Automatic Citizenship for Adopted Children
GREAT NEWS for families who have adopted internationally!
The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 went into effect on February 27, 2001 and is retroactive, covering all children under the age of 18.
The Act grants US citizenship automatically to children who are adopted abroad by US citizens and meet the following requirement:
- The child is issued an IR-3 visa. An IR-3 visa is issued if the adoptive parents have physically seen the child before the adoption is finalized in the foreign country where the adoption is being processed.
In this case, the family does not have to apply for citizenship. With the issuance of an IR-3 visa, the child becomes a citizen on the date of entry into the US and a Certificate of Citizenship is automatically mailed to the family.
OBTAINING PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP WITH IR-4 VISAS:
The adoptive family must apply for citizenship if the child is issued an IR-4 visa. An IR-4 visa is issued if the child is brought to the US to finalize the adoption, or if the parents have not physically seen the child before the adoption is completed in the foreign country. For example, if the child is being escorted to the US, they will be issued an IR-4 visa. Another example is if only one of the adoptive parents travels to the foreign country, the child will be issued an IR-4 visa.
The child becomes a citizen on the date that the US adoption/re-adoption becomes final. The adoptive parents must carry out the following:
- The child must be re-adopted in your state of residence. Once you have a final decree, you can then obtain the Certificate of Citizenship for your child. The US adoption/re-adoption decree must be used.
- Contact the US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) to order an N-600 form, Application for Certificate of Citizenship.
- Complete and submit the form, with appropriate fee and documents to the appropriate USCIS office with jurisdiction over your state of residence.
For more detailed information, please visit the website provided by State Department on the Child Citizenship Act at:
