Chldren of Naturalized Citizens

[darkerhorse]

It's my understanding that the children of a naturalized U.S. citizen became American citizens themselves by virtue of their parent's status.

Is that correct, and would there be a paper trail to find?

I'm interested in the early 1900s, say 1900 to 1920.

[erudita74]

https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Un ... itizenship

go down to the section under Children to read the specifics

As to my own personal experience, my one Sicilian born grandmother who arrived in the U.S. in 1896, one week after her third birthday, came here with her mother and older brother, who was a year and a half older than her. In 1898, her father, who had arrived in this country before them, became a US citizen. According to the law at the time, her mother, brother, and my grandmother were naturalized, at the same time her father was, through what was called derivative citizenship. Yet, their names do not appear anywhere on his naturalization papers. The 1905 NYS census has her as a naturalized citizen, but when you get to the US Federal 1930 census, it says she had alien status, which I know is incorrect. She married in Brooklyn in 1909, was actually still a minor at the time, and her Sicilian born husband, not a minor, had become a citizen in 1906. So, she would have become a citizen under his paperwork, once they were married, if she wasn't already a citizen under her father's paperwork from 1898. Personally, I think it's difficult to find a paper trail for any minor who was naturalized under the derivative citizen law. Others on this forum, however, may have different experiences to share, which may prove me wrong.

Erudita

[darkerhorse]

Thanks.

[Rossonero3]

Are you referring to children that were born in Italy and emigrated to the US? I have a friend with the same situation, his father was a child when he came here. His GF naturalized not long after, so the line is cut off?

[erudita74]

Are you referring to children that were born in Italy and emigrated to the US? I have a friend with the same situation, his father was a child when he came here. His GF naturalized not long after, so the line is cut off?

Yes to your first question but I don't know what you mean by -so the line is cut off?

[Rossonero3]

Sorry...meaning that once the child’s father naturalized, there was no longer a path to Italian citizenship for his child and future generations.

[darkerhorse]

I was talking about US citizenship for an a child whose parent became a naturalized US citizen after the child was born in Italy but before the child immigrated to the US.

[darkerhorse]

Regarding Italian citizenship my understanding is that it depended on when the child was born in the US - if before the parent became naturalized then the child could become an Italian citizen; if after the parent became naturalized then the child could not become an Italian citizen.

[mler]

I was talking about US citizenship for an a child whose parent became a naturalized US citizen after the child was born in Italy but before the child immigrated to the US.

In that case, the child would have become a US citizen when he arrived in the US if he were a minor at that time.

[Rossonero3]

I was talking about US citizenship for an a child whose parent became a naturalized US citizen after the child was born in Italy but before the child immigrated to the US.

Ok right, this is what i am talking about also.

[Rossonero3]

I was talking about US citizenship for an a child whose parent became a naturalized US citizen after the child was born in Italy but before the child immigrated to the US.

In that case, the child would have become a US citizen when he arrived in the US if he were a minor at that time.

this is what's so confusing. But if the child were born in the US to Italian parents who naturalized after the birth, the child has right to Italian citizenship, but if born in Italy, the child naturalizes with the parents, this is what you are saying correct?

[mler]

Yes, that is correct. The difference is that the child born in the US obtained his US citizenship at birth so his father’s naturalization did not affect him. For the child born in Italy, however, the father’s naturalization naturalized him as well, and naturalization ended Italian citizenship.

[bbivona]

Regarding Italian citizenship my understanding is that it depended on when the child was born in the US - if before the parent became naturalized then the child could become an Italian citizen; if after the parent became naturalized then the child could not become an Italian citizen.

You probably know this, but technically it is not that the child could become an Italian citizen, but that he actually is one. My great grandparents came from Sicily with some Sicilian born children and had more born in the US, one of whom is my grandfather. They never naturalized so their American born kids were dual citizens. My grandfather never filed paperwork to have his Italian citizenship recognized. My father was born in the US and even though my grandfather never filed jure sanguinis paper work to be recognized as one, he was nonetheless an Italian citizen. Thus, my father was born an Italian citizen. For that reason I also was born an Italian citizen, and I did file jure sanguinis paperwork and had my Italian citizenship recognized. I am considered to be a citizen from birth on the basis that my father was an Italian citizen, even though he had it officially recognized.