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Chapter: 1450 Technical Requirements Program: CIC 2 1450.0101 Declaration of Citizenship/Noncitizen Status (CIC) Each applicant applying for public assistance must declare in writing whether each individual in the assistance group (AG) is a U.S. citizen, or a noncitizen in lawful immigration status.

An application declaring the citizenship/noncitizen status must be signed under penalty of perjury for each individual applying for assistance as a condition of eligibility. The form must be signed at application and review. An adult applicant or designated representative may sign the application declaring the citizenship/noncitizen status on behalf of children under age 21. 1450.0102 Definition of U.S. Citizenship (CIC) To be considered a U.S. citizen, an individual must meet one of the following conditions:

1. be born in the U.S., D.C., or a U.S. territory, (Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana, American Samoa, Harcon Tract, Swain's Island, and Guam).

Note: If the individual was born in a former U.S. territory while it was a territory, a clarification through the Region or Circuit Program Office is required.

2. be a naturalized citizen. An individual is a naturalized citizen when U.S. citizenship is gained after his birth either through individual naturalization, or derived from a naturalized parent.

3. be adopted by, a U.S. citizen.

A child acquires citizenship through adoption, if they meet all of the following conditions:

a. the child was adopted while under the age of 16, has been in legal custody of, and has resided with the adopting U.S. citizen parent(s) for at least two years; b. the child is under the age of 18, or was under the age of 18 on February 27, 2001; c. the child is/was residing in the United States in the legal and physical custody of the U.S. citizen parent(s); and d. the child has a qualified alien status.

The child must meet all the above criteria, all at the same time, on at least one day at some point between February 27, 2001 and the present. The child must not have been married at any time on or before the day they meet all of the criteria.

Note: Proof of U.S. citizenship will not be automatically issued to eligible children.

4. be born abroad to a U.S. citizen. Individuals born abroad to a U.S. citizen and who make a written declaration of citizenship to the U.S. Counsel are considered U.S. citizens.

A child born abroad to unmarried parents may acquire citizenship at birth if one of the parents is a U.S. citizen at the time of the child's birth, and legal paternity has been established. To acquire citizenship, a child born abroad to unwed parents need only establish the mother's U.S. citizenship and her residence in the U.S. or U.S. territory prior to the birth of the child.

Citizenship acquired at birth occurs when:

1. both parents are U.S. citizens and at least one parent resides in the U.S. or a U.S. territory before the birth of the child; or 2. one parent is a citizen and the other is a noncitizen at the time of the child's birth. (Individuals claiming citizenship under this provision must be referred to USCIS to obtain a formal determination of their citizenship.)