N-600 Eligibility: Citizenship Through a U.S. Citizen Parent

Maybe. There are a few requirements for your child to become a U.S. citizen through derivation, your child must:

1. Be under 18 years old when you become a citizen;

2. Be a lawful permanent resident (have a green card);

3. Not be married; and

4. Live in the U.S. with you in your legal and physical custody.

When your child fulfills all of these requirements, they will automatically become a citizen. These requirements may happen in any order, as long as everything happens before your child turns 18 years old. These cases can be complicated and each case is different.

If you’re interested in receiving legal support, Project Citizenship is here to help! By scheduling a screening call with one of our staff members, we can work together to determine your eligibility for an N-600.

No. For your child to automatically become a citizen when you did, your naturalization would have had to occur before their 18th birthday. If your child has had a green card for at least 5 years and is over 18, they may be eligible to apply for naturalization on their own by completing the N-400 application. We encourage you to begin the N-400 filing process with Project Citizenship by booking an eligibility screening call with us.

No. Stepchildren cannot derive citizenship from their stepparents. Currently, only biological children and some adopted children become U.S. citizens when a parent naturalizes.

If your child became a citizen when you naturalized, you have two options. You may apply for a Certificate of Citizenship (N-600 Form) for your child and/or you may apply for a U.S. passport for your child.