Acquisition of U.S. Citizenship By A Child Born Abroad

Getting US citizenship by birth is the easiest way of becoming a US citizen. Children who are born either in the US automatically become US citizens and all that they need to do is to just document their citizenship status. Children who are born out of the US to US citizen parent or parents also become US citizens automatically if they satisfy certain eligibility criteria.

Process of acquiring US Citizenship for a child who is born abroad

The first and the most important step that should be done is to report the birth of the child to a US consulate when it is born outside the US to US citizen parents. This should be done in order to get a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240) from the US Embassy or consulate.  It will serve as an official record of the child’s claim to US citizenship.

   

Know about the Consular report of birth abroad

This report can be created only at an overseas American consular office while the child is still under the age of 18. An original report of the birth is issued to the parents once the child’s birth has been reported and approved. The parents may request multiple copies, or a replacement at any time. In case the child is born in a location – Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and Swains Island, then this report of birth should be obtained from the respective Vital Records office.

Previously a Certification of Report of Birth (DS-1350) was issued to children born abroad. This was replaced by the Consular report of birth abroad from December 31, 2010. However the previously issued certificates are also valid as a proof of their birth, identity and citizenship.