U.S. Citizenship for Children

Derivative Citizenship for Children of U.S. Citizens

U.S. Citizenship for Children Under INA Section 320

Child Citizenship Act

Adult permanent residents apply for U.S. citizenship by filing Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. But minor children (under age 18) may not use this form. Under Section 320 of the Immigration and Naturalization Act, also known as the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, children under 18 automatically acquire U.S. citizenship if the following three conditions have been fulfilled:

At least one of the child’s parents is a U.S. citizen by birth or naturalization;

The child is a permanent resident under 18 years of age;

The child is residing in or has resided in the United States in the legal and physical custody of the
U.S. citizen parent.

Once all three conditions are met at the same time, the child is a U.S. citizen by matter of law. The order of events makes no difference. If a child is a permanent resident and under 18, and then at least one parent naturalizes, the child automatically becomes a U.S. citizen. If a parent naturalizes and then the child gets permanent residence, the child becomes a U.S. citizen the moment he or she becomes a permanent resident, if that happens before the child is 18.