Proof of Citizenship

[danver 15]

Hello fellow members

Just wanna ask some clarification on some issues. Here is my situation.

I became a US Citizen ( mother) in December 2012. My 2 kids who were petitioned by my USC husband got their 10 yr.green card ( IR2). My kids been here for a lil over 2 years.

The way i understand it,,once i become a citizen my kids (15 and 11) will also be a citizen. Am i right?

Here are my questions:

1. When i became a US Citizen does it make my 2 kids a citizen as well?

2.what is the cheapest proof of citizenship that i can get for my kids?

3.Can i get a US passport card instead of the passport book( they are not travelling out of the country)?

4. Is passport card equivalent to passport book when it comes to proof of citizenship?

Thank you all very much for your response.

[Hypnos 6,579]

(1) Under the Child Citizenship Act (2000), once four conditions are met then your children automatically become US citizens. These four conditions are:

(i) Have at least one US citizen parent (by birth or naturalisation).

(ii) Be under 18 year old.

(iii) Live in the legal and physical custody of the US citizen parent.

(iv) Be admitted to the US as LPRs.

These can be met in any order, and as soon as they are (as your post indicates) then they automatically become US citizens.

You can obtain a certificate of citizenship for the children if you wish (http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1312.html#6), or alternatively can just skip straight to applying for a US passport (http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1312.html#7).

(2) A US passport card for a minor costs $40.

(3) Yes.

(4) Yes.

[SAT 9,609]

Hello fellow members

Just wanna ask some clarification on some issues. Here is my situation.

I became a US Citizen ( mother) in December 2012. My 2 kids who were petitioned by my USC husband got their 10 yr.green card ( IR2). My kids been here for a lil over 2 years.

The way i understand it,,once i become a citizen my kids (15 and 11) will also be a citizen. Am i right?

Here are my questions:

1. When i became a US Citizen does it make my 2 kids a citizen as well?

2.what is the cheapest proof of citizenship that i can get for my kids?

3.Can i get a US passport card instead of the passport book( they are not travelling out of the country)?

4. Is passport card equivalent to passport book when it comes to proof of citizenship?

Thank you all very much for your response.

1-yes

2-passport

3-yes

4-no

[SAT 9,609]

to reiterate, a passport card is not the equivalent of a passport book when it comes to proving citizenship. Otherwise try sending in a copy of your passport card to the USCIS when you're trying to petition someone.

[Hypnos 6,579]

A US passport card is proof of US citizenship; since US passport cards are only issued to US citizens then anyone carrying a legitimate US passport card must, by definition, be a US citizen:

http://en.wikipedia....i/Passport_card

http://germany.usemb...s/passportcard/

Edited February 7, 2013 by Hypnos

[SAT 9,609]

A US passport card is proof of US citizenship; since US passport cards are only issued to US citizens then anyone carrying a legitimate US passport card must, by definition, be a US citizen:

http://en.wikipedia....i/Passport_card

http://germany.usemb...s/passportcard/

Oh yea no doubt it's proof of citizenship. But I think the OP meant more in the context of whether it is the equivalent of a passport book, such as for USCIS purposes.

[Hypnos 6,579]

Well that is what the OP asked in Q4.

It sounds as if the OP wants to obtain the cheapest "official" document for her children which would indicate their US citizenship, and this would be the passport card. A certificate of citizenship from USCIS costs $600 per child.

[SAT 9,609]

Well that is what the OP asked in Q4.

It sounds as if the OP wants to obtain the cheapest "official" document for her children which would indicate their US citizenship, and this would be the passport card. A certificate of citizenship from USCIS costs $600 per child.

well yes, the passport card would be the cheapest way to go...

[danver 15]

well yes, the passport card would be the cheapest way to go...

Yes what i was trying to make sure is is the passport card considered to be valid as proof of citizenship. Reason i asked is because i wanna get the kids the card instead of the passport book since we are not planning to travel outside the country in the near future.

Thank you all so much guys for clarifying my issues. Now i can go ahead and apply for the kid's passport card.

Well that is what the OP asked in Q4.

It sounds as if the OP wants to obtain the cheapest "official" document for her children which would indicate their US citizenship, and this would be the passport card. A certificate of citizenship from USCIS costs $600 per child.

Yes..just want to get the cheapest official document proving their citizenship coz i dont wanna spend the 600 box for the certificate and the passport that i don't need right now.

[NickD 203]

It's all on the DOS applying for a US passport, you need to take a close look at the requirements for children under 16 years of age, sole custody or permission from the other biological parent. Eleven year would be free of that in five years.

[NickD 203]

If the kids are US citizens automatically when their parent is naturalized, why can they print out a 20 cent certificate, hand that out, and take their green cards? Heck, even charge an extra 80 bucks like they do for that ten year card.

When questioned on this issue, say congress makes these laws, but when you talk to your congressman on this issue, they have no idea what their 1,525 government agencies are doing. So when you tell them you are my representative, do something about this, they respond, we are way too busy dealing with Iraq and Afghanistan. Who gives a good damn about Iraq and Afghanistan? I sure don't.

As I recall, the fee for the N-600 was somewhere in the two hundred buck range a few years ago, now it's 600 bucks. You still have to do all the work and present all the evidence on a silver plater. You are guilty until you prove yourself innocent.

At times, think its better to be a criminal, burden of proof is on the government, with the USCIS, exactly the opposite. If a US citizen is screwed by an immigrant lying to come here, USCIS is of no help to them, but may try to stick you in a prison for five years because you are part of fraud. Still stuck with that I-864 if screwed, what a crazy agency!