Certificate of U.S. Citizenship Form N-600

If your parents were US citizens but you were not born in the US, you are still legally a US citizen by birthright. You may be able to prove your citizenship and claim it by filing Form N600 (Application for Certificate of Citizenship).

Who should file Form N-600 Certificate of Citizenship?

If you were adopted or born to at least one parent who was a US citizen, you can legally claim US citizenship by filing Form N-600. You may be eligible to file Form N600 and claim US citizenship if:

• At least one of your adopted or biological parents was or is a US Citizen by naturalization or birthright; or
• You live in the U.S. with your U.S. citizen parent; and
• You are a permanent resident or have legally entered the US as a permanent resident (if you are adopted by US parents, your parents need to file IR-3 before you enter the US or must file Form IR-4 if you entered the US to be adopted. In the case of adoption, the adoption process must be successfully completed before a child can become a US citizen.
• You are still under 18 years old; and
• You are the biological child of a US citizen in that parent’s custody but have not reached a 16th birthday;
• Or you are the biological child of a US citizen born out of wedlock but your mother has become a U.S. citizen through naturalization.

If you were under 18 years old as of February 27, 2001, but were not eligible for claiming US citizenship as outlined above, you may need to qualify for US citizenship through your parents as an adult.

If you were under 18 years old as of February 27, 2001, you may also qualify for citizenship if:

• You were admitted as a permanent resident into the US and lived in the US; and
• Either your custodial parent or both parents, or your surviving parent is a U.S. citizen through the naturalization process.

A person is a U.S. citizen at birth automatically if they are born outside the US to parents who are US citizens if they meet these eligibility requirements:

• At least one parent lived in the US before the applicant’s birth and both parents are US citizens; or
• One parent is a US citizen and lived in the US for at least five years before the applicant’s birth (at least two of those years must have been after the parent was at least 14 years old).

Understanding who can File for a Certificate of Citizenship (Form N-600)

If you were born to US citizen parents outside the US and believe that you qualify for US citizenship by birthright, you are eligible to file the Application for Certificate of Citizenship (Form N-600). If you met all the requirements for being a US citizen by birthright before your 18th birthday, you can file Form N-600 at any time during your life, even if you are no longer 18.

If you are under 18 years old but qualify for US citizenship by birthright because your biological or adopted parents are US citizens, your custodial US citizen parent must file form N-600 application on your behalf.