NY Statute Definition for "Legitimate"
In 1967, my girlfriend was born in Canada to a single Canadian mother to a US Serviceman/US Citizen father. Shortly after birth, the father accepted the child and cared for her for approximately 7 years, while domiciled in Plattsburgh, NY.
He enrolled her in the 1st year of grade school. At about the age of 7 1/2, her now USAF retired father claimed 100% disability and she was transferrd back to Canada to live with foster parents.
She is applying for a US Passport based on INA Section 309, which requires that her father had to "legitimate" her according to NY statute.
I am looking for a NY statute definition for "legitimate".
Are there alternatives for legitimation? For example, her father and mother did not marry, nor did they ever live together. Can legimation be performed through conduct, and does NY statute define what that conduct is?
Any help is most appreciated.