CITIZENSHIP THROUGH PARENTS
Under many circumstances, a child born abroad to one or two U-S citizen parent(s) is considered a U.S. citizen at birth. However, the laws of U-S citizenship at birth are very complex, and have been changed by Congress on a number of occasions. To decide if someone was granted citizenship at birth, there are several steps to consider. First, one must determine the appropriate law that applies, depending on the date of birth of the child. The next step is to determine if one or both parents were U-S citizens at the time of the birth. If both parents were citizens, the child more than likely acquired citizenship at birth. If only one parent was a citizen, it must be established whether that parent had sufficient residence or physical presence in the U-S prior to the child’s birth.
The law in this area is quite complex. We highly suggest that you consult with us should you have questions with respect to this area of the law.