Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate Under Section 322

OMB No. 1615-0087; Expires 07/31/07

N-600K, Application for Citizenship and
Issuance of Certificate Under Section 322

Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Instructions
Please read these instructions carefully to properly complete this form. If you need more space to complete an answer, use a
separate sheet(s) of paper. Write your name and Alien Registration Number (A #), if any, at the top of each sheet of paper
and indicate the section and number of the item to which the answer refers.

What Is the Purpose of This Form?
This form, the N-600K is an application for the
naturalization of a child who regularly resides outside the
United States and for the issuance of a certificate of
citizenship to the child.

When Should I Use This Form?
This form should be filed only if the child:
1. Will not yet have reached their eighteenth birthday
at the time of fulfilling all of the requirements for
citizenship, including the required interview of
United States citizen parent and the child, and
2. Is a biological child who is a legitimate child or is a
child who was legitimated, while in the legal
custody of the legitimating parent(s), prior to
reaching the sixteenth birthday or
3. Is an adopted child who has a full and final adoption
and the child either is the beneficiary of an
approved I-600 or fulfilled the two-years legal
custody, two-years joint residence requirements of
INA section 101(b)(1)(E).

2. Who May File This Form.
In the case of minor adopted or biological children
(under 18 years) qualifying for citizenship under
section 322 of the INA, the application must be filed
by the U.S. citizen parent with legal and physical
custody of the child.
In the case of an application filed by a U.S. citizen
parent of a deceased citizen parent or of an application
filed by a U.S. citizen legal guardian, the child does not
have to be residing in the legal and physical custody of
the applicant. The application can be filed and
approved if the child is residing in the legal and
physical custody of a person who does not object to the
application.
3. Who Should Not Use This Form.
Therefore this form should not be used for
stepchildren, children who are not legitimate and
children who were not legitimated prior to their
16 th birthday. Such children are not eligible for
benefits under section 322 of the INA. Any person
other than a citizen parent should not use this form
except in cases in which a U.S. citizen parent has died.

Who May File This Form?

What Is the Filing Fee?

1. The following individuals may use this form:

The filing fee for a Form is $460.00

A. A U.S. citizen parent seeking citizenship on behalf
of a minor adopted or biological child under section
322 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)
(providing for citizenship through an application
process for biological and adopted children who
regularly reside outside of the United States and meet
certain conditions while under the age of 18 years).
B. If a U.S. citizen parent of a child who otherwise
meets the eligibility requirements of INA 322 has
died, a U.S. citizen parent of the U.S. citizen parent
or a U.S. legal guardian can file this application at
any time within five years of the U.S. citizen parent's
death.

Use the following guidelines when you prepare your check or
money order for the Form N-600K.
1. The check or money order must be drawn on a bank or
other financial institution located in the United States
and must be payable in U.S. currency; and
2. Make the check or money order payable to U.S.
Department of Homeland Security, unless:
A. If you live in Guam and are filing your petition
there, make it payable to Treasurer, Guam.
B. If you live in the U.S. Virgin Islands and are filing
your petition there, make it payable to
Commissioner of Finance of the Virgin Islands.
C. If you live outside the United States, Guam, or the
U.S. Virgin Islands, contact the nearest U.S.
consulate or embassy for instructions on the
method of payment.
NOTE: Please spell out U.S. Department of Homeland
Security; do not use the initials "USDHS" or "DHS."
Form N-600K Instructions (Rev. 07/30/07) Y

Notice to Those Making Payment by Check. If you send us
a check, it will be converted into an electronic funds transfer
(EFT). This means we will copy your check and use the
account information on it to electronically debit your account
for the amount of the check. The debit from your account will
usually take 24 hours, and will be shown on your regular
account statement.
You will not receive your original check back. We will
destroy your original check, but we will keep a copy of it. If
the EFT cannot be processed for technical reasons, you
authorize us to process the copy in place of your original
check. If the EFT cannot be completed because of insufficient
funds, we may try to make the transfer up to two times.
How to Check If the Fees Are Correct.
The form and biometric fees on this form are current as of the
edition date appearing in the lower right corner of this page.
However, because USCIS fees change periodically, you can
verify if the fees are correct by following one of the steps
below:
1. Visit our website at www.uscis.gov, select
"Immigration Forms" and check the appropriate fee;
2. Review the Fee Schedule included in your form
package, if you called us to request the form; or
3. Telephone our National Customer Service Center at
1-800-375-5283 and ask for the fee information.
NOTE: If your Form XXX requires payment of a biometric
service fee for USCIS to take your fingerprints, photograph or
signature, you can use the same procedure to obtain the correct
biometric fee.

Where To File?
For all applicants seeking a U.S. citizenship and the issuance
of a certificate of citizenship for a minor adopted or biological
child who resides outside of the United States and qualifies
for citizenship under section 322 of the INA, the Form
N-600K may be filed at any USCIS office or suboffice in the
United States or its outlying possessions (including San Juan,
Puerto Rico; the U.S. Virgin Islands; and Guam). The address
of USCIS offices can be found at:
http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/fieldoffices/alphaa.htm.
General Requirements
The following is a list of documents that must be submitted
with the Form N-600K. Unless specifically noted
otherwise, every applicant must submit each of the
documents listed below for himself/herself and the U.S.
citizen parent(s) (or grandparent(s) if applicable)
through whom the applicant is claiming U.S.
citizenship.

Any document in a foreign language must be accompanied
by a translation in English. The translator must certify that
he/she is competent to translate and that the translation is
true and accurate. For each document needed, you may
submit a clear, readable copy or the originals. Do not send
an original Certificate of Citizenship or Certificate of
Naturalization. USCIS may request that you present
original documents at the interview.
A.

Photographs.

If you are filing for a reentry permit or a refugee travel
document, or if you are in the United States and filing for
an advance parole document:
You must submit two identical color photographs of
yourself taken within 30 days of the filing of this
application. The photos must have a white to off-white
background, be printed on thin paper with a glossy
finish, and be unmounted and unretouched.
Passport-style photos must be 2" x 2." The photos must
be in color with full face, frontal view on a white to offwhite background. Head height should measure 1" to 1
3/8" from top of hair to bottom of chin, and eye height is
between 1 1/8" to 1 3/8" from bottom of photo. Your
head must be bare unless you are wearing a headdress as
required by a religious order of which you are a member.
Using pencil or felt pen, lightly print your name and Alien
Receipt Number on the back of the photo.
B. Birth Certificate or Record of the Child - A
certified birth certificate or record issued by a civil
authority in the country of birth.
C. Birth Certificate or Record of the Citizen
Parent - A certified birth certificate or record
issued by a civil authority in the country of birth is
required for applications filed by a citizen parent
of a citizen parent.
D. Marriage Certificate(s) - Certified marriage
certificate(s) issued by a civil authority in the state
or country of marriage.
E. Documents Showing the Termination of a
Marriage - Examples include a divorce decree,
death certificate, or annulment document.
F. Proof of U.S. Citizenship - Examples of this are
birth certificates showing birth in the United
States; an N-550, Certificate of Naturalization; an
N-560, Certificate of Citizenship; an FS-240,
Report of Birth Abroad of United States Citizen;
or a valid unexpired U.S passport.
Proof of Legitimation - (Only required for
applicants who were born out of wedlock).

Form N-600K Instructions (Rev. 07/30/07) Y Page 2

Documents must establish legitimation according
to the laws of the child's residence or domicile or
father's residence or domicile (if applicable).
Legitimation for INA benefits requires that the
child is in the legal custody of the legitimating
parent(s) at the time of legitimation.
G. Proof of Legal Guardianship - Proof of legal
guardianship issued by competent authority in the
place of residence of the legal guardian must be
submitted for any application filed by a legal
guardian in lieu of a deceased citizen parent.
H. Proof of Legal Custody - (Only required for applicants
whose U.S. citizen parent(s) divorced and/or separated
and for applicants who are adopted or legitimated).
I. Evidence of Lawful Admission and Maintenance of
Such Lawful Status (e.g. Form I-94, Arrival/Departure
Record) - (Required at time of interview for all
applicants seeking citizenship under section 322 of the
INA).
J.

Proof of Required Residence or Physical
Presence in the United States - Any document
that proves the U.S citizen parent(s)' residence or
physical presence in the United States. This proof
may include but is not limited to the following:
a. School, employment, military records;
b. Deeds, mortgages, leases showing residence;
c. Attestations by churches, unions, or other
organizations;
d. U.S. Social Security quarterly reports;

An application filed by any grandparent or legal
guardian in lieu of a deceased citizen parent that
relies on the physical presence of a citizen
grandparent cannot be approved unless evidence is
submitted that the citizen grandparent was a U.S.
citizen and still alive at the time of the death of the
citizen parent.
M.

Copy of Notice of Approval of a Form I-600,
Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate
Relative, and Supporting Documentation for
Such Form (Except Home Study) - (All adopted
orphans applying under section 322 of the INA must
either have this form or have complied with the two
years legal custody and two years of joint residence
requirement of INA 101(b)(1)(E)).

N.

Copy of Full, Final Adoption Decree - (Only
required for adopted applicants).

O.

Evidence of All Legal Name Changes.

What If a Document Is Not Available?
If it is not possible to obtain any one of the aboverequired documents, you must establish why the
evidence is not available. You may be required to
submit an original written statement from the relevant
government or other authority explaining the reason for
the unavailability of the document(s). You may submit
the following secondary evidence for consideration.
However, secondary documents that do not overcome
the availability of primary documents may result in
denial of the application:
1.

e. Affidavits of third parties having knowledge
of the residence and physical presence.
K. Proof of U.S. Citizen Grandparent(s)' Required
Physical Presence in the United States - (Only
required for applicants seeking citizenship under
section 322 of the Act whose U.S. citizen parent(s)
does not meet the physical presence requirement
of five years in the United States, two years of
which were after the age of 14).
Documentation establishing that the U.S. citizen
grandparent(s) met the required physical presence
requirements.
L.

Current Status of Citizen Grandparent.
An application filed by a citizen parent that relies
on the physical presence in the United States of a
citizen grandparent cannot be approved unless the
citizen grandparent is a U.S. citizen, if living, or if
deceased, was at the time of his or her death a U.S.
citizen.

2.

Baptismal Certificate: A certificate under the
seal of the church where the baptism occurred,
showing the date and place of the child's birth, date
of baptism, the names of the godparents, if known.
Church Records: A certificate under the church
seal issued within two months of birth.

3.

School Record: A letter from authorities of the
school attended (preferably the first school),
showing the date of admission to the school, the
child's date of birth or age at that time, place of
birth, and the names and places of birth of
parents, if shown in the school records.

4.

Census Records: State or federal census records
showing the name(s) and place(s) of birth, and the
date(s) of birth or age(s) of the person(s) listed.

Form N-600K Instructions (Rev. 07/30/07) Y Page 3

5.

Affidavits: Written statements sworn to (or
affirmed) by two persons who have personal
knowledge of the claimed event (i.e., the date and
place of a birth, marriage, or death). The persons
may be relatives and need not be citizens of the
United States. Each affidavit should contain the
following information regarding the person
making the affidavit: his (her) full name and
address; date and place of birth; relationship to
the applicant, if any; full information concerning
the event; and complete details concerning how he
(she) acquired knowledge of the event.

2.

Name Exactly as It Appears on Your Permanent
Resident Card (if applicable and if different from
above) - Write the child's name exactly as it appears
on the card, even if it is misspelled.

3.

Other Names Used Since Birth - If the child has
ever used any other names since birth, write them in
this section. If you need more space, use a
separate sheet of paper.

4.

U.S. Social Security Number - Print the child's U.
S. Social Security number. If the child does not
have a Social Security number, write "N/A" in the
space provided.

5.

Date of Birth - Use eight numbers to show the
child's date of birth (example: May 1, 1992, should
be written 05/01/1992).

6.

Country of Birth - Give the name of the country
where the child was born. Write the name of the
country even if it no longer exists. If the name of
the country has changed, write the name of the
country as it was at the time of your birth.

7.

Country of Citizenship/Nationality - Write the
name of the country of the child's citizenship/
nationality.

How Do I Complete This Application?
1. Please print clearly or type your answers using
CAPITAL letters in each box.
2. Use black ink.
3. If the child has a USCIS "A" number, write the
"A" number in the place indicated on the top
right hand corner of the first page. Use the ''A"
number on the Permanent Resident Card (formerly
known as the Alien Registration Receipt or
''Green'' Card), if the child has one. Otherwise, use
the ''A'' number shown on the USCIS or former
INS-issued correspondence about the child.
4. If a question does not apply to you, write N/A
(meaning "Not Applicable") in the space provided.

A.

5. If you need extra space to answer any item:
A. Attach a separate sheet of paper (or more
sheets if needed);
B. Write your name, your ''A" number (if
available), and "N-600K" on the top right
corner of the sheet; and
C. Write the number of each question for which
you are providing additional information.

Step-By-Step Instructions.
This form is divided into ten parts. The information
below will help you fill out the form.

If the country no longer exists and/or the child
is stateless, write the name of the country
where the child was last a citizen or national.

B. If the child is a citizen or national of more
than one country, write the name of the
foreign country that issued the last passport.
8.

Gender - Indicate whether male or female.

9.

Height - Give the child's height in feet and inches.

Part 2. Information About
the Child's Eligibility.
Check the box that indicates why the child is eligible to
apply for a certificate of citizenship.

Part 1. Information About Your Child.
NOTE: If you are a U.S. citizen parent, grandparent or
legal guardian applying for a certificate of citizenship on
behalf of your minor biological or adopted child, give
information for your minor child.
1.

Current Legal Name - The child's current legal
name is the name on the birth certificate unless it
has been changed after birth by a legal action such
as a marriage, adoption, or court order.

If you are a U.S. citizen parent applying for a certificate
of citizenship on behalf of a minor biological child, check
the box in Section A. If you are a U.S. citizen parent
applying for a certificate of citizenship on behalf of a
minor adopted child, check the box in Section B. If you
are the U.S. citizen parent of a deceased U.S. citizen
parent applying for your grandchild, check the box in
Section C. If you are the U.S. citizen legal guardian of an
eligible child, check the box in Section C.

Form N-600K Instructions (Rev. 07/30/07) Y Page 4

Part 3. Additional Information
About the Child.

8.

The information in this section should be about the
child who will be issued the certificate of citizenship.
NOTE: If you are a U.S. citizen parent, grandparent or
legal guardian applying for a certificate of citizenship
on behalf of a minor biological or adopted child, give
information for your minor child.
1.

Home Address - Give the address where the
child now lives. Do not put post office (P.O.) box
numbers here.

2.

Mailing Address - If the mailing address is the
same as the home address, write "same." If the
mailing address is different from the home
address, write it in this part. Provide "Care Of"
information if applicable.

3.

Telephone Numbers - Telephone numbers and email addresses allow USCIS to contact you more
quickly about the application. If you are hearing
impaired and use a TTY telephone connection,
please indicate this by writing "(TTY)" after the
telephone number.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Marital Status of Parents at Time of Birth (or
Adoption) - Indicate whether the child's parents
were married to each other at the time of the
child's birth. If the child was born out-ofwedlock, indicate "No," even if the parents
subsequently married. If the child was adopted,
indicate whether the adoptive parents were
married to each other at the time of the adoption.

Part 4. Information on Child's U.S. Citizen
Father or Mother (or Adoptive Father or
Mother).
NOTE: If you are a U.S. citizen father or mother (or
adoptive father or mother) applying for citizenship
and a certificate of citizenship on behalf of your minor
child, where information is requested about in this
section, provide information about YOURSELF in
the sections noted.
If you are a U.S. citizen
grandparent or legal guardian, provide information
about the child's U.S. citizen PARENT in the sections
noted.
1.

Current Legal Name - Give current legal name,
or name at time of death, of the U.S. citizen father
or mother. It is the name on the birth certificate
unless it was changed after birth by a legal action
such as a marriage, adoption, or court order.

2.

Date of Birth - Use eight numbers to show the U.
S. citizen father or mother's date of birth
(example: May 1, 1969, should be written
05/01/1969).

Do not complete this section. The USCIS
Adjudicator will complete this during the
interview.

3.

Previous Application for Certificate of
Citizenship or U.S. Passport - If you know of
any prior application for a certificate of citizenship
or a U.S. passport (or you are a U.S. citizen parent
who previously applied for a certificate of
citizenship or U.S. passport for your minor child),
indicate on a separate piece of paper what
happened with the application and whether a
certificate of citizenship or U.S. passport was or
was not issued.

Country of Birth - Give the name of the country
where the U.S. citizen father or mother was born.
Write the name of the country even if it no longer
exists. If the name of the country has changed,
write the name of the country as it was at the time
of your U.S. citizen father or mother's birth.

4.

Home Address - Give the address where the U.S.
citizen father or mother now lives. Do not put post
office (P.O.) box numbers here.

5.

U.S. Citizenship - Indicate how the U.S. citizen
father or mother became a U.S. citizen. Provide all
the requested information.

6.

Loss of U.S. Citizenship - Indicate whether the U.
S. citizen father or mother ever lost U.S.
citizenship. Provide this information even if the
U.S. citizen father or mother regained citizenship
at a later date.

Current Marital Status - Check the marital
status the child has on the date you are filing this
application.
Information About the Child's Entry Into the
U.S. and Current Immigration Status -

Information on Adoption - If the child was
adopted, provide information as to the place and
date of adoption.

Form N-600K Instructions (Rev. 07/30/07) Y Page 5

7.

Residence and/or Physical Presence - Provide all
the dates when the U.S. citizen father or mother
was in United States. Dates should include all time
immediately after birth as well as after the age of
14 years and older.

8.

Marital History.

B.

Date of Birth - Use eight numbers to show the U.
S. citizen grandfather or grandmother's date of
birth (example: May 1, 1949, should be written
05/01/1949).

C.

Country of Birth - Give the name of the country
where the U.S. citizen grandfather or grandmother
was born. Write the name of the country even if it
no longer exists. If the name of the country has
changed, write the name of the country as it was at
the time of the U.S. citizen grandfather or
grandmother's birth.

D.

Home Address - Give the address where the U.S.
citizen grandfather or grandmother now lives. Do
not put post office (P.O.) box numbers here.

E.

U.S. Citizenship - Indicate how the U.S. citizen
grandfather or grandmother became a U.S. citizen.
Provide all the requested information.

F.

Loss of U.S. Citizenship - Indicate whether the U.
S. citizen grandfather or grandmother ever lost U.
S. citizenship. Provide this information even if the
U.S. citizen grandfather or grandmother regained
citizenship at a later date.

G.

Residence and/or Physical Presence - Provide
all the dates when the U.S. citizen grandfather or
grandmother was in United States. Dates should
include all time immediately after birth as well as
after the age of 14 years and older.

A. Write the number of times the U.S. citizen
father or mother was married. Include any
annulled marriages. If there were more than
one marriage to the same spouse, count each
time as a separate marriage.
B.

If now married, provide information about
the U.S. citizen father or mother's current
spouse. Check appropriate box to indicate
immigration status.

C. Indicate whether the U.S. citizen father or
mother's current spouse is also your parent.
If "No," you will be asked to provide
information about your father or mother's
previous spouse or spouses.

Part 5. Information About the U.S. Citizen
Grandfather or Grandmother.
Complete This Section Only If:
1. You are a U.S. citizen parent, grandparent or legal
guardian applying for citizenship on behalf of a
United States citizen's adopted or biological child
who regularly resides outside the United States;
2. The U.S. citizen parent, has not been physically
present in the United States for five years, two
years of which were after the age of 14 years; and
3. If the eligible application is relying on the physical
presence in the United States of the U.S citizen
father or mother of the United States citizen parent
(the child's grandfather or grandmother) to get
citizenship for the adopted or biological child.
The applicant should provide information about the U.
S. citizen parent (the grandparent of the child) of the U.
S. citizen father or mother in the sections noted.
A.

Current Legal Name - Give current legal name
of the U.S. citizen grandfather or grandmother. It
is the name on his or her birth certificate unless it
was changed after birth by a legal action such as a
marriage, adoption or court order.

Part 6. Legal Guardian.
Complete this part only for applications filed by a
legal guardian in lieu of a deceased U.S. citizen
parent.

Part 7. Your Signature.
Except in cases in which a U.S. citizen parent of the
child has died, only a U.S. citizen parent may file this
application on their child's behalf. In cases in which a
U.S. citizen parent has died, a U.S. citizen grandparent
or U.S. citizen legal guardian can file the application.
The applicant must sign and date the application. If the
applicant does not sign the application, the application
will be returned.
Form N-600K Instructions (Rev. 07/30/07) Y Page 6

Part 8. Signature of Person Preparing
Form, If Other Than Applicant.
If you do not fill out the Form N-600K yourself, the
preparer must also sign, date and give his or her
address. If the preparer is a business or organization,
its' name must be included on the form.

Part 9. Affidavit.
Do not complete this part. You will be asked to
complete this part at the interview.

Part 10. Officer Report and Recommendation.
Do not complete this part. This part is for USCIS
use only.

USCIS Forms and Information.
To order USCIS forms, call our toll-free number at
1-800-870-3676. You can also get USCIS forms and
information on immigration laws, regulations and procedures
by telephoning our National Customer Service Center at
1-800-375-5283 or visiting our internet website at www.uscis.
gov.

Privacy Act Notice.
We ask for the information on this form, and associated
evidence, to determine if you have established eligibility for
the immigration benefit for which you are filing. Our legal
right to ask for this information can be found in the
Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended. We may
provide this information to other government agencies.
Failure to provide this information, and any requested
evidence, may delay a final decision or result in denial of
your Form N-600K.

Paperwork Reduction Act.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor an information
collection and a person is not required to respond to a
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid
OMB control number. The public reporting burden for this
collection of information is estimated at 1 hour and 35 minutes
per response, including the time for reviewing instructions,
completing and submitting the form. Send comments
regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this
collection of information, including suggestions for reducing
this burden, to: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services,
Regulatory Management Division, 111 Massachusetts
Avenue, N.W., 3rd Floor, Suite 3008, Washington, DC 20529.
OMB No.1615-0087 . Do not mail your application to this
address.

As an altenative to waiting in line for assistance at your local
USCIS office, you can now schedule an appointment through
our internet-based system, InfoPass. To access the system,
visit our website. Use the InfoPass appointment scheduler and
follow the screen prompts to set up your appointment.
InfoPass generates an electronic appointment notice that
appears on the screen.

Penalties.
If you knowingly and willfully falsify or conceal a material
fact or submit a false document with this request, we will
deny the benefit you are filing for, and may deny any other
immigration benefit. In addition, you will face severe
penalties provided by law, and may be subject to criminal
prosecution.

Form N-600K Instructions (Rev. 07/30/07) Y Page 7