Definition of Citizenship

A U.S. citizen is an individual who is one of the following:

born in one of the 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John), Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan, Rota, and Tinian), American Samoa, or Swains Island.

a child adopted by a U.S. citizen (Refer to the Child Citizenship Act).

a minor child born in another country to a non-U.S. citizen becomes a citizen when the parent resides in the U.S. for the required period of time and becomes a naturalized citizen.

born in another country to a U.S. citizen.

has fulfilled the requirements and completed the process of naturalization.

The Child Citizenship Act, which became effective February 27, 2001, amended the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to provide U.S. citizenship automatically to adopted or biological children born out of the United States when all required criteria are satisfied:

At least one parent is a U.S. citizen by either birth or naturalization,

The child is under 18 years of age,

The child is residing in the United States in the legal and physical custody of the U.S. citizen parent,

The child is admitted to the United States as an immigrant, and

If the child is adopted, a full and final adoption of the child.