Documents Your Child Needs to Prove They are a U.S. Citizen

There are several instances in which you may have to prove that your child is a United States citizen. Perhaps you are a United States citizen, and your child was born outside of the country. Or, perhaps, you were a foreign national who came to the United States and became a citizen. At the time, your child may have also become a United States citizen, but you may still need to prove it at some point. Below, our Chicago immigration lawyer outlines the documents you may need to prove that your child is a citizen.

The Certificate of Citizenship

You can apply for a certificate of citizenship to prove that your child is a citizen. These certificates are available from the Department of Homeland Security, and they never expire. If you successfully apply for a certificate, it will remain valid for your child’s entire life. When applying for a certificate of citizenship, you will need many supporting documents. These include:

• A copy of your birth certificate or the child’s other parent, if they are a United States citizen,
• A copy of your child’s birth certificate,
• Proof of citizenship, such as a naturalization certificate, for the parent who is a citizen of the United States,
• The marriage certificate for the parents,
• Proof of child custody, if the parents are separated or divorced,
• The child’s green card, and
• Proof of the child’s physical presence or residence within the United States.

To apply for a certificate of citizenship, you must file Form N-600. The application fee is $1,170. If you cannot afford to pay the fee or your household income is below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, you can apply for the fee to be waived. While a certificate of citizenship can prove that your child is a citizen of the country, it will not allow them to travel outside of the country. A certificate of citizenship can also take two or more years before you receive it.

Applying for a Passport

A passport can prove your child’s citizenship while also allowing them to travel outside of the country. You can apply for a passport by filing Form DS-11. If your child already has a certificate of citizenship, you will need to include a copy of it with your child’s passport application. If you do not have this certificate, you will need to include the following:

• A copy of your Naturalization Certificate or a certificate for the other parent
• A copy of the child’s birth certificate,
• A copy of the child’s green card,
• A copy of your marriage certificate to the child’s other parent, and
• Proof that a U.S. citizen had custody of the child

Passport applications are filed more quickly than applications for certificates of citizenship. However, passports do expire after five years for children under 16 years old.

Our Immigration Lawyer in Chicago Can Help Prove Your Child’s Citizenship

If you need to prove your child’s citizenship, our Chicago immigration lawyer at Sverdloff Law Group can help. We will help you collect the necessary documentation and guide you through the application process so you have the best chance of success. Call us now or contact us online to request a consultation and learn more.