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Instructions for Form N-600, Application

Department of Homeland Security

for Certificate of Citizenship

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Adopted Child

Purpose of Form N-600

An adopted child may also acquire U.S. citizenship through

his or her adoptive U.S. citizen parent depending on the law

This form is an application for a Certificate of Citizenship.

being applied. Currently, an adopted child can acquire U.S.

citizenship through his or her U.S. citizen parent. However,

Who Should File This Form

step children CANNOT acquire U.S. citizenship under this

provision.

You Should File This Form

NOTE: If you are now 18 years of age, but all of the above

conditions apply to you before your 18th birthday and you

1. If you are requesting a Certificate of Citizenship because

were under the age of 18 on February 27, 2001 (the date the

you were born outside the United States to a U.S. citizen

law took affect), you may file this form to obtain a Certificate

parent; or

of Citizenship. HOWEVER, if you were under 18 years of

age on February 27, 2001, BUT not all of the conditions noted

2. If you are requesting a Certificate of Citizenship because

above were met prior to your 18th birthday, you must qualify

you automatically became a citizen of the United States

for U.S. citizenship in your own right.

after birth, but before you turned 18 years old. (A parent or

legal guardian can also file Form N-600 on behalf of a

You May File This Form

minor child.)

1. If you claim to have acquired U.S. citizenship through a

Citizenship law has changed over the years and different laws

U.S. citizen parent and are now over 18 years of age.

apply to determine whether you automatically became a U.S.

2. If you are the U.S. citizen parent or legal guardian who has

citizen at birth, or after birth but before you turned 18 years of

legal and physical custody of an adopted or biological child

age. If you are claiming U.S. citizenship based on your birth

(under 18 years of age).

abroad to a U.S. citizen parent(s), the law in effect on the date

of your birth applies. For purposes of these provisions, you

Law In Effect at the Time of Your Birth

must be the biological child of your U.S. citizen parent, and

different provisions apply depending on whether you were

To determine if you were born a U.S. citizen, USCIS must

born in wedlock or out of wedlock.

look at the law that was in effect at the time of your birth. The

current law was enacted on November 14, 1986, and was last

If you are claiming U.S. citizenship after birth but before you

amended on February 27, 2001 (Child Citizenship Act). If you

reached the age of 18, the law in effect when the last

were born before November 14, 1986, and believe you may be

qualifying condition was met is the law that applies to you.

a U.S. citizen, you should contact USCIS by visiting the

Generally, the conditions are listed below. These conditions

USCIS website at

or calling the USCIS

must be met before you turn 18 years of age.

National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283. For

TTY (deaf or hard of hearing) call: 1-800-767-1833.

1. Your parent must be a U.S. citizen;

2. You must be the biological child of that U.S. citizen parent;

Who Should Not File This Form

3. You must be lawfully admitted to the United States for

permanent residence; and

You should not file this form if:

4. You must be living in the United States in the legal and

1. You do not have at least one biological or adoptive U.S.

physical custody of your U.S. citizen parent.

citizen parent;

2. You are the child of a U.S. citizen parent(s) who regularly

You can file Form N-600 at any time if you became a U.S.

resides outside the United States. Refer to Form N-600K,

citizen at birth, or after birth, but before you turned 18 years

Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate

old. Filing this form is NOT a request to become a U.S.

Under Section 322;

citizen. Filing this form is ONLY a request to obtain a

Certificate of Citizenship which recognizes that you became a

3. You were born out-of-wedlock, you were not legitimated

citizen on a particular date.

prior to your 16th birthday, and your U.S. citizen parent is

your father.

Form N-600 Instructions (Rev. 12/23/16)

Instructions For Form N-600 - Application For Certificate Of Citizenship - Department Of Homeland Security

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