how to naturalize my 4yr son??iam naturalized citizen living abroad..please help

[sun83]

hello
I am a naturalized citizen since 2010.i live abroad with my husband(non-american) and son
I haven't lived in USA 5 years after getting naturalized...so I can't just apply for my son through the U.S. embassy.i have to go to usa and go through the process of naturalization.
I need to know the process of applying to my 4 yr old son... is it like the N-400 process ? u wait for months and go through fingerprints and interview etc...?? does it take much time like the N-400 process???
I really need help in this please...
any help is appreciated

[rayb]

If your son is in the U.S. as a Permanent Resident (after being petitioned by you or our U.S. citizen spouse), he can then claim U.S. citizenship by submitting form N-600, and/or applying for a U.S. passport.

--Ray B

hello
I am a naturalized citizen since 2010.i live abroad with my husband(non-american) and son
I haven't lived in USA 5 years after getting naturalized...so I can't just apply for my son through the U.S. embassy.i have to go to usa and go through the process of naturalization.
I need to know the process of applying to my 4 yr old son... is it like the N-400 process ? u wait for months and go through fingerprints and interview etc...?? does it take much time like the N-400 process???
I really need help in this please...
any help is appreciated

[sun83]

If your son is in the U.S. as a Permanent Resident (after being petitioned by you or our U.S. citizen spouse), he can then claim U.S. citizenship by submitting form N-600, and/or applying for a U.S. passport.

--Ray B

RayB ..thx for ur quick reply ..
no my son is not in the USA .he has never been... he only has a 5 yr visa to the USA ...
does he have to have the green card before applying for naturalization ?
I thought i should apply for him for the naturalization directly ...
I really don't know how this goes...I only know about the N-400 process (the one I went through 4 yrs before to get naturalized)
and I really want to pass the citizenship for him as soon as possible....
we ( my husband and I) do not have plans to live in the USA anytime soon though...

thx again for your help

[rayb]

Your son must be in the U.S. with legal status to claim his citizenship, since your Naturalization was acquired too recently, with too little time in the U.S. for the child to be granted citizenship while abroad.

The N-400 process is not available for the child.

--Ray B

RayB ..thx for ur quick reply ..
no my son is not in the USA .he has never been... he only has a 5 yr visa to the USA ...
does he have to have the green card before applying for naturalization ?
I thought i should apply for him for the naturalization directly ...
I really don't know how this goes...I only know about the N-400 process (the one I went through 4 yrs before to get naturalized)
and I really want to pass the citizenship for him as soon as possible....
we ( my husband and I) do not have plans to live in the USA anytime soon though...

thx again for your help

[sun83]

Your son must be in the U.S. with legal status to claim his citizenship, since your Naturalization was acquired too recently, with too little time in the U.S. for the child to be granted citizenship while abroad.

The N-400 process is not available for the child.

--Ray B

rayb, does a 5 year visa considered a legal status ? I mean he will be in the USA using the visa only.. no green card.. ?and of course when I will apply for my child he will be in the states ...
- but what are the steps for him to acquire the citizenship ?
- is it because I don't live in USA and I haven't spent time in the usa after I got naturalized , it might be hard for him to take the citizenship ?or this doesn't affect his process ??
thx

[rayb]

His derivative citizenship is blocked because you haven't been naturalized long enough or spent enough time in the U.S. to make him immediately eligible for derivative citizenship claiming.

If you go to the U.S. and petition him as a "child of a U.S. citizen," after he arrives in the U.S., he can apply for his U.S. passport and/or citizenship certificate (not Naturalization, a different process).

--Ray B

rayb, does a 5 year visa considered a legal status ? I mean he will be in the USA using the visa only.. no green card.. ?and of course when I will apply for my child he will be in the states ...
- but what are the steps for him to acquire the citizenship ?
- is it because I don't live in USA and I haven't spent time in the usa after I got naturalized , it might be hard for him to take the citizenship ?or this doesn't affect his process ??
thx

[sun83]

His derivative citizenship is blocked because you haven't been naturalized long enough or spent enough time in the U.S. to make him immediately eligible for derivative citizenship claiming.

If you go to the U.S. and petition him as a "child of a U.S. citizen," after he arrives in the U.S., he can apply for his U.S. passport and/or citizenship certificate (not Naturalization, a different process).

--Ray B

how does the process of petitioning go???what do I do, what do I send ... excuse me for my many questions..I really don't know how these stuff go...and am really worried that he,for some reason, doesn't take his citizenship ...
is it through sending the I-130 form ???
DOES IT TAKE ALOT OF TIME FOR HIM TO FINALLY OBTAIN HIS CITIZENSHIP? like the long process of N-400(months!!)
or is it coz he is my child it won't be hectic and a long way??
thx so much for ur help rayb ..I can't really find answers to my questions else where...

[rayb]

You petition him with form I-130 for an immigrant petition to go to the U.S. and to get his Green Card. After he is in the U.S., apply for his U.S. passport, and/or apply for his citizenship certificate with form N-600.

--Ray B

how does the process of petitioning go???what do I do, what do I send ... excuse me for my many questions..I really don't know how these stuff go...and am really worried that he,for some reason, doesn't take his citizenship ...
is it through sending the I-130 form ???
DOES IT TAKE ALOT OF TIME FOR HIM TO FINALLY OBTAIN HIS CITIZENSHIP? like the long process of N-400(months!!)
or is it coz he is my child it won't be hectic and a long way??
thx so much for ur help rayb ..I can't really find answers to my questions else where...

[sun83]

You petition him with form I-130 for an immigrant petition to go to the U.S. and to get his Green Card. After he is in the U.S., apply for his U.S. passport, and/or apply for his citizenship certificate with form N-600.

--Ray B

rayb thx for the useful info..I called the uscis and they gave me the same info.. I have to petition him ( file the I-130 through the embassy since am outside the states) then when he gets the visa I can enter with him the states and file the N-600

I hope the petition doesn't take much time though !!

[rayb]

The petition approval will take 8-10 months, maybe more since the NVC is unusually slow these days. Not all foreign embassies will accept your "Direct Consular Submittal," but try it, and that might knock off 3 or 4 months processing time.

--Ray B

rayb thx for the useful info..I called the uscis and they gave me the same info.. I have to petition him ( file the I-130 through the embassy since am outside the states) then when he gets the visa I can enter with him the states and file the N-600

I hope the petition doesn't take much time though !!

[sun83]

The petition approval will take 8-10 months, maybe more since the NVC is unusually slow these days. Not all foreign embassies will accept your "Direct Consular Submittal," but try it, and that might knock off 3 or 4 months processing time.

--Ray B

can the I-130 be denied coz am not living in the USA ?? could that even be a reason I mean??
usually how long does the N-600 take? knowing that am applying for a 4yr old ...
and if the N-600 was approved I'll get the certificate of citizenship which will be needed for the passport ...is that right?

[rayb]

See my responses in CAPS after each question:

can the I-130 be denied coz am not living in the USA ?? could that even be a reason I mean??

NO.

usually how long does the N-600 take? knowing that am applying for a 4yr old ...

4-6 MONTHS

and if the N-600 was approved I'll get the certificate of citizenship which will be needed for the passport ...is that right?

YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET THE U.S. PASSPORT IN THE STATES WITHOUT THE CITIZENSHIP CERTIFICATE.