My 15 year old (step) daughter's citizenship

[TSC_2003_0918 0]

My wife became permanent resident along with my step daugther little over five years ago.

Now, we are thinking of applying for N-400 (for my wife).

I am a US Citizen and I have not officially adopted my step daughter yet.

I know this must be a pretty common scenario...would somebody tell me what needs to be done for my daughter ?

[aleful 1,905]

My wife became permanent resident along with my step daugther little over five years ago.

Now, we are thinking of applying for N-400 (for my wife).

I am a US Citizen and I have not officially adopted my step daughter yet.

I know this must be a pretty common scenario...would somebody tell me what needs to be done for my daughter ?

she will become a USC once her mother is. Once she beocmes a USC and has her naturalization certificate, she can file for her daughter's USC passport and apply for the N600 if she decides to.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

Nothing.

In fact, you don't even have to file an N-600 for her, if you don't want to . . . um, waste the $600 on it. "Waste" because the Certificate of Citizenship that the $600 buys her (after biometrics and interview) has one purpose: to get her the very first US passport.

Well, there's a better, easier, cheaper way:

Once your wife has her Certificate of Naturalization (and made copies and all that stuff), she and her daughter go to the passport office together with 2 filled out applications for a US passport.

Your wife will bring her original Certificate, her driver's license (she will get it back), a passport photo, and 2 checks (or cash).

Your daughter will bring her Green Card, her birth certificate (to prove that her mom is indeed her mom), a passport photo, and also 2 checks (or cash).

That will save you $600 and will allow you to send Just Bob a nice Christmas present as a "thank you!"

[NickD 202]

Nothing.

In fact, you don't even have to file an N-600 for her, if you don't want to . . . um, waste the $600 on it. "Waste" because the Certificate of Citizenship that the $600 buys her (after biometrics and interview) has one purpose: to get her the very first US passport.

Well, there's a better, easier, cheaper way:

Once your wife has her Certificate of Naturalization (and made copies and all that stuff), she and her daughter go to the passport office together with 2 filled out applications for a US passport.

Your wife will bring her original Certificate, her driver's license (she will get it back), a passport photo, and 2 checks (or cash).

Your daughter will bring her Green Card, her birth certificate (to prove that her mom is indeed her mom), a passport photo, and also 2 checks (or cash).

That will save you $600 and will allow you to send Just Bob a nice Christmas present as a "thank you!"

Ha, see you still are on that anti-N-600 campaign. Have to consider the adverse effects of this, its the easiest 600 bucks the USCIS can make. And without that additional revenue, will have to increase the fees for everything else. They already know the kid is a US citizen, burden you with all the proof they already gave you to send in all copies of that with the application, just glance at the papers, hit a key on a computer, and print out that certificate. Oh and paste on your photograph, can't forget that.

Then you still have to travel to your local office to pick up that certificate for what they call a certificate signing ceremony, kid doesn't have to take a civics test or even say the oath, he already is a US citizen! How come naturalized citizens don't have a certificate signing ceremony, just hand it to you and tell you to get the heck out? But you better look at it first, if any errors, would cost you 400 bucks if there is an error and you walk out the door with that error.

Still trying to figure out how a three year old kid can sign that certificate and why that has to be done in front of an officer when no other naturalized citizen has to. They could just hand out this certificates with the parent at their oath ceremony. And that would give the kid the opportunity to lip sync the oath with the other people that do that.

Some have reported here having problems with getting permission from the DOS with that other biological parent also giving permission. Would think that would be history with the USCIS, you already have done that. So in some cased, dealing with the DOS isn't all that sweet. Then with the DOS, have to send and risk losing all original documents.

On would think the USCIS and the DOS should be the same agency as they are certainly crossing lines. Both are under Homeland Security, but that is amounting to more of the blind leading the blind. We have to deal with the DOS for petitioning for are unmarried son, USCIS says they are helpless until the DOS does something, a lot of buck passing going around.

And why does the USCIS even call this a ceremony? Attended a honor roll ceremony at my stepdaughters university last Saturday. Also long and boring, but they more than made up for it by having tables and tables loaded with delicious food and hot coffee afterwards. At a USCIS ceremony, lucky enough to find a water fountain so you can get a half a sip of water.

[NickD 202]

Oh, another advantage of the passport, don't have to wait six months while the USCIS lets your application gather dust in some dark forsaken corner, DOS operates much quicker if you are planning a trip with the kid.

Still in the dark about the kids' green card, has to turn that over with the N-600, but never read that as a requirement with the DOS.

Isn't it fun dealing with multiple agencies?

Really don't need a present, just have fun practicing our first amendment rights, while we still have them.

[TSC_2003_0918 0]

Thank you for the info...I will need to time to read thru this, but wanted to go ahead & thank you both.

If anybody else wanted to add anthing, please freel free to do that.

[Langa 2]

I beg to differ with Just Bob and Nick D on the N600 situation. I say when your wife has her citizenship she should apply for the N600 for your daughter. Your daughter will be sworn in on the day she gets her certificate at the local office (at least my daughter did go through all that). Honestly, if you really didn't need it, there would be no reason for USCIS to put it out there. I feel that it is one document that your child will always have besides her passport as proof of her Naturalization. So I say get it, later on in life you will all be glad you did it. You never know when someone will ask for more than just the passport as proof of Citizenship. I'm glad I did it for my daughter, it was painless and yes it cost me an additional $600 but I would rather do it than regret later and I'm sure by then it will be costing a whole lot more.

A woman knows best so don't listen to Just Bob and Nick (just kidding) seriously though, I say go for it.

Good luck.

[NickD 202]

I beg to differ with Just Bob and Nick D on the N600 situation. I say when your wife has her citizenship she should apply for the N600 for your daughter. Your daughter will be sworn in on the day she gets her certificate at the local office (at least my daughter did go through all that). Honestly, if you really didn't need it, there would be no reason for USCIS to put it out there. I feel that it is one document that your child will always have besides her passport as proof of her Naturalization. So I say get it, later on in life you will all be glad you did it. You never know when someone will ask for more than just the passport as proof of Citizenship. I'm glad I did it for my daughter, it was painless and yes it cost me an additional $600 but I would rather do it than regret later and I'm sure by then it will be costing a whole lot more.

A woman knows best so don't listen to Just Bob and Nick (just kidding) seriously though, I say go for it.

Good luck.

If it were my kid, that kid would get both the certificate and the passport. I was presenting a more of a pro and con situation. My kid barely turned at 18 when my wife could apply, so she ended up getting both by no choice. If over 18, or even just a day over, she had to wait for the five year with the whole ball of wax, full N-400 application, biometrics, civics and English, and test, and oath ceremony. Another 1,350 miles of driving to boot. Then since she want to visit her grandma in two weeks now, needs that US passport as well. But would have never got that US passport without her certificate.

If she were under 18, we could have applied for the US passport and N-600 certificate at the same time, and I would have done that for her.

Hey Bob, do you have any kids?