Originally Posted by LAL

Hello,
I normally lurk in the background but I missed this post completely until now due to work commitments.

I hope you all had a wonderful easter!!!
Too many cadbury's eggs for me !! And I'm already a bit lardy!!!

Any way, your situation is very similar to that of my husbands, hubby - born in 1974 to US Serviceman abroad and foreign mother, he is a US Citizen he has never lived in US just visited for extended periods infact has a geordie accent!!

Fat Brit got it spot on, you need your birth certificate, your parents marriage certificate and your dad's birthcertificate (this is not essential but does prove US Citienship and can come in handy - you can order this online from Vital Statistics Illinois - Hubby's father was born in Illinois and we ordered a copy of his birth certificate it took about 3 weeks), proof / affidavit of physical presence in US ie that your dad resided in US for 10 years (5years after 14) I think that's correct for your DOB, I think it was around 1985 when it changed to 5 years..Also any time spent abroad in the US Armed forces counts as physical presence in US.

You cannot use the VWP because you are a US Citizen by birth...
If you were born abroad AND do not have a Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certificate of Birth on file, you will need:

1. If you claim citizenship through birth abroad to one U.S. citizen parent:

* Foreign birth certificate,
* Proof of citizenship of your U.S. citizen parent, AND
* An affidavit of your U.S. citizen parent showing all periods and places of residence or physical presence in the United States and abroad before your birth.
info taken from here http://travel.state.gov/passport/get...first_830.html

You should be able to apply in London .

Your children may be eligible for Expeditious US Citizensip also via your dad's physical presence - 5 years for them 2 years after age 14. for your kids you would use the N-600k form, for yourself you should just apply for a US passport you will need a US Citizen or permanent US resident to sign your application someone who has known you more than 2 years (like your dad , uncle, cousin, etc), you shouldn't have too many problems and if you apply now you should have your US Passport in time for going to US in June.

Hope this helps and lucky you if not you would have had to apply for waiver.

LAL

Originally Posted by fatbrit

I forgave him as he neither expressed a wish to reside in Florida nor mentioned the Poles stealing the fish out of the canals.

Originally Posted by fatbrit

And if you search the forums, there's plenty of advice from dual cits on how to flip passports mid pond.

Originally Posted by fatbrit

I forgave him as he neither expressed a wish to reside in Florida nor mentioned the Poles stealing the fish out of the canals.

Originally Posted by fatbrit

Okay.....on a quick look through you only get the passport off the Consulate. You can order a Certificate of Citizenship off USCIS later......but only if you're resident in the States. However, a passport should suffice provided you keep it current. It's ten years like the UK one -- don't let it expire for more than 5 years (i.e. a total of fifteen years old), otherwise you may have to go through the proof again without the Certificate of Citizenship.

Originally Posted by Phychlone

This would appear to mean the whole process could be expedited somewhat.
I have asked my Dad to obtain his birth certificate via the info given by Lal (Thanks) and he has booked an appointment for Monday to provide an affidavit stating his US residency as the other forms of evidence may well be difficult to get hold of due to the time that has lapsed, although his service records will be obtainable if required. I already have the Marriage certificate and my Birth Certificate so I shall go to the Consulate as soon as I have his Birth Certificate and see what happens

Originally Posted by Phychlone

This would appear to mean the whole process could be expedited somewhat.
I have asked my Dad to obtain his birth certificate via the info given by Lal (Thanks) and he has booked an appointment for Monday to provide an affidavit stating his US residency as the other forms of evidence may well be difficult to get hold of due to the time that has lapsed, although his service records will be obtainable if required. I already have the Marriage certificate and my Birth Certificate so I shall go to the Consulate as soon as I have his Birth Certificate and see what happens

Originally Posted by Phychlone

This would appear to mean the whole process could be expedited somewhat.
I have asked my Dad to obtain his birth certificate via the info given by Lal (Thanks) and he has booked an appointment for Monday to provide an affidavit stating his US residency as the other forms of evidence may well be difficult to get hold of due to the time that has lapsed, although his service records will be obtainable if required. I already have the Marriage certificate and my Birth Certificate so I shall go to the Consulate as soon as I have his Birth Certificate and see what happens

Originally Posted by Ozzidoc

This is all excellent news.

Does your girlfriend know about any of this, or are you just going to appear at the airport with her, and check in as an American?

Originally Posted by Phychlone

She does know about the applying for citizenship as I have been on the phone loads, but she doesn't know the reason for it

I have been led to believe that when we do go though customs I will be "fast tracked" to the US citizen queue! I'll be sipping on a cool beer before she's even through

Originally Posted by LAL

That's the bain of my life, my other half always cackles at the size of the "alien" queue, but at least he has no excuse for not collecting all the luggage!!!! So there is one plus!!! Sometimes I make him stand in line with me

Are you looking at the correct site for the Birth Certificate? Cos the one I'm looking at goes back to 1799 even though they only started recording Births in Illinois in 1916

http://www.vitalchek.com/agency_loca...roviderid=3639

Hope this helps.

LAL

Originally Posted by LAL

Aha we never input a SSN, we don't have one for my hubby's father...

His parents divorced when he was 5. Hence the UK move, (his mom remarried), my hubby was born in Japan...very long story...

So our situation was probably a tad more complicated than yours...

Have you tried faxing them the info or giving them a ring to expedite things ?

As someone said before they are only too happy to help US Citizens.

Regards,

LAL

Originally Posted by Phychlone

My Dad tried phoning the local courthouse but they said that it has to be done in writing (suprisingly not e-mail) so he's done it now but I'm sure he could have faxed the document provided when the online application fails. Oh well who am I to argue? I still feel confident that I will be able to get a US passport before the end of June, I just hope that I can still book something nice in New York for 3-7 July Thanks again Lal