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Children Of Diplomats and Military Personals Born Abroad May Not Get Automatic USA Citizenship

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  • Children born abroad to US military and diplomatic personnel will no longer get citizenship at birth
  • The new policy does not make anyone ineligible for citizenship
  • Parents can apply for their children’s citizenship any time before the age of 18 years

Children born to US government officials and military personnel posted abroad may no longer get USA citizenship automatically. The policy alert released by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services has sparked confusion amongst many members of the diplomatic circle and US military.

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Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay

USA Citizenship – What is the New Policy?

The policy states that children born on foreign soil to USA citizens will no longer be considered to be residing in the USA. Thus, they will not get US citizenship automatically at birth.

They may alter apply for USA citizenship on the grounds of being born to US citizens. Until now, children born abroad to US diplomatic and military personnel were considered to be living in and outside the USA so that they could get automatic citizenship.

Who Does The New Rule Affect?

The new rule will affect the USA citizenship rights of children born to naturalized US citizens who have not lived in America for the stipulated period of time.

This is a relatively small number of people. According to the Defense Department, this will affect around 100 people annually. The new rule will not affect children born within the United States.

Children And USA Citizenship

There are a number of different ways an individual can acquire US citizenship. In most cases, children born within the USA automatically get US citizenship.

Children born to Indian parents in the USA, get automatic citizenship of both countries. Until now, children of US citizens born abroad could acquire citizenship at birth or before the age of 18 years.

Does the New Policy Make Anyone Ineligible For USA Citizenship?

The new ruling does not directly affect a child’s eligibility for US citizenship. However, it does narrow down the ways through which children born abroad can acquire citizenship.

If President Trump has his way, birthright citizenship may be ended completely. At the moment, the president does not have the legal authority to do so.

Response To The New Policy

The new policy will go into effect on October 29th. A number of diplomatic and military personnel have raised concerns on how it may make their future children’s life more difficult. Immigration attorneys have also criticized the move.

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