| At Whalen & Associates, we have helped
countless persons obtain citizenship in the U.S. We have also
assisted many persons who have been citizens all their life but
have not been aware. This is often the case to a child born in a
foreign country to a U.S. citizen parent. Such individual may
have had a Green Card for 20 years or more and never knew they
were in fact citizens of the U.S. If you think you may fit in
this category read below and contact us for specific advice. A citizen of the United States is a native-born, foreign-born, or naturalized person who owes allegiance to the United States and who is entitled to its protection. In addition to the naturalization process, the United States recognizes the U.S. citizenship of individuals according to two fundamental principles: jus soli, or right of birthplace, and jus sanguinis, or right of blood.
The 14 th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees citizenship at birth to almost all individuals born in the United States or in U.S. jurisdictions, according to the principle of jus soli. Certain individuals born in the United States, such as children of foreign heads of state or children of foreign diplomats, do not obtain U.S. citizenship under jus soli.
Certain individuals born outside of the United States are born citizens because of their parents, according to the principle of jus sanguinis (which holds that the country of citizenship of a child is the same as that of his / her parents). The U.S. Congress is responsible for enacting laws that determine how citizenship is conveyed by a U.S. citizen parent or parents according to the principle of jus sanguinis. These laws are contained in the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Information on who is a citizen or national at birth can be found in the following sections of the INA:
§ 301 , § 302 , § 303 , § 304 , § 305 , § 306 , § 307 , § 308 , and § 309 .
Definition of country of citizenship.
For information on restoration of citizenship see § 324 and § 327 . This is often a complicated process. Whalen & Associates has had much success in assisting persons who were unable to obtain a U.S. Passport since they were accused of losing their U.S. Citizenship. We have been able to get their U.S. Citizenship restored.
For information on posthumous citizenship, see § 329A .
The procedure for applying for proof of citizenship is contained in
8 CFR 341 .
The U.S. Department of State's web pages on
Citizenship and Nationality provides guidance on some citizenship issues including information on dual nationality, documentary evidence required to establish a citizenship claim, and renunciation of U.S. citizenship. |
