Citizenship for step-daughter

[Hypnos 6,576]

The citizenship certificate is always good to have and you will need it to file for her passport.

This is not correct; you do not need a certificate of citizenship in order to file for a child's US passport when they became a citizen through the Child Citizenship Act.

Edited August 26, 2013 by Hypnos

[aaron2020 11,651]

The citizenship certificate is always good to have and you will need it to file for her passport. When you file for a passport it will only be valid for 5 years since she is under the age of 16, so once you renew it 5 years later you will need the citizenship certificate to reapply again... Better safe than sorry

She would not need the citizenship certificate again when she renews. She can just send in her old passport.

I have renewed my passport several times. I just send in my old passport, new photos, and the application. Never had a problem.

[NickD 202]

The Georgia birth certificate shows her birth in Muntinlupa, Philippines. It also lists myself and her mom as her parents. In any case it was not problem getting her a US passport. State department requested one additional document that we didn't know we had to provide. They wanted an NSO certified copy of her original filipino birth certificate, and they even gave us the website to request it from. We provided that and they sent her the passport in her US Citizen name.

She spent the summer in the philippines and had no problem traveling back to the US with it.

I don't know if Georgia is unique, but they have two types of birth certificates for "foreign birth adoptees". The difference is whether or not the child is entitled to citizenship under the Child Citizenship Act of 2000. Both acknowledge the foreign birth, but one will actually state that it is not valid as proof of citizenship. Since my daughter was eligible for citizenship she got the second birth certificate, without the disqualifying statement. Georgia statute below.

The following shall apply to certificates of birth of adopted persons born in a foreign country:

(1) If a person was born in a foreign country, is not a citizen of the United States, and does not meet the requirements of the federal Child Citizenship Act of 2000, P.L. 106-395, 114 Stat. 1631, but was adopted through a court in this state, the state registrar shall prepare and register a certificate in this state. The certificate shall be established upon receipt of a report of adoption from the court decreeing the adoption and proof of the date and place of birth of the child. The certificate shall be labeled 'Certificate of Foreign Birth' and shall show the actual country of birth. A statement shall also be included on the certificate indicating that it is not evidence of United States citizenship for the person for whom it is issued. After registration of the birth certificate in the new name of the adopted person, the state registrar shall seal and file the report of adoption which shall not be subject to inspection except upon order of a court of competent jurisdiction or as provided by statute;

(2) If a person was born in a foreign country and was not a citizen of the United States at the time of birth but meets the requirements of the federal Child Citizenship Act of 2000, P.L. 106-395, 114 Stat. 1631, and was adopted through a court in this state, the state registrar shall prepare and register a certificate in this state. The certificate shall be established upon receipt of a report of adoption from the court decreeing the adoption and proof of the date and place of birth of the child. The certificate shall be labeled 'Certificate of Foreign Birth' and shall show the actual country of birth. After registration of the birth certificate in the new name of the adopted person, the state registrar shall seal and file the report of adoption which shall not be subject to inspection except upon order of a court of competent jurisdiction or as provided by statute; and

(3) If a person was born in a foreign country and was a citizen of the United States at the time of birth, the state registrar shall not prepare a 'Certificate of Foreign Birth' and shall notify the adoptive parents of the procedure for obtaining a revised birth certificate for their child through the United States Department of State.

Did adopt two born in the US kids, original birth certificates were locked up in a vault someplace, no access whatsoever. Still have idiot leaders making that place of birth as the key issue. Something that exactly no one, has any control over. With my friends, a slightly different issue, since their new daughter is of a different race, kind of oblivious, she was adopted. But the whole basis of the law, least in my experience, is to keep this secret. Showing the place of birth on the certificate kind of contradicts that.

In regards to other countries having two different agencies, capable of providing proof of citizenship. Try and name one, except the good old USA.

Been dealing with multiple agencies most of my life, trying to put a product on the market. But not only governmental agencies, private ones as well. In particular, our insurance company, as they are the only ones liable for the product. None of the governmental agencies are! And just like comparing the USCIS with the DOS, have contradicting ideas on US citizenship. One reason for closing the books with the USCIS.

Also with the USCIS with all their checks and procedures, you still can be the victim of fraud. And quickly learn they are not their to help you, but mostly there to hang you. Yet another reason to want to close the books with the USCIS.

[DaveE 178]

You are so correct about DOS and USCIS being at odds with each other.

Last fall, it was time for my wife to remove conditions. My daughter was already a citizen and had a US passport. Vermont refused my wifes petition to remove conditions because I did not include my daughter (K1/K2) thing. I had send them a nice letter with copies of the adoption decree and her US passport.

I called the toll free number, to no avail, then made an infopass appointment in Atlanta. The USCIS rep in Atlanta told me that my wife and daughter were inseparably linked in the USCIS computer and my wife could not remove conditions unless I applied for and paid for my daughter also. They said I must get my daughter a ten year green card, and then immediately turn it in.

Since it had taken them six weeks to reject the initial application, my wifes green card was about to expire. I refiled including my daughter, and everything went through.

Bottom line - she has a shiny new ten year green card and a US passport. I was concerned about that when she returned from the Philippines three weeks ago, but there was no issue with her passport. We will go to Atlanta and turn the green card in next week.

Edited August 27, 2013 by DaveE

[NickD 202]

Stepdaughter's I-130 was misplaced, but with pure luck managed to get that within 90 days of her mom. If not, she would have had to file her own I-751 in an exact opposite to your problem. Others here weren't so lucky.

But what do you expect, president elect has the right to new directories to all the agencies, all 1,525 of them. Only qualification is that they helped him win the election. Emilio Gonzales was such a man, a Cuban refugee that barely can speak English for the brand new USCIS, didn't like that INS name anymore and had to report to that newly created Homeland Security agency, as did the DOS, but they were allowed to keep their name.

Took about six years for the American board of Immigration Attorneys to get rid of him, but not after he really made a heck of a mess. Since then, over three acting directors, and actors they were.

USCIS knows two words, misplace and miscommunication, one word not even in there vocabulary is, family.

[Markieboy 104]

Did adopt two born in the US kids, original birth certificates were locked up in a vault someplace, no access whatsoever. Still have idiot leaders making that place of birth as the key issue. Something that exactly no one, has any control over. With my friends, a slightly different issue, since their new daughter is of a different race, kind of oblivious, she was adopted. But the whole basis of the law, least in my experience, is to keep this secret. Showing the place of birth on the certificate kind of contradicts that.

In regards to other countries having two different agencies, capable of providing proof of citizenship. Try and name one, except the good old USA.

Been dealing with multiple agencies most of my life, trying to put a product on the market. But not only governmental agencies, private ones as well. In particular, our insurance company, as they are the only ones liable for the product. None of the governmental agencies are! And just like comparing the USCIS with the DOS, have contradicting ideas on US citizenship. One reason for closing the books with the USCIS.

Also with the USCIS with all their checks and procedures, you still can be the victim of fraud. And quickly learn they are not their to help you, but mostly there to hang you. Yet another reason to want to close the books with the USCIS.

I completely agree!

Another benefit for getting a Certificate of Citizenship (N-600)...closing the books with USCIS!