Passport Visa

Question:

I notice too the one form costs like 240 dollars to submit claiming citizenship. One person in INS suggested I do a "freedom of information Act" search through the INS for my "A" number. Is that on my child passport, if I can find it?

Answer:

I just found this group. Perhaps someone has a suggestion.

I came to the USA as a 6 year old from England in 1957. 5 years later my parents were naturalized. I was about 11 or 12 then and I was told that my citizenship was "automatic".

Unfortunately, today I cannot renew my driver's license because my birth certificate says the UK. Even presenting my parents' Naturalization papers (both now deceased) I was told I needed something to prove my residency.

One person at the Motor Vehicle Agency told me I need a "green card". All this seems ridiculous to me having going to USA schools since Kindergarten.

I am also trying to find my child British passport from 1957 to see if it has an "A number" that the Immigration department told me I need.

I really only want to get my driver's license renewed and would like to worry about papers at a later dater perhaps when I get a passport.

A couple of questions: What is the fastest way to get something on paper so I can renew my license?

The Immigration department on the phone said, "you are a citizen but you have no documents saying that." Now it seems to me, proving with various other documents of who I am, and then presenting my parents Naturalization papers, that should be enough but it isn't.

Second, if somehow I manage to get my driver's license renewed without the INS papers like a 'green card' and want a passport later, could I use my British birth certificate to get a British passport.

This all seems so absurd. I even asked, "am I allowed to vote in November?" and was told by the INS (or whatever name they have now) "yes, you ARE a citizen but just don't have the papers."

Unless you can get an "agent" on the phone the people answering the phones seem very Unknowledgeable on the law.

Get a US passport.

File an N-600 with CIS.

Also, if you can prove you have been continuously resident since before 1972, "registry" is an option.

You need to refer your case with somebody familiar with Nationality Chart # 3 ( Derivative Citizenship of Children)

A child may derive citizenship during historical periods if such child was under the statutory age AND: (a) the child was lawfully admitted for permanent residence AND (b) the parent(s) naturalized. It does not matter in which order the actions occurred.

For periods in which the last action took place, on or after 12/24/1952 & prior to 10/5/1978, child became an LPR before the statutory age of 18 years, parent(s) naturalized prior to the statutory age of the child and child was unmarried.

If all the conditions happened on your case during the time frame 12/24/1952 through 10/5/1978 then you derived citizenship. Your responsibility now is to provide solid evidence that those events applied in your case. Remember, the law states that the burden of proof is on you to prove your nationality in order for a US passport or Certificate of Citizenship to be issued.

When I got through on the phone once to an agent, she mentioned (and I have gotten constantly conflicting information) That I would have to file a G639 form that is actually a Freedom of Information Act inquiry form. Then mentioned an "I-90" (that I did not find in the list of online forms) and suggested that the G639 was to find my "A number" from 1957.

My goal obviously is to have my driver license renewed. (and have permanent papers but the license issue is the most pressing) The situation I am in is that de facto, my driver's license has been revoked until I present more documents (really disingenuous I might add to US citizens may not have saved papers from *50* years ago without a body or court where information can be presented for prompt scrutiny other than general INS applications that may take months) Luckily, I have both my parents Naturization Documents with their picture from 1963. (They may have been swore in months earlier than that but that is the date of the document).

So, I am trying to wade through the conflicting information and take the fastest track to any document that would be the quickest one to get, so I may renew my driver's license.

The Agent suggested that my N-600 application may not be accepted without an "A number". Should I include copies of such as my US Military Draft registration card, records from elementary school, and various things showing I was a permanent resident? I have my original Social Security card from around 1968 or 1969. I have my name hand written in their UK passport showing I was with them plus a manifest of name in a kept list of passengers, with my name, on a ship Queen Elizabeth, (misspelled by one letter) in 1957? If I file a form N-600 should I make copies of all this and other evidence I was in the USA?

Secondly, how long does this all take? Unfortunately, I can't drive to work while this is all going on so it has also made me somewhat unemployed. Would it be faster to try to get a 'Green Card' or something like that? How long does that take? Then later the N-600?

If by chance anyone does cite a law, I would appreciate having the number or title of the law for my reference - unavailable or a task to find - that is OK as I still appreciate any suggestions.

Absolutely, the condition happened in my case during this frame of time of 12/24/1952 and way before 10/5/1978.

Which may be downloaded from: http://uscis.gov/graphics/services/CCANationality3.pdf

Another option you may have is to apply for a US passport. You can't get a green card if you're a US citizen.

If you have problems dealing with the CIS (or whatever the INS is ca- lled nowadays) or the State Dept, get in touch with your Congressman or Senator.

One final piece of advice - don't leave the US until you've sorted out your US citizenship/passport documentation.

I was told that they ask the same parameters of identification now with the US birth certificate to get a US Passport. INS (or whatever they call it now) said they (the passport people) use the same requirements. This was said by one agent and I do not know if correct as I have gotten conflicting info.

That is exactly what I did. I was in my Congressmans office and an employee took copies of my mother's and father's Naturization documents. The employee was rather quick and I suggested them and she asked for no more. I did sign a disclosure to investigate or get information on me. It seems to me the Congressman's office would need a lot more, like proof they are my parents, photo ids from the past and miscellaneous supporting documents.

I got a pro forma letter from the office a few days later. Perhaps I should contact them again and ask if they need more documents.

What is annoying and some may have no sympathy about rates considering others' expense with the INS, but if I file a 600 it will cost me 240 dollars and God knows when it will be processed. My license will cost about 50 - so the total cost of 290 dollars *to renew* my driver's license, from the point of view of someone WHO IS a US citizen, me --that is an atrocious fine for not having a simple verification that is official.

Like I said, in the Motor Vehicles department there seems to be no one that can make a judgement call on the documents based on intelligent prudence, even a high official, but goes down a list of requirements. Since, this is all new law that has not been perfected or corrected yet, seems like I have fell in the cracks.

I am just glad I do not have 5 kids or a big mortgage or I could be losing my home over this since I can't drive to work, and apparently, there is no tool to resolve it quickly available to the citizen public through a court or same-day/soon day interview/investigation personally at the INS. Basically they, it seems to me, are putting US citizens through the same rigors and que as a person newly applying from another country for a missing piece of paper, that was suggested at the time of Naturalization of the parents that additional papers are unnecessary and the "kids are automatic".

On the other hand the only document you may have proving Citizenship is a defunct British passport.

You are from another country, not sure why you should expect special pr- iveleges on the basis of time.

And yes I am sure you could get your UK passport renewed, probably a lot quicker than you will find the US system. You have to renounce UK citizenship, it does not lapse and even then I think you can get it reinstated.

I beg to differ and thanks for the reply. I still have my draft card and took my preinduction physical to go to Vietnam where I was not called. I have paid US taxes for decades. Including State and Property taxes for decades.

From Kindergarten I have gone to US schools. I had no consciousness of life at all in the UK or very little. Biologically where I left the womb you are correct but I am as American as anyone I know born here. I have been a citizen for almost 50 years but have a document problem right now.

I beg to differ, a person (who is a citizen) of my status and other naturalized citizens should be treated with the same expediency as any natural born citizen, in my opinion. Though that is not to denigrate aliens who are put through rigors with inefficient government agencies (typically) . Though, I understand the seriousness of the climate today.

Though I saw my child, defunct British passport last year after making a rigorous search (and still searching) I fear it lost.

I DO have my parents passports from 1957 that have a hand-written reference to their two children and naming such with my name appearing in their passport. I do not know what my older brother in this situation is doing as unfortunately we are estranged.

I am sure when I was a child I was in my Mothers passport, I did not ha- ve my own, so it could be that you never had one. I do not think it was usual for Children to have their own, I will ask my Mother. I think it was an extra page they stuck in?.

If you do want to get your UK Passport I am sure that you could with li- ttle fuss, http://www.ukpa.gov.uk/, but I guess that is not really the issue.

There have been many many posts from US Citizens bemoaning the USCIS, it after all impacts on the sponsor as well as the sponsee. Whilst '911' is the convenient factor, for the majority I have seen this has had little or no bearing on the delay factor. I do not know why everything takes so long, seems to be a broke and understaffed system.

You occasionally see questions from immigrants who have lost documen- ts but most who have been through the mill are too aware to mislay such documents, more likely that the persons in your queue are also US Citizens.

just from couriosity how did you renew your DL before? At my knowledge you supposed to do it every 5 years (or shorter period). If you did do it, DMV should have a record of that. You also mention something about voting. Do you have your voting card? If you do that is proof of you ci- tizenship. Only US citizens can vote! anyway goodluck with your case.