I am an American citizen who adopted a child from Kenya in 2004. I was residing overseas and applied for his immigrant visa in 2007. It was issued early this year and we have just entered the US. He was given an IR-2 visa. What is my next step? Can I just apply for a US passport for him? Does he really need a cert. of citizenship? I'm not sure how to proceed....thanks!

If I'm not mistaken. The certificate of citizenship should be issued automatically. As to how long it will take to arrive, don't know. You can apply for a passport as well on their bahalf. Probably should get them a social security number first though.

You have to apply for it before 18, otherwise the child needs to apply for natz like everyone else. Also, apply for natz. cert not cert of citizenship.

You must have went through hell of paper work...
Now you have your child in U.S. You can not file for his passport. you should go to USCIS web and check .
Child do need a certificate of Citizenship....?

what I've sen on BCIS website looks like I can just apply for his pp - according to the site he became a US citizen upon entry...all I have to show to prove citizenship for the passport is his green card and birth/adoption cert and my id as a US citizen....gonna give it a try anyway!

Hi Joaninha and welcome to ILW

This is taken from the USCIS site:

U.S. CITIZENSHIP FOR A FOREIGN-BORN ADOPTED CHILD

Many foreign-born adopted children acquire US citizenship as soon as they enter the United States. They do not need to formally apply (though they are entitled to a certificate of citizenship); they become citizens automatically.

Other foreign-born adopted children may need to wait until they have satisfied certain criteria before they automatically acquire citizenship. Still others (those living abroad) may need to formally apply to “naturalize”.

Orphans adopted by a US citizen parent are citizens once their adoption is final and they have lawfully entered the United States as permanent residents. Children who did not immigrate as orphans, but who were adopted by a US citizen parent and obtained lawful permanent resident status also automatically acquire citizenship (so long as they meet all the criteria prior to their 18th birthday).

Foreign children who are adopted by US citizens who reside overseas are also entitled to citizenship, but under slightly different criteria. Such children may file for naturalization during a legal, temporary visit to the US so long as they are under 18 and their parents or grandparents meet certain other eligibility criteria.

Adopted children residing in the United States may file for a certificate of citizenship using Form N-600. Adopted children residing outside the United States may file for naturalization using Form N-600K. For further information please see Child Citizenship Information.


U.S. CITIZENSHIP FOR A FOREIGN-BORN ADOPTED CHILD (USCIS site)

thanks sprint girl, that's what I'm going on.

You're welcome and Congrats

submitted application for his passport and everything checked out ok for the application, so now just waiting the 4-6 weeks to see that passport for myself! :-)

thanks all for your help, the PP services wrote back requesting further documentation (same docs I had used to get his immigrant visa) and the Passport arrived last week in the mail! So thrilled! :-)

congrats to both. good job.

it is very nice of you to come back and share good news. congrats again.