United States · Immigration54
Automatic Acquisition of Citizenship Through Parents
A child under 18 who is a lawful permanent resident automatically becomes a U.S. citizen when a parent is a U.S. citizen and the child lives in that parent’s legal and physical custody. No N-400 is needed — the citizenship already exists; Form N-600 merely documents it.
Currently available · Editorial record dated 10/20/2026 · Not lawyer review or an eligibility decision. Check current official instructions.
Who this is for
Permanent resident children under 18 with a U.S. citizen parent and custody in that parent.
Common problems
Already a citizen
Many families file N-400 for a child who is already a citizen — check acquisition first; it changes everything.