US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

8 U.S.C. § 1431

Children born outside the United States and lawfully admitted for permanent residence; conditions under which citizenship automatically acquired

(a)

In general

A child born outside of the United States automatically becomes a citizen of the United States when all of the following conditions have been fulfilled:
(1)
At least one parent of the child is a citizen of the United States, whether by birth or naturalization.
(2)
The child is under the age of eighteen years.
(3)
The child is residing in the United States in the legal and physical custody of the citizen parent pursuant to a lawful admission for permanent residence.
(b)

Adoption

section 1101(b)(1) of this title Subsection (a) shall apply to a child adopted by a United States citizen parent if the child satisfies the requirements applicable to adopted children under .

(c)

Children of military and Federal Government personnel residing abroad

Subsection (a)(3) is deemed satisfied in the case of a child who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States if—
(1)
the child is residing in the legal and physical custody of a citizen parent who is—
(A)
stationed and residing abroad as an employee of the Government of the United States; or
(B)
residing abroad in marital union with an employee of the Government of the United States who is stationed abroad; or
(2)
the child is—
(A)
residing in the legal and physical custody of a citizen parent who is—
(i)
stationed and residing abroad as a member of the Armed Forces of the United States; or
(ii)
authorized to accompany and reside abroad with a member of the Armed Forces of the United States pursuant to the member’s official orders, and is so accompanying and residing abroad with the member in marital union; and
(B)
authorized to accompany such member and reside abroad with the member pursuant to the member’s official orders, and is so accompanying and residing with the member.
(d)

Name and birth date

A Certificate of Citizenship or other Federal document issued or requested to be amended under this section shall reflect the child’s name and date of birth as indicated on a State court order, birth certificate, certificate of foreign birth, certificate of birth abroad, or similar State vital records document issued by the child’s State of residence in the United States after the child has been adopted or readopted in that State.

June 27, 1952, ch. 47766 Stat. 245Pub. L. 95–417, § 492 Stat. 917Pub. L. 97–116, § 18(m)95 Stat. 1620Pub. L. 99–653, § 14100 Stat. 3657Pub. L. 100–525l102 Stat. 2618Pub. L. 106–395, title I, § 101(a)114 Stat. 1631Pub. L. 113–74, § 2127 Stat. 1212Pub. L. 116–133, § 2(a)134 Stat. 274(, title III, ch. 2, § 320, ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , §§ 8(), 9(w), , , 2621; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 116–133, § 2(a)(1)2020—, substituted “Children born outside the united states and lawfully admitted for permanent residence; conditions under which citizenship automatically acquired” for “Children born outside the United States and residing permanently in the United States; conditions under which citizenship automatically acquired; determinations of name and birth date” in section catchline.

Pub. L. 116–133, § 2(a)(2)Subsecs. (c), (d). , (3), added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d).

Pub. L. 113–742014—Subsec. (c). added subsec. (c).

Pub. L. 106–3952000— amended section catchline and text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows:

“(a) A child born outside of the United States, one of whose parents at the time of the child’s birth was an alien and the other of whose parents then was and never thereafter ceased to be a citizen of the United States, shall, if such alien parent is naturalized, become a citizen of the United States, when—

“(1) such naturalization takes place while such child is unmarried and under the age of eighteen years; and

“(2) such child is residing in the United States pursuant to a lawful admission for permanent residence at the time of naturalization or thereafter and begins to reside permanently in the United States while under the age of eighteen years.

“(b) Subsection (a) of this section shall apply to an adopted child only if the child is residing in the United States at the time of naturalization of such adoptive parent, in the custody of his adoptive parents, pursuant to a lawful admission for permanent residence.”

Pub. L. 100–525, § 8lPub. L. 99–653, § 141988—Subsec. (a)(1). (), repealed . See 1986 Amendment note below.

Pub. L. 100–525, § 9(w)Subsec. (b). , substituted “Subsection (a)” for “Subsection (a)(1)”.

Pub. L. 99–653, § 14Pub. L. 100–525, § 8l1986—Subsec. (a)(1). , which inserted “unmarried and” after “such child is”, was repealed by ().

Pub. L. 97–1161981—Subsec. (b). substituted “an adopted child only if the child” for “a child adopted while under the age of sixteen years who”.

Pub. L. 95–4171978—Subsec. (a). substituted in pars. (1) and (2) “eighteen years” for “sixteen years”.

Pub. L. 95–417Subsec. (b). substituted provisions making subsec. (a)(1) of this section applicable to adopted children for provisions making subsec. (a) of this section inapplicable to adopted children.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2000 Amendment

Pub. L. 106–395, title I, § 104114 Stat. 1633

section 1433 of this titlesection 1432 of this title8 U.S.C. 1431“The amendments made by this title [amending this section and and repealing ] shall take effect 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [] and shall apply to individuals who satisfy the requirements of section 320 or 322 of the Immigration and Nationality Act [, 1433], as in effect on such effective date.”
, , , provided that:

Effective Date of 1988 Amendment

lPub. L. 100–525Pub. L. 99–653section 309(b)(15) of Pub. L. 102–232section 1101 of this titleAmendment by section 8() of effective as if included in the enactment of the Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments of 1986, , see , set out as an Effective and Termination Dates of 1988 Amendments note under .

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Pub. L. 97–116section 21(a) of Pub. L. 97–116section 1101 of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .