16 year old applying for citizenship. His mom is now naturalized 9Oct. 10th, 2025) and has applied for him. The cost is almost $1400!! Is this right?

[dvensel1 9]

Hi gang.   I'm appealing to you all for more knowledge for a friend.   My friend became naturalized on Oct. 10th of this year (along with my wife).   Now she has applied for the same thing for her 16 year old son who has been here since he was 8.  She was told the cost form the process with USCIS would be $1385!    Can this be right??   Also, which form does she need to use?  I thought the 600 but now I'm not sure.  Anyone?

He turns 17 in January and I suggested she wait till he's 18 in another year and let him apply on his own like his brother did.  Good idea or not?  She may not want to wait though.

So, anyway, I tried to find costs for her but have yet to find anything concerning it.  Any input from you folks would be great.

 

Doug V.

 

[OldUser 11,109]

1 hour ago, dvensel1 said:

Now she has applied for the same thing for her 16 year old son who has been here since he was 8. 

No it's not the same thing. The child became a citizen by operation of law when mother became a citizen. N-600 form is just to document it and get the certificate of citizenship for child.

 

Yes, N-600 form fee is a lot more expensive than N-400.

Edited yesterday at 12:43 AM by OldUser

[OldUser 11,109]

1 hour ago, dvensel1 said:

 

He turns 17 in January and I suggested she wait till he's 18 in another year and let him apply on his own like his brother did.  Good idea or not?  She may not want to wait though.

 

This is not an option. Child is the citizen already. Citizens cannot apply for N-400, it will be denied.

Edited yesterday at 12:44 AM by OldUser

[OldUser 11,109]

Here is why N-600 is important:

 

 

 

Edited yesterday at 12:48 AM by OldUser

[igoyougoduke 1,749]

16 hours ago, OldUser said:

No it's not the same thing. The child became a citizen by operation of law when mother became a citizen. N-600 form is just to document it and get the certificate of citizenship for child.

 

Yes, N-600 form fee is a lot more expensive than N-400.

Insanity that would charge more to just tell that he is a citizen on a piece of paper 

[Fr8dog 540]

This keeps on popping up on a regular base and I have found most topics interesting reads (generally just read them as I have no experience with the matter).

To me (and please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) it boils down to the following:

 

If the minor becomes a citizen through the parents N-400 process there are 2 options:

1

-  file the N-600 (expensive yes we know)

-  obtain a certificate

-  Have single document, to keep in a save place, proving they are a US citizen for the rest of their life.

 

2

- not going through the N-600 (yes that's the cheap option here)

- Apply for a US passport using the parent(s) certificates

- Have a collection of records, to keep in a save place, proving they are a US citizen for the rest of their life.

 

The choice is up to the parents to figure out what route to follow. 

Coming from a country that is completely Passport/ID-card based for citizenship claims, I would be perfectly happy going the second route.

However I can also see where people are way more comfortable with having a physical piece of paper stating nationality to keep in a save place.

 

As for the original post, these are the only 2 available options.

 

The fact that the USCIS is supposed to be financed by the people that use the service has some unforeseen consequences the $1400,= fee is one of them. 

[OldUser 11,109]

@Fr8dog the problem with approach #2 is, sometimes passport is not enough and CoC is requested specifically for background check...

 

Additionally, just obtaining passport does not fix DB record in USCIS, only in DOS system.

 

$1400 is a lot, but assuming child is 16 and would hopefully live until at least 80....

 

80-16 = 64

 

1400/64 = $22 a year to have ultimate and undeniable proof of citizenship for any life situation

Edited 23 hours ago by OldUser

[Fr8dog 540]

1 hour ago, OldUser said:

@Fr8dog the problem with approach #2 is, sometimes passport is not enough and CoC is requested specifically for background check...

 

Additionally, just obtaining passport does not fix DB record in USCIS, only in DOS system.

 

$1400 is a lot, but assuming child is 16 and would hopefully live until at least 80....

 

80-16 = 64

 

1400/64 = $22 a year to have ultimate and undeniable proof of citizenship for any life situation

 

I see your point.

I just tried to condense the whole thing into the most basic form.

 

I'm sure somebody will argue that one of your examples can be overcome.......etc etc. But in the end it's a choice the parent has to make for the minor and they just have to deal with it later on if the parent went route 2 and decided not to keep track of the records. If they don't keep track of the records and they went route 1 they can try to retrieve a copy from the USCIS later on. (I'm sure ones again for fee)