IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR CHILD'S CITIZENSHIPWe want to share important information with you regarding your child's citizenship. As you may recall, the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 went into effect in February of 2001. This bill automatically makes a child a US citizen at the time his/her adoption is finalized. At the time that this bill went into effect, no one realized that the child would still retain immigrant status with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The information contained here is important for all children who have been adopted since February of 2001. It is also important for all children who were adopted prior to 2001 if you have never filed for a Certificate of Citizenship with USCIS on behalf of your child. This certificate is an important document for your child to have. It will also serve as proof of citizenship to Social Security and other governmental agencies. If your child was adopted from Korea, or if your child was adopted from another country and only one parent traveled to the country to complete the adoption, you must do this to ensure that your child is always looked upon as a citizen. USCIS will issue this proof of your child's citizenship through your citizenship. WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND that you file for a Certificate of Citizenship immediately. If both parents traveled to a country other than Korea and adopted the child there, you should automatically receive this certificate in the mail. In order to file for a Certificate of Citizenship, you must file an N-600 with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. This must be accompanied by a variety of documents (send only COPIES) and a check for the amount stated on the form. Please check the USCIS website for the most current address to send your N-600 and supporting documents. You may need to appear for an interview after they have processed your form. Wait time for processing can be up to one year from the time of application. FILLING OUT THE N-600 FOR CITIZENSHIPINSTRUCTIONS FOR THE N-600 APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATE OF CITIZENSHIP Before filling out the N-600 collect the following documents:
You can download the N-600 form and instructions from www.uscis.gov. Below are some details on specific parts of the form. Not all sections are listed below; but please fill out the form in its entirety. Type or print legibly in black ink in CAPITAL LETTERS. Part 1: Information About You - (about minor child) In the right hand box is a place for your child's "A number" - this is the number on your child's green card or Permanent Residence Card. Fill the 9 digit number in. If the A number has fewer than nine numbers, place enough zeros before the first number to make a total of nine numbers on the application. For example: A 12 345678 as A 012345678
Part 2: Information About Your Eligibility You will check Box "C" - "I am a U.S. citizen parent applying for a Certificate of Citizenship on behalf of my minor (less than 18 years) ADOPTED child" Part 3: Additional Information About You - (about minor child) Complete information must be provided about the person seeking a Certificate of Citizenship.
Part 4: Information About the U.S. Citizen Father (or Adoptive Father) This section is asking for information about the child's U.S. citizen father. Part 5: Information About the U.S. Adoptive Mother (or Adoptive Mother) This section is asking for information about the child's U.S. citizen mother. Part 6: Information About Military Service of U.S. Citizen Parent (self explanatory) Part 7: Signature If you are under 18 years old and your U.S. citizen parent is filing the application on your behalf, your U.S. citizen parent must sign and date the application. Part 8: Leave Blank Part 9: Do not complete this part Part 10: Do not complete this part The following items need to accompany the N-600 form: ALL DOCUMENTS CAN BE COPIES OF CERTIFIED OR ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS.
Please read over the instructions that come with the N-600 form for details on what needs to be included with your N-600 and specifics on the picture requirements. You can download those instructions at www.uscis.gov If YOU WANT TO APPLY FOR A PASSPORT:For complete instructions on how to apply for a passport, go to: www.travel.state.gov/passport and click on "Minors under Age 16" You will need the following form(s) which can be obtained online (hotlinks below). Application for Passport DS-11 Application must be submitted in person with minor child present. If only one parent appears, you will also need Form DS-3053, Statement of Consent: Issuance of a Passport to a Minor Under Age 16, completed and signed by the other parent and it must be notarized! In addition to these forms, you will need the following:
The clerk will send the original documents (birth certificate, adoption decree, resident alien card) with the application, however, they will be returned to you. SOCIAL SECURITY REQUIREMENTS:
For an adoptee meeting the requirements for automatic citizenship whose parents have already obtained a social security number for him/her:
PLEASE NOTE: Your child does not need to have either a passport or Certificate of Citizenship to become a citizen. If your child was not already a citizen, he or she automatically became one on February 27, 2001, as long as he/she was under the age of eighteen. However, at this time, Social Security is requiring either a passport or Certificate of Citizenship as proof of citizenship. It is likely that it will become necessary at some other point to show proof of citizenship to someone. Therefore, Dillon Southwest strongly recommends that parents obtain a Certificate of Citizenship for their child. Many parents also choose to obtain a passport for their child.
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