U.S. Citizenship by Birth or Through Parents

An overview of who may acquire or derive U.S. citizenship through their parents' citizenship status or naturalization.

Acquisition or Derivation of Citizenship for Adopted Children

Adopted children can acquire or derive U.S. citizenship from parents in similar ways to biological children -- but additional rules apply.

Can I get U.S. citizenship through a grandparent?

When U.S. citizenship can pass down through generations.

When U.S. parents use assisted reproductive technology, is baby born abroad a U.S. citizen?

Longstanding U.S. immigration law creates complications and injustices when applied to modern technological possibilities.

FAQS: When Children May Derive Citizenship From Parents Who Naturalize

Learn how the derivation of citizenship rules play out in common situations.

Three Ways People Born Outside the U.S. Acquire U.S. Citizenship Through Parents

Although the laws have changed over the years, you're most likely to be able to acquire citizenship from your parents if you fall into one of a few fact patterns.

Citizenship Through U.S. Citizen Parents (If You were Born Between 12/24/1952 and 11/13/1986)

Born abroad to U.S. citizens between 12/24/1952 and 11/13/1986? You yourself may be a U.S. citizen.

Citizenship Through U.S. Citizen Parents (If You were Born Between 11/14/1986 and the Present)

Here's the law on who, born in recent decades, becomes a citizen automatically through a U.S. citizen parent.

Deriving Citizenship Through Parents (Naturalized between 10/24/1952 and 10/04/1978)

If you have a green card, check into your family history, you may discover that you're already a U.S. citizen based on your parents naturalization.

Deriving Citizenship Through Parents (Naturalized between 10/05/1978 and 02/26/2001)

For green card holders whose parents naturalized, derivation of U.S. citizenship is a possibility.

Deriving Citizenship Through Parents If You Turn 18 on or After February 27, 2001

You may already be a U.S. citizen, through an automatic process called derivation."

How the Foreign-Born Children of American Citizens Can Prove or Obtain U.S. Nationality

You should be able to obtain proof of your acquired or derived U.S. citizenship.

What Should I Get First: a Certificate of Citizenship or U.S. Passport?

Citizens by acquisition or derivation can apply for a passport without first having a certificate of citizenship, and vice versa.

We Adopted a Foreign-Born Child Here in the United States--Can We Get Our Child U.S. Citizenship?

When adopted children of U.S. citizens receive automatic citizenship.

Filling Out Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship

How people who became citizens automatically through their parents can prepare the USCIS form requesting a Certificate of Citizenship.