A new policy alert released by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services under President Trump’s administration, has cancelled automatic citizenship for the children of some US service members and US government employees living abroad and children of non-citizens born in the United States.
Under the new citizenship policy which will be effective from October 29 as announced on Wednesday August 28, US citizens who gave birth to their children abroad are expected to apply for U.S. citizenship ahead of the child’s 18th birthday.
Previously, their children would be considered to be both living in and outside of the US for purposes of eventually gaining citizenship.
By stripping the children of the former, the only way they can get citizenship is through a parent applying for them, whereas before it would’ve been automatic provided they meet certain requirements, said Cristobal Ramon, senior policy analyst at the Bipartisan Policy Center. USCIS says the policy could affect children of lawful permanent residents who naturalized after a child’s birth.