Derivative Citizenship

Derivative Citizenship: Obtain a U.S. Citizenship Certificate

If at least one of your parents was a U.S. citizen prior to your birth, you may also be U.S. citizen. “Derivative citizenship” laws and requirements differ and are based on the year of your birth. There may also be different requirements based on whether your parents were married at the time of your birth. If you are considered a derivative citizen, you may be eligible to apply for a U.S. passport and a Certificate of Citizenship.

General Requirements:

N-600 Application filed with USCIS
Long Form Birth Certificate
Proof of your parent’s U.S. citizenship
Evidence that your parent met the residence or physical presence requirements
Evidence that your parent did not lose their U.S. citizenship (if applicable)

Filing Process:

After USCIS reviews your N-600Application, you will be scheduled for an Oath Ceremony during which you will receive your Citizenship Certificate which serves as proof of your U.S. Citizenship. You can also apply for a U.S. passport at that time.

Validity:

If approved for a Citizenship Certificate, you are considered a U.S. citizen from birth for the remainder of your life unless you formally renounce.

At this time, we are committed to the health and safety of our clients, our staff and our community. The government continues to accept applications and process them as normal. We are equipped to continue to prepare and process all cases. Please keep in mind that most cases take months to process. We want to continue to prepare and process these cases, so that when we do get through this crisis, you will not have lost crucial processing time. We will perform all consultations over the phone and can be best reached through our contact form.