by Judy Furukawa, AWC Brussels & US Citizenship Committee Chair
The longer families live overseas/outside US Territory, the greater the likelihood that adult sons and daughters, even though they are US Citizens, may not have the five years of presence in US territory to transmit US citizenship to their children who are or will be born outside US territory. This is why there is a “grandparent amendment” to Form N600K which allows grandparents to “skip” a generation and petition for US citizenship for their foreign-born grandchildren.
This article is to remind members to plan ahead to assist their sons and daughters. When the parent does not have a total of five years of physical presence (three of which are after the age of 14) to transmit, the grandparent must provide their proof of citizenship residence for the requisite 5 years. This form can be submitted by the child/ren’s parents after the death of the grandparent if they have sufficient proof.
Examples of this documentation are:
- US birth certificate
- US passport – including expired ones
- School/college records
- Copies of leases/other verification of residence
- Bills such as utilities, voter registration, wifi, loans, etc.
- Military records
- Employment documents – W2s, pay stubs, notarized employer verification
- Travel records
Also the child/ren will have to travel to the US to receive their Certificate of Naturalization. Once the interview is set, they will be eligible for a visa to enter the US for this purpose. The petitioner should also have a reliable US address for correspondence regarding the petition.
More complete information regarding filing instructions and supporting documentation requirements can be found with the N600-K form available at www.uscis.gov.