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The Child Citizenship ActBy Times staff writer © St. Petersburg Times, published March 4, 2001 Under the Child Citizenship Act, which took effect Tuesday, most foreign-born children adopted by U.S. citizens will automatically acquire U.S. citizenship on the date they immigrate. Here are some questions and answers about the effect of the new law. For more information about the application procedures and forms, you may go to the Immigration and Naturalization Service Web site at http://www.ins.usdoj.gov or contact the INS National Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-800-375-5283. Q. Does my child qualify for automatic citizenship under the CCA? A. Your child will automatically acquire U.S. citizenship on the date that all of the following requirements are satisfied: At least one adoptive parent is a U.S. citizen. The child is under 18 years of age. There is a full and final adoption of the child. The child is admitted to the United States as an immigrant. Q. Do I have to apply to INS for my child's citizenship? A. No. If your child satisfies the requirements listed above, he or she automatically acquires U.S. citizenship by operation of law. If you completed a full and final adoption abroad, your child automatically becomes a citizen on the day he or she is admitted to the United States as an immigrant. If you complete the adoption or have to re-adopt your child after your child has been admitted to the United States as an immigrant, your child automatically becomes a citizen on the day the full and final adoption is completed. Your child's citizenship status is no longer dependent on INS approving a naturalization application. Q. Will INS automatically provide me with documentation of my child's citizenship? A. Unfortunately, INS is not able to automatically provide adoptive parents with documentation of their child's citizenship at this time. However, INS will work with Congress, the adoption community and others to re-engineer the current process of issuing Certificates of Citizenship for adopted children. This re-engineering will address both the application process and costs. Q. What documentation can I get of my child's citizenship? A. If you want documentation of your child's U.S. citizenship, you may obtain a Certificate of Citizenship from INS and/or a U.S. passport from the Department of State. You do not need a Certificate of Citizenship issued by INS in order to obtain a passport for your child. Passports can be applied for at Clerk of Court offices and many post offices. Q. What forms do I file and what are the fees to obtain a certificate of citizenship? A. If you want to file for a Certificate of Citizenship for your child at this time, file Form N-643, Application for Certificate of Citizenship in Behalf of an Adopted Child, with a $125 filing fee. The form is available at the INS Web site or at the INS office in Tampa at 5524 W Cypress St. Q. What is INS doing with currently pending applications for certificates of citizenship? A. For pending applications filed to recognize citizenship status already acquired, INS will continue to adjudicate such applications under the relevant law applicable to the case. For applications that required INS approval before an individual could be deemed a U.S. citizen, INS will adjudicate those cases under the new law and, for applicants who automatically acquire citizenship as of the effective date, INS will issue certificates of citizenship reflecting the person's citizenship as of that date. -- SOURCE: Immigration and Naturalization Service
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