US Citizenship Articles

OAW 2013 - Position Paper on Consular Access

OAW is seeking the urgent passage of long-delayed legislation that would restore consular protections to Americans who are arrested abroad, and foreigners who are arrested in the U.S.A. Americans were stripped of this protection in 2008, when the United States Supreme Court ruled in Medellín v. Texas that international treaties are not binding under domestic law unless Congress has explicitly...

FAWCO Washington Update - the Commission on Americans Living Abroad Act

Lucy Stensland Laederich FAWCO US Liaison Washington Update Bulletin FAWCO is an original organizer of the annualOverseas Americans Week in Washington September 2012     FAWCO Washington Update    Help build support for the Commission on Americans Living Abroad Act! In February 2012, Representatives Carolyn Maloney ane Mike Honda introduced HR 597 to create a bipartisan Federal commission to study...

In Vitro Children Denied US Citizenship (April 2012)

21 March 2012

U.S. women, who live overseas and are planning to use fertility treatments to help them conceive should open the following link. The Department of State is questioning their right to pass on their US citizenship, putting the onus on the mother to prove the donor is American.

In Vitro Children Denied US Citizenship

New ESTA fee for citizens of visa waiver countries (September 2010)

Parental Consent when Traveling Alone with Children (August 2002)

Citizenship -  Parental Consent when Traveling Alone with Children

August, 2002

Countries are concerned about protecting the security of children in this age of increasing international travel, especially when one custodial parent is traveling alone with the children. During the past year many borders have been tightened specifically Latin American countries such as Mexico and The Dominican Republic and also Canada...

Selective Service Registration (September 2004)

Selective Service Registration

A few of our members have made inquiries regarding selective service registration of US citizen 18 year-old males residing outside the US. In short, US law requires that all male US citizens, regardless of where they live and whether or not they are dual citizens, register within 30 days of their 18th birthday. The 30 days may...

American Citizen Services provided by Consular Sections at U.S. Embassies (January 2006, updated January 2014)

American Citizen Services provided by Consular Sections at U.S. Embassies

U.S. Embassies are an extension of the U.S. State Department abroad. They may be found as listed by country at: http://www.usembassy.gov/

A presentation of what American Citizen Services are provided by the Consular Sections at the Embassies is listed below. Child Custody Issues.  The main office in the State Department that...

Notarization of Parental Consent Form for U.S. Passport Applications for Minors (November 2004)

Notarization of Parental Consent Form for U.S. Passport Applications for Minors
November 1, 2004

All minors under 14 years of age must now appear in person at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate when applying for U. S. passports whether for a new passport or for renewal of a passport previously issued. Please see the February 2004 article, " NEW U.S. PASSPORT...

Majority of Visa Waiver Program Countries Meet Electronic Passport Deadline (February 2007, updated January 2014)

 Majority of Visa waiver program countries meet electronic passport deadline

The October 26, 2006 deadline for the requirement of issuance of electronic passports (e-Passports) was met by 24 of the 27 (then) Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries. The 3 countries that have not yet compiled are Andorra, Brunei and Liechtenstein. Travelers to the U.S. from these 3 countries with passports issued...