CITIZENSHIP THROUGH PARENTS INFO

• birth in the United States or its territories
• birth to U.S. citizen parents
• naturalization (the grant of citizenship after an application and exam), or
• naturalization of one's parents.

A child born with one or both parents being U.S. citizens can acquire U.S. citizenship. The law on citizenship acquired through parentage has changed over the years. Currently, for those born from November 14, 1986 to the Present, the following rule applies:

If at the time of birth, both your parents were U.S. citizens, and at least one had a prior residence in the United States, the child automatically acquired U.S. citizenship with no conditions for retaining it.

If only one parent was a U.S. citizen at the time of the child's birth, that parent must have resided in the United States for at least five years, two of which must have been after the age of 14. No other act need be done to keep this type of citizenship.

If one U.S. citizen parent is the father and the child was born outside of marriage, the same rules apply if the father established paternity prior to the child's 18th birthday, either by acknowledgment or by court order, and stated in writing that he would support you financially until your 18th birthday.