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View Full Version : Am I eligible for U.S. Citizenship through my father?


abednadir
Jun 14, 2014, 09:02 AM
I'm a 23 year old Canadian male. My grandfather was American and my father was born in Florida and left when he was 5. He has a molding of his footprint at birth but has not paid taxes or ever really thought about his citizenship status.

He mentioned something about there being a birthright and that he should be considered a U.S. citizen so I'm wondering if I can or already have acquired U.S. citizenship through him?

newacct
Jun 14, 2014, 10:08 AM
You really need to give more information, such as when exactly your father was born, and all his periods of presence in the U.S. and when you were born, and whether you were born in wedlock, and whether your mother was a U.S. citizen when you were born.

If only one of your parents was a U.S. citizen, in order for you to be a U.S. citizen at birth (according to the law at the time of your birth), your U.S. citizen parent had to have been physically present in the U.S. for 5 years before you were born, including 2 years after turning 14. You said your father "left when he was 5". Had he spent time in the U.S. after turning 14? If he can scrape together 2 years from trips to the U.S. (he didn't have to "live" there necessarily, just be "present" in the U.S.) after turning 14 and before you were born, then you would automatically have been a U.S. citizen from birth.

If you weren't a U.S. citizen from birth, you could have become a U.S. citizen in one of the following two ways:
* If you were under 18, your father can apply for you for the N-600K expedited naturalization process, using your grandfather's physical presence in the U.S. However, it must be completed before you turned 18, so this is not available to you.
* Your father can apply for you to immigrate (i.e. get a green card). If you were under 21, this would be pretty fast; but now, it would take several years to wait for visa numbers. Your father would also have to plan to move back to the U.S.