N600 vs U.S Passport

[masterpiece 2]

For adopted minor who is 8years old which is a better way to go...N600 or get a U.S passport based on Dad`s citenzship?

[sunny808 1]

For adopted minor who is 8years old which is a better way to go...N600 or get a U.S passport based on Dad`s citenzship?

masterpiece,

in order for someone to give you an informed opinion, please let us know a) if the adoption is final, b) if Dad is already a citizen or is in the process of getting citizenship, c) the child's immigration status, d) if child is under the legal and physical custody of the USC parent.

this may also help: http://bit.ly/cdWCH0

[lucyrich 20]

masterpiece,

in order for someone to give you an informed opinion, please let us know a) if the adoption is final, b) if Dad is already a citizen or is in the process of getting citizenship, c) the child's immigration status, d) if child is under the legal and physical custody of the USC parent.

The criteria are equal for an N-600 or a US passport. Both are only available only to people who are US Citizens.

Usually the issue comes up when the child gained citizenship automatically through INA 320 (the child citizenship act). Such a person is a US Citizen, and the only thing up for question is which way do you want to document the citizenship.

A passport is cheaper, faster, and can be used for travel.

A citizenship certificate never expires.

Both documents are adjudicated to the same standards.

I'd probably go for a passport first.

[sunny808 1]

The criteria are equal for an N-600 or a US passport. Both are only available only to people who are US Citizens.

Usually the issue comes up when the child gained citizenship automatically through INA 320 (the child citizenship act). Such a person is a US Citizen, and the only thing up for question is which way do you want to document the citizenship.

A passport is cheaper, faster, and can be used for travel.

A citizenship certificate never expires.

Both documents are adjudicated to the same standards.

I'd probably go for a passport first.

lucyrich,

please correct me if i'm wrong or might be overlooking something. first, unless you are familiar with the OP's previous posts/background, there's no way to determine with certainty whether the childhood citizenship act applies or can be applied in the OP's hypothetical.

second, there are certain cases, which may or may not be the case in OP's hypo, where it isn't simply a choice between an N600 or a passport. i quote from a USCIS circular re: CCA:

I am filing for a child who lives abroad. How do I know if I need to file the Form N-600/N-643, Supplement A?

Under the Child Citizenship Act, the U.S. citizen parent of a child living abroad must have five years of physical presence in the United States or its outlying possessions with at least two years occurring after age 14, in order to apply for citizenship on behalf of the child. If you cannot meet this requirement, the law allows you to rely on the physical presence of your citizen parent to apply for citizenship. If you are relying on the physical presence of your U.S. citizen parent, you must file the Form N-600/N-643, Supplement A.

hence my request for additional information for purposes of clarification or, if need be, to steer the OP in another possible direction. additionally, from what i've heard previously, under limited circumstances, the fee is waived for the CoC.

[sunny808 1]

Edit: With respect to my reference re: a fee waiver of the CoC, this is where I based my observation on (please don't rely on it and verify for yourself if this is accurate):

From:http://www.ichild.org/citizenship.htm

1. WILL YOUR CHILD AUTOMATICALLY RECEIVE PROOF OF HIS OR HER U.S. CITIZENSHIP?

It depends. As a result of new program, referred to as the "CCA Program," if your child entered the United States after a "full and final" adoption abroad on an IR3 classified visa (See comment number 8 that discusses the IR3 and IR4 visa distinction) on or after January 20, 2004, your child will be issued a Certificate of Citizenship automatically, at no charge.3a However if your child entered the United States before January 2004, or on an IR4 visa, you will still have to apply for a Certificate of Citizenship from the U.S. Department of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS, previously the INS; see comment 4 below) or obtain a U.S. passport from the Department of State, Office of Passport Services, to document your child's citizenship.

/s

[masterpiece 2]

Thanks all. Appreciate your input/thoughts on this subject

Dad is naturalized citizen (since 2004). Minor- final adoption done in 2007 in U.S ( decree, certificate all intact).

I have gone through the requirements for Passport and N600. I see Passport as a cheaper route. Ofcourse both routes require extensive documentation all of which i have lined up. I guess for now i am leaning towards spending $85.00 rather than $420.00.

My only consideration is that passport fees are less subject to astronomical annual hikes seen in USCIS forms (such as N600)

I just may get the U.S passport and see if 4years down the line i can shell out $420.00 without flinching.....4yr timeline to prevent all the oath-swearing activities...

So let me understand the whole N600 deal....its all about having a permanent record that one is a citizen? Will owning a U.S passport (once obtained) not accord the same degree of permanence or is N600 record more superior to the record maintained by the State dept. (U.S passport)

Edited February 24, 2010 by masterpiece

[sunny808 1]

Thanks all. Appreciate your input/thoughts on this subject

Dad is naturalized citizen (since 2004). Minor- final adoption done in 2007 in U.S ( decree, certificate all intact).

I have gone through the requirements for Passport and N600. I see Passport as a cheaper route. Ofcourse both routes require extensive documentation all of which i have lined up. I guess for now i am leaning towards spending $85.00 rather than $420.00.

My only consideration is that passport fees are less subject to astronomical annual hikes seen in USCIS forms (such as N600)

I just may get the U.S passport and see if 4years down the line i can shell out $420.00 without flinching.....4yr timeline to prevent all the oath-swearing activities...

So let me understand the whole N600 deal....its all about having a permanent record that one is a citizen? Will owning a U.S passport (once obtained) not accord the same degree of permanence or is N600 record more superior to the record maintained by the State dept. (U.S passport)

In most situations, maybe 99% of the time, a passport is sufficient. Do note that USCIS is not automatically notified that the child has become a US citizen, and applying for a passport (issued by the State Department) does not automatically alert USCIS that a person is a U.S. citizen. This website may explain it better: http://bit.ly/ceO7BF. The need for a certificate of citizenship will vary on the childs need to establish US citizenship. You can factor in the cost, and perhaps the urgency for a CoC in making a decision re: whether you should get a CoC.

/s

Edited February 24, 2010 by sunny808

[NickD 203]

One thing that favors the DOS in my situation, only a 3 mile round trip to my city clerks office as opposed to a 430 round trip to the nearest USCIS field office. And with the DOS with a qualified agent will find out in less than a couple of weeks if eligible as opposed to waiting months with the USCIS. When I adopted kids, court gave us birth certificates identical to if I was their biological parent.

Never been in your situation before, but know I could get all the answers I need by taking that 3 mile round trip. For my passport, just need my birth certificate, cheap, but for my wife, that rather costly USC certificate, and that was just for the DOS. The rest, like voting or SS, her passport sufficed, and a lot easier to carry in my pocket. With a child, assume you have to also show proof of USC, but why guess, take that local trip and learn for yourself. And in less than a couple of weeks you will know for sure.

Even with the USCIS, my passport sufficed for them I was a USC when she had her USC interview.

[tomaszp 0]

I find this subject interesting and will hijack it a little bit.

In my case me and my wife are both USC by naturalization. I applied for the passport for my 12 years old who is my child and was always with us here. He had a GC for over 5 years.

In my case, is there any need for N-600 down the road or not really?

At the oath ceremony they told me that the US passport is enough and if something happened to it when traveling they can always find out who he is at he the US Embassy by his AA number that will stay with him (us) to the end of our lives (this made me think about tattooing it somewhere on him where nobody can see but he has it all the time with him :):) ).

any thoughts on this one?

[masterpiece 2]

Thank you all. Always great to hear different perspectives. I think for me right now its more of a financial question. Do i want to shell out $420 for N600 or get similar proof for $85.00? Having just sent out $675.00 for N400, i am leaning towards passport with the full knowledge that N600 is pending. Funny things is i actually had the N600 all packaged ready to mail out before i started asking myself....what`s the rush for an 8yr old?

So for now i will get him a passport. Before the passport expires, the N600 will be sent in (guess all i may have to change then would be copies of tax return) and perhaps an increased fee (another consideration for going with N600 now..)

[sunny808 1]

Thank you all. Always great to hear different perspectives. I think for me right now its more of a financial question. Do i want to shell out $420 for N600 or get similar proof for $85.00? Having just sent out $675.00 for N400, i am leaning towards passport with the full knowledge that N600 is pending. Funny things is i actually had the N600 all packaged ready to mail out before i started asking myself....what`s the rush for an 8yr old?

So for now i will get him a passport. Before the passport expires, the N600 will be sent in (guess all i may have to change then would be copies of tax return) and perhaps an increased fee (another consideration for going with N600 now..)

masterpiece, i would probably do the same if i were in your situation. put away $5 a month til you hit the N600 costs. good luck!

[NickD 203]

masterpiece, i would probably do the same if i were in your situation. put away $5 a month til you hit the N600 costs. good luck!

I feel the same way if I had a kid in that position, would definitely apply for the N-600 as a permanent record of their USC. We are going close to applying for USC for our daughter at the 675 buck rate, but that isn't nearly as bad as those long trip expenses. But that is my fault for not owning a home across the street from the nearest USCIS office.

I still wonder if the USCIS maintains a database for those that were naturalized. If they do, why do they want a copy of your certificate for a replacement? I suppose if you plan on losing anything, lose the copies, not the original. Greatest fear was the DOS losing that original copy. And they sent it back in a first class untraceable brown envelop that your postal department can shed apart? Not even a do not bend stamp on it. I intentionally installed a huge mailbox so our postman had no reason to bend it.

[Aeijae 0]

So here's my story. My wife is a Korean National and got her US citizenship. Yeah good ^^

 

For the past 3 1/2 years her kids had been residing with us. They both had their permanent residence cards and everything had been done to ensure their legal status in the US. 

 

The debate came up to do the N-600 or get passports for US Citizenship. Since the kids where under 18, under the US Citizenship Act 2000, they are eligible to get passports or fill out an N-600. Since the passports are a lot cheaper. 120$ vs 1175$, passports seemed the easiest way to go. 

 

We went to the city hall where they process passports and everything seemed really simple. Fill out the application, show ID, birth certificate and good to go. Right? 

 

Wrong. 

 

My wife had her Citizenship so she got her passport no problem. But the passport folks kicked back the kid's applications and said, they needed an original Birth Cerificate, Permanent Residency card and proof of kinship. We got what we thought they needed and got kicked back again. 

 

Apparently they wanted an original birth certificate or any original document with the petitioning parent's name on it that was printed within a year or their birth, certified and translated if needed be. 

 

Also, they wanted a certified document from the father indicating his permission for his kids to be citizens or a certified release of custody. 

 

We we got that and it was not easy. 

 

Given the situation, I would have gone the N-600 route had I known it would be such a gauntlet. 

 

So if you happen to be in the same boat as I was, to consider getting a passport I would recommend that you have

 

permenant residence card

 

an original birth certificate within a year of the kid's birth.

 

certificate of legal custody if you are divorced. 

 

 

[TBoneTX 47,533]

Thread from 2010 is now closed to further comment.