U.S. Citizens

U.S. citizenship is granted to:

  • U.S. Born Citizens and Nationals, including individuals born in:
    • Any of the 50 states in the United States,
    • District of Columbia,
    • Puerto Rico,
    • Guam,
    • Virgin Islands of the U.S. (St. John, St. Croix and St. Thomas)
    • American Samoa
    • Swain's Island
    • Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
  • Naturalized Citizens, including individuals born in another country who have met the U.S. residency requirements and have filed for an application to be naturalized U.S. citizens. Naturalized U.S. citizens typically obtained a legal permanent immigration status prior to naturalization.
  • Foreign-born children, under age 18, residing in the U.S. with their birth or adoptive parents, at least one of whom is a U.S. citizen by birth or naturalization;
  • Derived Citizens, certain individuals may have derived their U.S. citizenship as children prior to their 18th birthday because one or both of their parents became citizens through naturalization.
  • Acquired Citizens, individuals born in another country to U.S. citizen parent(s) may ACQUIRE U.S. citizenship by filing an application at USCIS.

Individuals with derived or acquired citizenship should present originals of one of the following documents:

  • A Certificate of United States Citizenship (USCIS Form N-560).
  • A United States Citizen Identification Card (USCIS Form I-197). (Not issued since February, l981.)
  • An Identification Card for the Use of Resident Citizen in the United States (USCIS Form I-179). (Last issued in February, 1974.)
  • A Northern Mariana Identification Card issued by USCIS to individuals born in the Northern Mariana Islands before November 3, 1986 who are now U.S. citizens.
  • A letter, on USCIS stationery, written by an USCIS official, which states that a foreign-born woman who married a U.S. citizen before September 22, 1922 thereby automatically became a
  • U.S. citizen herself.
  • A valid U.S. Passport issued by the Department of State.
  • A Report of Birth: Child Born Abroad of American Parent or Parents (Dept. of State Form FS-240) issued by U.S. embassies and consulates to United States citizens born abroad.
  • A Certification of Birth Abroad (Dept. of State Form FS-545) issued by U.S. embassies and consulates to United States citizens born abroad.
  • A Certification of Birth Abroad (Dept. of State Form DS-1350) issued to United States citizens born abroad.

No Documentation

Individuals who believe that they qualify for derived or acquired citizenship should contact either the passport office or their District USCIS office:

Passport Office of the U.S. Department of State
525 Market St.
San Francisco, CA 94105

Immigration and Naturalization Service
630 Sansome St.
San Francisco, CA 94111

Reminder: Foreign born children of U.S. citizens must apply to USCIS or to the Department of State for approval and documents. U.S. citizenship is not automatic. Individuals who lack documentation may not have applied for or may not have been granted citizenship. Adoptive parents must also apply to USCIS for naturalization of their adopted child.

Citizenship Verification for Aged Individuals

Citizenship records for aged individuals may no longer be available (especially if they entered the U.S. before USCIS was established in 1924).These individuals must be referred to USCIS for documentation.

Verification that USCIS conducted a search of its records and the outcome of the search must be scanned in the case record when other documentation is not available. Scan a copy in IDM. No further action is required from the Eligibility Worker (EW).

Related Topics

Citizenship/Immigration Status