Wife and Stepdaughters

[sailorinaz 0]

My wife and two minor stepdaughters are permanent residents.

It is now time to apply for citizenship.

I see I must fill out the N-400 for my wife and pay a total of $680 for her but what about my stepdaughters?

Must I file a separate form for each minor daughter, and if so what form?

Does anyone know how much money I must send for each daughter?

[aleful 1,905]

My wife and two minor stepdaughters are permanent residents.

It is now time to apply for citizenship.

I see I must fill out the N-400 for my wife and pay a total of $680 for her but what about my stepdaughters?

Must I file a separate form for each minor daughter, and if so what form?

Does anyone know how much money I must send for each daughter?

once her mother becomes a USC they will derive her citizenship status if they are under 18. they cannot become USC by you. there is nothing you can do for her, only for your wife

[sailorinaz 0]

once her mother becomes a USC they will derive her citizenship status if they are under 18. they cannot become USC by you. there is nothing you can do for her, only for your wife

USCIS automatically switches the girls from permanent residents to citizens once my wife becomes a citizen or do you mean they must stay permanent residents until they turn 18?

[nwctzn 55]

USCIS automatically switches the girls from permanent residents to citizens once my wife becomes a citizen or do you mean they must stay permanent residents until they turn 18?

USCIS does not do an automatic switch. What happens is that once your wife naturalizes and gets her naturalization certificate you can apply for US passports for your stepdaughters using their green cards and their mother's certificate. So your stepdaughters will get their US passports directly.

If for future use you want to have a back-up document besides the US passports for your stepdaughters, you can do the following: Once your wife naturalizes and gets her certificate you can apply for N-600 Certificate of Citizenship for your stepdaughters to USCIS. With this, they will get their own certificates as a separate proof of citizenship and they will not need their mother's certificate in the future.

Regarding the need for the N-600 there is a split opinion. Some people say just getting the US passport is enough, some say it is good to have a separate proof through the USCIS and that it "closes the door with the USCIS." The choice is yours. Either get only the US passports or get both the US passports and the N-600. BTW, the N-600 costs right now $600 so it is a budget decision as well. If you would ask my personal opinion, I am leaning to get the N-600 as well.

Edited January 8, 2013 by nwctzn

[sailorinaz 0]

USCIS does not do an automatic switch. What happens is that once your wife naturalizes and gets her naturalization certificate you can apply for US passports for your stepdaughters using their green cards and their mother's certificate. So your stepdaughters will get their US passports directly.

If for future use you want to have a back-up document besides the US passports for your stepdaughters, you can do the following: Once your wife naturalizes and gets her certificate you can apply for N-600 Certificate of Citizenship for your stepdaughters to USCIS. With this, they will get their own certificates as a separate proof of citizenship and they will not need their mother's certificate in the future.

Regarding the need for the N-600 there is a split opinion. Some people say just getting the US passport is enough, some say it is good to have a separate proof through the USCIS and that it "closes the door with the USCIS." The choice is yours. Either get only the US passports or get both the US passports and the N-600. BTW, the N-600 costs right now $600 so it is a budget decision as well. If you would ask my personal opinion, I am leaning to get the N-600 as well.

Ok, I found this:

Filing with Form N-400: If you are filing Form N-400 and From N-600 at the same time at a lockbox facility, USCIS encourages you to file them separately. However, customers who file Form N-400 and Form N-600 together in one package must submit separate payments for each application, or we will return the applications and fee, for correction and re-filing. ~ http://www.uscis.gov/n-600

It sounds it may be best to file the N-600 for her daughters after my wife obtains her citizenship. In other words, wait for their mother to become a citizen first then file the N-600 based upon her approved citizenship.

[nwctzn 55]

It sounds it may be best to file the N-600 for her daughters after my wife obtains her citizenship. In other words, wait for their mother to become a citizen first then file the N-600 based upon her approved citizenship.

Yes. First get your wife naturalized. Then apply for US passports for your daughters. Then apply for their N-600. The N-600 can take a while to process but meanwhile they will already have their US passports.

[NickD 202]

Certainly not like the removal of conditions stage where you send in an additional 80 bucks for each kid. They also have to show up for biometrics with a new photo and fingerprints.

Only thing you do with the N-400 is pay for the biometrics for the parent that is applying, but do have to list all of your kids, natural, step, adopted. If your IO has any brains, rare, will tell you the offspring of the applicant will automatically become US citizens the day the applicant receives the certificate of citizenship.

They could charge 80 bucks for each kid extra like they do for the ROC stage and print out a certificate for each kid, but for whatever reason, they don't do that. Instead want you to apply for that N-600 for each kid with a 600 buck price tag, then this drags on for six or more months. No civics test is required, but an appointed has to be given to show up, basically say congratulations, take the kid's green card and hand over the certificate of naturalization.

Why do they do it this way? The extra 600 bucks and further delay? Why do they tell you that your kids under 18 are US citizens at the oath ceremony without any proof of that?

Could also get that proof from the DOS, this really requires a lot of paper trail information and want all original documents they can lose with first class mail sending those back to you. Also want permission from the biological parent if the kid is under the age of 18. But if not planning on going anywhere, don't need a US passport anyway.

It takes all but two minutes to have your photo and fingerprints taken after waiting several hours, that photo is sent to the USCIS where they can print out that certificate in under ten seconds using a very low grade of paper. They also notify SS but still have to go in anyway to update those cards.

USCIS completely forgets what you went through for the AOS and ROC stages, want all that proof again for the N-600 plus more long trips. This is our government. If those kids are male, make sure they sign up for selective service as part of their 18th birthday present. Or will have even more problems.

[sailorinaz 0]

Yes. First get your wife naturalized. Then apply for US passports for your daughters. Then apply for their N-600. The N-600 can take a while to process but meanwhile they will already have their US passports.

Thanks!

Certainly not like the removal of conditions stage where you send in an additional 80 bucks for each kid. They also have to show up for biometrics with a new photo and fingerprints.

Only thing you do with the N-400 is pay for the biometrics for the parent that is applying, but do have to list all of your kids, natural, step, adopted. If your IO has any brains, rare, will tell you the offspring of the applicant will automatically become US citizens the day the applicant receives the certificate of citizenship.

They could charge 80 bucks for each kid extra like they do for the ROC stage and print out a certificate for each kid, but for whatever reason, they don't do that. Instead want you to apply for that N-600 for each kid with a 600 buck price tag, then this drags on for six or more months. No civics test is required, but an appointed has to be given to show up, basically say congratulations, take the kid's green card and hand over the certificate of naturalization.

Why do they do it this way? The extra 600 bucks and further delay? Why do they tell you that your kids under 18 are US citizens at the oath ceremony without any proof of that?

Could also get that proof from the DOS, this really requires a lot of paper trail information and want all original documents they can lose with first class mail sending those back to you. Also want permission from the biological parent if the kid is under the age of 18. But if not planning on going anywhere, don't need a US passport anyway.

It takes all but two minutes to have your photo and fingerprints taken after waiting several hours, that photo is sent to the USCIS where they can print out that certificate in under ten seconds using a very low grade of paper. They also notify SS but still have to go in anyway to update those cards.

USCIS completely forgets what you went through for the AOS and ROC stages, want all that proof again for the N-600 plus more long trips. This is our government. If those kids are male, make sure they sign up for selective service as part of their 18th birthday present. Or will have even more problems.