children are permanent residents, then they
    >>became
    >>citizens the same time she did and that she can apply for their passports
    >>along with hers. I hope that's the case for her. :-) From what I've
    >>read, it seems all they'd need are the passports.
    >>--Sophie
    > It is unclear because the USCIS does not come right out and say that
    > all the child of the US Citizen needs is a passport.
    > All they do say is that you can get a Certificate of Citizenship by
    > filing an N-600 for $255. (In typical USCIS fashion, it says on one
    > page that the fee is $160, then on the very next page it takes you to,
    > it says $255.)
    > So the question is this:
    > Is there any real advantage to going through the N-600 process and
    > paying $255 or is it just as good to just get a U.S. passport?

It's just my opinion, but I'd say that the passport is good enough.

ian-mstm

Since a US passport is proof of US citizenship, there is no advantage to the N-600. The only reason you may need one is if they don't issue a passport because of insufficient proof of citizenship.

Ian

Rete

Posted in error

Rete

For Usenet readers, please disregard my previous post. It should not have been posted.

Thank you.

Clive

I don't understand why there is any controversy over this. It should
be a clear yes or no answer, yet there seems to be much confusion over
it. I did a search at google groups web site and even there, with many
posts, there seems to be no absolute answer; most seem to say you
don't really need the N-600 yet some say that getting it is a good
idea. WHY is it a "good idea"?? (if it is...)

Noorah101

Personally, I would want to have the actual Certificate of Naturalization, in case I lost my passport I'd have backup proof that I am indeed a citizen. But that's just me.

Rene

Clive

On Mon, 27 Feb 2006 16:58:18 +0000, Noorah101 <[email protected]>
wrote:

    >> I don't understand why there is any controversy over this. It should
    >> be a clear yes or no answer, yet there seems to be much confusion over
    >> it. I did a search at google groups web site and even there, with many
    >> posts, there seems to be no absolute answer; most seem to say you
    >> don't really need the N-600 yet some say that getting it is a good
    >> idea. WHY is it a "good idea"?? (if it is...)
    >Personally, I would want to have the actual Certificate of
    >Naturalization, in case I lost my passport I'd have backup proof that I
    >am indeed a citizen. But that's just me.
    >Rene
I can see your point; but would not a copy of one's passport be enough
to present to anyone in the interim, while the replacement passport
was being processed, which with Expedited Service is only about 2
weeks or less?

I think if money is no object, the extra step of getting the $255
N-600 cert. is probably a good backup thing to do. But if money is an
issue, which it is with many new immigrants, wouldn't a passport and a
safe copy of that passport serve just as well?

Can one get the passport to have for NOW, and then go ahead and get
the N-600 at any time later, when one has an extra $510 to donate to
the USCIS?

Blank

That's what you should do. However, you still did not mak it clear if the
kids in question are US green card holders. If they are not, then they are
not citizens.

As for the N-600, you don't need it now but the kids may need it later when
they are going to renew their passport.


"clive" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > On Mon, 27 Feb 2006 16:58:18 +0000, Noorah101 <[email protected]>
    > wrote:
    >>> I don't understand why there is any controversy over this. It should
    >>> be a clear yes or no answer, yet there seems to be much confusion over
    >>> it. I did a search at google groups web site and even there, with many
    >>> posts, there seems to be no absolute answer; most seem to say you
    >>> don't really need the N-600 yet some say that getting it is a good
    >>> idea. WHY is it a "good idea"?? (if it is...)
    >>Personally, I would want to have the actual Certificate of
    >>Naturalization, in case I lost my passport I'd have backup proof that I
    >>am indeed a citizen. But that's just me.
    >>Rene
    > I can see your point; but would not a copy of one's passport be enough
    > to present to anyone in the interim, while the replacement passport
    > was being processed, which with Expedited Service is only about 2
    > weeks or less?
    > I think if money is no object, the extra step of getting the $255
    > N-600 cert. is probably a good backup thing to do. But if money is an
    > issue, which it is with many new immigrants, wouldn't a passport and a
    > safe copy of that passport serve just as well?
    > Can one get the passport to have for NOW, and then go ahead and get
    > the N-600 at any time later, when one has an extra $510 to donate to
    > the USCIS?

Clive

On Tue, 28 Feb 2006 00:58:35 -0500, "Blank" <[email protected]> wrote:

    >That's what you should do. However, you still did not mak it clear if the
    >kids in question are US green card holders. If they are not, then they are
    >not citizens.
    >As for the N-600, you don't need it now but the kids may need it later when
    >they are going to renew their passport.
Thanks. This is what I am going to recommend my sister-in-law do, get
the passports for now then later get the N600. The N600 is
outrageously expensive but I guess like so much other
Immigration/Citizenship crap, you just have to bend over and take it.