Mother is US citizen, father is an alien, have father´s last name, can I still receive US citizenship?

Question

Parents aren´t legally married, mother is US citizen, father is an alien. Can I still get US citizenship even with my father´s last name or is it better to have only my mother´s last name? I was born abroad!!! Please help!

Answer 1

Yes, your mother just has to petition for your residency.  Once you have that you can become a citizen

Answer 2

Your name makes no difference.  All that matters is that your mother's name is on your birth certificate.

Answer 3

I am a dual citizen...You just have to declare dual citizen  by 18....You DONT have to pick one or the other unless you want to serve in the armed forces or government and besides you other country still views you as a citizen so you never lose that status....I was born in the Dominican Republic my mom is Dominican my pops is Brazilian American...and both of them are dual nationals

Answer 4

first of all, what age do you have?and when did you come in the US?at what age?

and the country where you were born?

you may not carry your mother's last name only ,since you already carry your father's last name,

some country do not allow dual citizenship, the US does.

basically you carry your father's citizenship; by jus sanguinis which means :Jus sanguinis (Latin for "right of blood") is a right by which nationality or citizenship can be recognized to any individual born to a parent who is a national or citizen of that state. It contrasts with jus soli (Latin for "right of soil"). and being born in another country,(right of soil)in your case? both;you are a citizen of the birth country .

now, if your mother does not register your birth abroad to the US embassy? you are not an US citizen.if in your birth country the military service is still in place? and ? are a male? you will have to do your military servcice in your birth country.

now, if you wish to come back and clear your question a bit more? i will give you the answer,

you may edit and add comments to your question, by going under your question, click on the little pencil under it , add comments, as to which country you were born,

your age

and what year you came in the US,

i will come back here to check your answer.

ps:

no the last name does not matter ever

here is what the US says about that:

If a non-US-born child's parents are not married, the child's claim to US citizenship depends on whether the American parent is the mother or the father. Section 309 of the INA [8 USC § 1409] grants US citizenship at birth to an "illegitimate" child if his/her American mother had previously spent at least one continuous full year in the US. If the child's American parent is his/her father, however, the child has US citizenship at birth only if the father's paternity is formally established and the father agrees in writing to support the child financially. This s*x-based disparity was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2001 (Nguyen v. INS).

here is the page of the US law about citizenship: read it if you wish ? it is very useful and the legal version.

http://www.richw.org/dualcit/law.html

Answer 5

i secon Yak rider opinion    if your mother met  the  residency obligation  she need to report  your bith  to the nearest US Embassy or consulate   upon    complition of this obligation you are an america citizen

Answer 6

Right now your a dual citizen. Basically if you in the US your considered an American but when your in the country where you were born your considered that. At 18 you have to pick one though US or the other one. But you will have no restrictions in entering or leaving the country as of now.

Answer 7

All the answers above mine are wrong.

If you and your mother live overseas, and you were born overseas, she can pass her American citizenship along to you... BUT ... she must have lived in the United States for at least 5 years and 2 of those years must have been after she turned 18 years of age.  If she didn't live in the United States long enough then she CANNOT pass citizenship along to you.

If your mother DID live in the US long enough all she needs to do is report your birth to any US embassy or consulate and fill out the necessary paperwork.

If you were born in the United States then you are a citizen by birth.

Answer 8

It depends.

If your mother was a citizen when you were born then you probabally already are a citizen. based on some pre conditions.

1, your mother must have livied in the US for atleast 5 years after her 16th birthday.

2, Also depends what year you were born in

etc etc.

Does not matter about your last name. Be proud of it, what ever it is. NO need to change your name.

If you are not already a citizen by birth through your mother then you mother can apply for you a relative petition form I-130 which can be downloaded from Immigration's website.

www.uscis.gov

Also, to find out if you are a US citizen or not, contact your local US embassy or look at the Dept of state website.

www.state.gov

If you need further help, let me know. I will help you.

Answer 9

hhhmmm your father is an alien OK can i buy his UFO

Answer 10

If your mother was not married to your father but she was a citizen who had resided in the US for at least 1 year, you may acquire US citizenship under INA 309,

Your last name doesn't matter, just be able to prove that your mother is a citizen.  To apply for a certificate of citizenship, complete form N-600.  The link is attached.

Answer 11

Hm?

If you were born in the United States, you are an American citizen, it doesn't matter if there are no parent's names on the birth certificate...

This is all that matters, what the supreme court/US constitution says, technically if you were born here you are a citizen, if not you need to become one through a process.

AMENDMENT XIV

Passed by Congress June 13, 1866. Ratified July 9, 1868.

Note: Article I, section 2, of the Constitution was modified by section 2 of the 14th amendment.

Section 1.

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.