Child born abroad to a US parent may acquire US citizenship at birth
Q. I’m a US citizen but my son was born while his mother was in Jamaica. Is he a US citizen? Or should I apply for an immigrant visa for him?
A. child born abroad to a United States citizen parent or parents may acquire US citizenship at birth if certain statutory requirements are met. You should contact the nearest US Embassy or consulate to apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) to document that the child is a citizen.If the embassy determines that the child acquired US citizenship at birth, a consular officer will approve the CRBA application and the Department of State will issue a CRBA, also called a Form FS-240, in the child’s name.According to US law, a CRBA is proof of US citizenship and may be used to obtain a US passport and register for school, among other purposes. You and the child’s mother may choose to apply for a US passport for the child at the same time that you apply for a CRBA.Parents may also choose to apply only for a US passport for the child. Like a CRBA, a full-validity, unexpired US passport is proof of US citizenship. Parents of a child born abroad to a US citizen or citizens should apply for a CRBA and/or a US passport for the child as soon as possible.Failure to promptly document a child who meets the statutory requirements for acquiring US citizenship at birth may cause problems for the parents and the child when attempting to establish the child’s US citizenship and eligibility for the rights and benefits of citizenship, including entry into the United States.By law, US citizens, including dual nationals, must use a US passport to enter and leave the United States. For more information, go to: travel.state.gov/ content/passports/en/abroad/ events-and-records/birth.html CRBA and US passport applications should be submitted to the American Citizen Services (ACS) Unit. Go to jm.usembassy.gov- /u-s-citizen-services/birth/ to learn how to apply, how to make an appointment with ACS, and what to prepare for the appointment.The application fee for a CRBA is US$100, and the application cost for a US passport for a child under 16 years old is US$105. You should not file for an immigrant visa until a determination has been made about whether your son qualifies as a US citizen.An immigrant visa cannot be issued to someone for whom US citizenship is not determined. For more information about visas and American Citizen Services, please visit our website, jm.usembassy.gov.For safety and security measures, the US Embassy asks that all individuals arrive at the embassy no more than 15 minutes before their designated appointment time.You can find more information about how to travel to the US on our website, www.jm.usembassy.govKeep on top of Embassy news on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/USEmbassyJamaica/ and by following @USEmbassyJA on Twitter. We also answer general visa questions on our Facebook and Twitter pages.