A person can become an American citizen in one of two ways: by birth or by naturalization.
A person may be born a U.S. citizen by either jus soli, i.e., through place of birth, or jus sanguinis, i.e. through descent from his/her parents.
With very few exceptions, most of which have to do with children born to foreign government officials on assignment to the U.S., a person born in any of the fifty states, Guam, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands is an American Citizen at birth, under the principle of jus soli, regardless of the nationality of his/her parents.
If you have previously been issued any of the following documents, you may immediately begin your application for your first U.S. passport (and thus proof of citizenship). If you are no longer in possession of any of these documents, you must obtain a certified copy from the issuing authority.
- A U.S. Birth Certificate for certified copies please contact the state in which you were born.The National Center for Health Statisticsmaintains a list of States’ contact information for this purpose
- A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240) – the travel website of the State Department has information on how to obtain a duplicate of this document
- A U.S. Certificate of Citizenship – for certified copies, please contact the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
- A U.S. Naturalization Certificate – for certified copies, please contact the U.S. citizenship and Immigration Services
Once you are in possession of one of the listed documents, you are able to apply for a U.S. passport. Please see our section on passports for further instructions.
If you were born outside the United States, have not been previously documented as a U.S. citizen, and are:
- Under the age of 18:please see our instructions for Reporting a Birth Abroad
- Over the age of 18: please contact this office for further details
A child adopted by an American parent does not automatically become a U.S. citizen. For more information about the naturalization of adopted children, please see information on the Child Citizenship Act of 2000.
For further information regarding Naturalization please contact the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services www.uscis.gov.
The concepts outlined in the passage revolve around the acquisition of American citizenship through birth or naturalization. Here's a breakdown of the key concepts and related information:
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Citizenship by Birth: a. Jus Soli: Citizenship acquired by being born in the United States, including its territories (the fifty states, Guam, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands), irrespective of the parents' nationality. b. Jus Sanguinis: Citizenship acquired through descent from parents who are American citizens.
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Documents for Proof of Citizenship: a. U.S. Birth Certificate: Proof of citizenship for individuals born in the U.S. Contact the state of birth for certified copies. b. Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240): For individuals born abroad to U.S. citizen parents. Information on obtaining duplicates is available through the State Department's travel website. c. U.S. Certificate of Citizenship: Contact the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for certified copies. d. U.S. Naturalization Certificate: Issued to individuals who become citizens through the naturalization process. Contact the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for certified copies.
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Passport Application:
- Once in possession of any of the listed documents, an individual can apply for a U.S. passport. Instructions for passport application are available.
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Specific Scenarios: a. Born Outside the U.S. and Undocumented as a Citizen: Different instructions apply based on age.
- Under 18: Follow instructions for Reporting a Birth Abroad.
- Over 18: Contact the appropriate office for further details. b. Adoption and Citizenship: A child adopted by an American parent doesn't automatically become a U.S. citizen. There's specific information available on the naturalization of adopted children, referring to the Child Citizenship Act of 2000.
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Further Information and Contacts:
- For naturalization-related inquiries, contact the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services via www.uscis.gov.
Understanding these concepts demonstrates a comprehensive knowledge of how American citizenship is acquired, the documentation required, and the procedures involved, both for individuals born within the U.S. and those born abroad to American parents.
