N-600K Citizenship for Children Residing Outside the US (2024)

The updated filing fee for N-600K can be foundhere.You may pay the fee with a money order, personal check, or cashier’s check. When filing at a USCIS Lockbox facility, you may also pay by credit card usingForm G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions. If you pay by check, you must make your check payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

When you send a payment, you agree to pay for a government service. Filing and biometric service fees are final and non-refundable, regardless of any action we take on your application, petition, or request, or if you withdraw your request.

A U.S. citizen parent (or if the parent died within the last five years, by a U.S. citizen grandparent or U.S. citizen legal guardian) may file Form N-600K on behalf of a child who was born outside the United States and regularly resides outside the United States. To be eligible for U.S. citizenship, the child must:

• Have at least one U.S. citizen parent, whether by birth or naturalization (including an adoptive parent);
• Be under 18 years of age;
• Be residing outside the United States in the legal and physical custody of the U.S. citizen parent, or if the U.S. citizen parent is deceased, in the legal and physical custody of a person who does not object to the application;
• Be temporarily present in the United States in accordance with lawful admission to complete the Form N-600K process and maintains that lawful status; and
• Have a U.S. citizen parent who has been physically present in the United States or American Samoa or Swains Island for no less than five years (at least two of which were after the U.S. citizen parent’s 14th birthday).
  • If the U.S. citizen parent fails to meet the physical presence requirement, the child must have a U.S. citizen grandparent who was physically present in the United States for a period or for multiple periods totaling not less than five years (at least two of which were after the U.S. citizen grandparent’s 14th birthday).

Children of active-duty U.S. service members do not have to be temporarily in the United States in accordance with lawful admission to complete the Form N-600K process.

If the child was born out of wedlock and is seeking citizenship through their U.S. citizen father, the child must be:

• Legitimated in the United States or abroad under the law of their residence or domicile, or the law of the child’s father’s residence or domicile.
• In the legal custody of their father at the time of such legitimation; and
• Legitimated before reaching their 16th birthday.

If adopted, the child must meet all of the requirements to qualify as an “adopted child” under one of the following:

• Section 101(b)(1)(E) of the INA;
• As an “orphan” under section 101(b)(1)(F) of the INA; or
• As a Hague Convention adoptee under section 101(b)(1)(G) of the INA.

Please visit ourAdoptionwebpage for additional information.

An adopted child under section 101(b)(1)(E) of the INA must meet the following additional requirements:

• The adoption order must have been granted before their 16th birthday (or their 18th birthday if they are the birth sibling (including a half-sibling) of another adopted child who qualified for immigration under section 101(b)(1)(E) or (F) based on the other child’s adoption by the same adoptive parent(s);
• The adoptive parent(s) must have had legal custody of the child for at least two years; and
• The child must have resided with the adoptive parent(s) for at least two years.

If a child has been battered or was treated extreme cruelty by the adoptive parent or by a family member of the adoptive parent living in the same household, we may waive the two-year legal custody and residence requirements.

An orphan under section 101(b)(1)(F) of the INA must be the beneficiary of an approvedForm I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, to file Form N-600K.

A child who is being adopted in accordance with the Hague Convention must be the beneficiary of an approvedForm I-800, Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative,to file Form N-600K.

If your child has just turned 18, you cannot file Form N-600K because your child must complete the adjudication process and take the Oath of Allegiance before their 18th birthday. When you file Form N-600K, you will provide a preferred interview date. We will need a minimum of 90 days to review the form and the documentation. Therefore, please ensure the preferred interview date you request is at least 90 days before your child turns 18.

If you do not provide sufficient evidence to establish your child’s eligibility before their 18th birthday, we will deny your Form N-600K, and your child would no longer be eligible for a Certificate of Citizenship.