On 18 September 2020, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) issued Policy Alert (PA-2020-15) regarding certificates of citizenship for permanent resident children born to military service members and U.S. Government employees living abroad. The amendments occur in response to Congress’s amendments to Immigration and Nationality Act § 320, 8 U.S.C. § 1431. See Citizenship for Children of Military Members and Civil Servants Act, Public Law 116-133.

The U.S. Congress passed a statute, INA § 320, which authorizes USCIS to issue certificates of citizenship to children. Only children, granted permanent resident status, may apply for a certificate of citizenship pursuant to section 320. A citizen parent may file an N-600 Form for an adopted child or a biological child. When filing an N-600 Form for an adopted child, USCIS requires that the N-600 applicant satisfy the additional criteria in INA § 101(b)(1). An applicant may apply for the N-600 benefit online or by mailing the application and evidence to USCIS. If mailing the N-600 Form, applicants should review USCIS’s webpage to determine the correct mailing address. The USCIS filing address differs based upon the applicant’s residential address.