Wait! You May Already Be a US citizen and NOT know it!

Law Office of Tanya M. Lee, PLLC

Welcome

Immigration Attorney Tanya M. Lee

Citizenship Acquired at Birth

Born outside the U.S. One or both parents were U.S. Citizens (USC)

at the time of your birth USC parent(s) “transmitted” citizenship to you

at birth

Law in Effect Differs Over Time, With Different

Requirements Some Factors:

Whether your parents were married at the time of your birth

Whether only one or both parents were US citizens at the time of your birth

Whether the USC parent is the father or the mother

How much time the parent(s) spent in the U.S. prior to your birth, and at what age(s)

Current Law for Example

If a child is born outside the US to a US citizen parent, generally speaking, the US citizen parent needed to have spent 5 years in the US before the child’s birth, with two of those years being after the age of 14.

The “physical presence” requirement does not need to be a continuous period of time; total amount of time is the key; even short visits will count.

Again, certain factors will determine the requirement (marital status of parents; mother vs. father being the US citizen parent, etc.

So I Am a U.S. Citizen, Now What?

PROVE IT! (Yes, but how?) Collection of documents

Apply for a U.S. Passport Apply for a Certificate of Citizenship

Which One Should I Choose?

Application for Passport Pros

Less expensive, quicker process. Can be applied for from within the U.S. at a passport agency and from outside the U.S.

at a U.S. Embassy. Cons

US passports do expire and need to be renewed US passports only show issue date, not that US citizenship was acquired at birth.

N-600 Pros

Updates the U.S. Department of Homeland Security with a person’s immigration status (i.e., citizenship).

Permanent certificate – never expires. Certificate indicates that the person was a US citizen from the date of birth.

Cons More expensive, longer process, interview required with oath. Must be applied for from within the U.S.

Which One Should I Choose?

Application for Passport Pros

Less expensive, quicker process. Can be applied for from within the U.S. at a

passport agency and from outside the U.S. at a U.S. Embassy.

Cons US passports do expire and need to be renewed US passports only show issue date, not that US

citizenship was acquired at birth.

Which One Should I Choose?

N-600 Pros

Updates the U.S. Department of Homeland Security with a person’s immigration status (i.e., citizenship).

Permanent certificate – never expires. Certificate indicates that the person was a US citizen

from the date of birth. Cons

More expensive, longer process, interview required with oath.

Must be applied for from within the U.S.

To determine if you acquired U.S. citizenship from a parent at birth, contact the Law Office

of Tanya M. Lee, PLLC

Email the following information to Tanya M. Lee at tlee@aboutusvisas.com:

Your name, your date of birth, and your country of birth Which parent was a US citizen at the time of your birth?

(Mother, Father, or Both) Were your parents married to each other at the time of

your birth? If your parents were not married to each other at the

time of your birth, did they later marry each other?

For questions, or to arrange a confidential consultation for an immigration matter, contact

the Law Office of Tanya M. Lee, PLLC

Email at tlee@aboutusvisas.com (480) 559-9529 Twitter @aboutUSvisas Facebook: Law Office of Tanya M. Lee

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