Born abroad of US parents, are you a citizen?

FozzieBear

Yes.

Rory M

Yes, According to the US constitution, any child born abroad and has at least one US parent, the child will be a US citizen by birth, irrespective of the place of birth.

Donna

It is not automatic. If one or both of the parents had lived in the US for at least 5 yrs, 2 of which after the age of 14, then they can pass on US citizenship. Of course they will need to register the birth and include proof of US residency requirements to pass on citizenship.

If at least one of the parents has ILR in the UK at the time they have the child, then the child is also a UK citizen. He can be a dual citizen with passports for each country.

Donna

SCOTT R

yes your are a citizen. Your should have a fs-420 form showing your birth outside the US.

Docar

Actually depends on the country! If the country grants the child citizenship based on it being born there then the child is a citizen of that country unless the parents register the child's birth at a US consulate. At that point it depends on whether or not that country allows dual citizenship. If so the child can be a dual citizen. If not the child can only be a US citizen.
In your example the since the UK does not grant "jus soli" (citizenship based on birth there) the child would be a US citizen.
Contrary to popular belief the US can NOT force a child born in a foreign country to become a US citizen!

brucec83

Yes. But only if one of your parents ever lived for any period of time in the US. If one parent is a non-citizen, then the citizen parent must have resided in the US for 5 years, two of which were after their 14th birthday. Many years ago, there were some other exceptions.

David

did they register the birth with the US embassy

ibu guru

Bob and Sue have to take Johnny to the American Consulate office nearest the place in the UK to Johnny's birth. They need proof of their American citizenship (US passports) & that they meet US residency requirements to pass on citizenship, baby, baby's long-form birth certificate (showing parents' citizenship), hospital records, baby's passport photos. They fill out the report of Birth to American Citizen While Abroad, then apply for baby's passport. If Bob and Sue are not married, the consulate can require DNA tests (actually, they can require DNA tests anytime if they think baby might not be biological child of either or both "parents").

There are an awful lot of people who thought they were US citizens because they were born to US citizens, but were born abroad and never registered, and then belatedly discover that the births were never properly registered at the consulate so they cannot claim their citizenship! This is a disaster for baby - especially when baby gets to be about 40 and parents are dead, proofs long gone. Make sure you register baby as soon as you possibly can after baby is born. In fact, Dad can go to the consulate and get this going while mom & baby are in the hospital if he has the birth certificate, hospital records, etc. Bob and Sue have to be very careful to protect baby's rights!

George L

normally, yes. and the birth does need to be registered at the nearest US embassy or consulate as noted. however, one or the other parent would still need to meet the residency requirement for transmitting citizenship, which is at least 5 years of US residency including two after the age of 14 before the birth of the child. It is possible for both parents to be US citizens without ever having lived in the US or for both to have left as young children, so it's not automatic. it's also true that the US won't force anyone to be a citizen, why would we? However, no one with a possible claim to US citizenship can be issued any kind of US visa before a determination is made that they aren't. so, as long as they don't want to travel to the US, I suppose it's no particular problem if they don't want to assert their US citizenship.

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