22 C.F.R. PART 50—NATIONALITY PROCEDURES
Title 22 - Foreign Relations
Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2651a; 8 U.S.C. 1104, 1502, 1503 and 1504.
Source: 31 FR 13537, Oct. 20, 1966, unless otherwise noted.
The following definitions shall be applicable to this part: (a) United States means the continental United States, the State of Hawaii, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, the Canal Zone, American Samoa, Guam and any other islands or territory over which the United States exercises jurisdiction. (b) Department means the Department of State of the United States of America. (c) Secretary means the Secretary of State. (d) National means a citizen of the United States or a noncitizen owing permanent allegiance to the United States. (e) Passport means a travel document issued under the authority of the Secretary of State attesting to the identity and nationality of the bearer. (f) Passport Agent means a person designated by the Department to accept passport applications. (g) Designated nationality examiner means a United States citizen employee of the Department of State assigned or employed abroad (permanently or temporarily) and designated by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Overseas Citizen Services, to grant, issue and verify U.S. passports. A designated nationality examiner may adjudicate claims of acquisition and loss of United States nationality and citizenship as required for the purpose of providing passport and related services. The authority of designated nationality examiners shall include the authority to examine, adjudicate, approve and deny passport applications and applications for related services. The authority of designated nationality examiners shall expire upon termination of the employee's assignment for such duty and may also be terminated at any time by the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Overseas Citizen Services. [31 FR 13537, Oct. 20, 1966, as amended at 31 FR 14521, Nov. 11, 1966; 61 FR 43311, Aug. 22, 1996] The Department shall determine claims to United States nationality when made by persons abroad on the basis of an application for registration, for a passport, or for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America. Such determinations of nationality may be made abroad by a consular officer or a designated nationality examiner. A designated nationality examiner may accept and approve/disapprove applications for registration and accept and approve/disapprove applications for passports and issue passports. Under the supervision of a consular officer, designated nationality examiners shall accept, adjudicate, disapprove and provisionally approve applications for the Consular Report of Birth Abroad. A Consular Report of Birth Abroad may only be issued by a consular officer, who will review a designated nationality examiner's provisional approval of an application for such report and issue the report if satisfied that the claim to nationality has been established. [31 FR 13537, Oct. 20, 1966, as amended at 61 FR 43311, Aug. 22, 1996] (a) A person abroad who claims U.S. nationality, or a representative on his behalf, may apply at a consular post for registration to establish his claim to U.S. nationality or to make his residence in the particular consular area a matter of record. (b) The applicant shall execute the registration form prescribed by the Department and shall submit the supporting evidence required by subpart C of part 51 of this chapter. A diplomatic or consular officer or a designated nationality examiner shall determine the period of time for which the registration will be valid. [31 FR 13537, Oct. 20, 1966, as amended at 61 FR 43312, Aug. 22, 1996] A claim to U.S. nationality in connection with an application for passport shall be determined by posts abroad in accordance with the regulations contained in part 51 of this chapter. Upon application by the parent(s) or the child's legal guardian, a consular officer or designated nationality examiner may accept and adjudicate the application for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America for a child born in their consular district. In specific instances, the Department may authorize consular officers and other designated employees to adjudicate the application for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a child born outside his/her consular district. Under the supervision of a consular officer, designated nationality examiners shall accept, adjudicate, disapprove and provisionally approve applications for the Consular Report of Birth Abroad. The applicant shall be required to submit proof of the child's birth, identity and citizenship meeting the evidence requirements of subpart C of part 51 of this subchapter and shall include: (a) Proof of child's birth. Proof of child's birth usually consists of, but is not limited to, an authentic copy of the record of the birth filed with local authorities, a baptismal certificate, a military hospital certificate of birth, or an affidavit of the doctor or the person attending the birth. If no proof of birth is available, the person seeking to register the birth shall submit his affidavit explaining why such proof is not available and setting forth the facts relating to the birth. (b) Proof of child's citizenship. Evidence of parent's citizenship and, if pertinent, evidence of parent's physical presence in the United States as required for transmittal of claim of citizenship by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 shall be submitted. [31 FR 13537, Oct. 20, 1966, as amended at 61 FR 43312, Aug. 22, 1996] In the time of war or national emergency, passport agents may be designated to complete consular reports of birth for children born at military facilities which are not under the jurisdiction of a consular office. An officer of the Armed Forces having authority to administer oaths may take applications for registration under this section. (a) Upon application and the submission of satisfactory proof of birth, identity and nationality, and at the time of the reporting of the birth, the consular officer may issue to the parent or legal guardian, when approved and upon payment of a prescribed fee, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America. (b) Amended and replacement Consular Reports of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America may be issued by the Department of State's Passport Office upon written request and payment of the required fee. (c) When it reports a birth under §50.6, the Department shall furnish the Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America to the parent or legal guardian upon application and payment of required fees. (d) A consular report of birth, or a certification thereof, may be canceled if it appears that such document was illegally, fraudulently, or erroneously obtained, or was created through illegality or fraud. The cancellation under this paragraph of such a document purporting to show the citizenship status of the person to whom it was issued shall affect only the document and not the citizenship status of the person in whose name the document was issued. A person for or to whom such document has been issued or made shall be given at such person's last known address, written notice of the cancellation of such document, together with the specific reasons for the cancellation and the procedures for review available under the provisions in 22 CFR 51.81 through 51.89. [61 FR 43312, Aug. 22, 1996, as amended at 64 FR 19714, Apr. 22, 1999] At any time subsequent to the issuance of a Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America, when requested and upon payment of the required fee, the Department of State's Passport Office may issue to the citizen, the citizen's parent or legal guardian a certificate entitled “Certification of Report of Birth Abroad of a United States Citizen.” [61 FR 43312, Aug. 22, 1996] When authorized by the Department, consular offices or designated nationality examiners may issue a card of identity for travel to the United States to nationals of the United States being deported from a foreign country, to nationals/citizens of the United States involved in a common disaster abroad, or to a returning national of the United States to whom passport services have been denied or withdrawn under the provisions of this part or parts 51 or 53 of this subchapter. [61 FR 43312, Aug. 22, 1996] (a) Any person who acquired the nationality of the United States at birth and who is involved in any judicial or administrative proceedings in a foreign state and needs to establish his U.S. nationality may apply for a certificate of nationality in the form prescribed by the Department. (b) An applicant for a certificate of nationality must submit evidence of his nationality and documentary evidence establishing that he is involved in judicial or administrative proceedings in which proof of his U.S. nationality is required. (a) A person applying abroad for a certificate of identity under section 360(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act shall complete the application form prescribed by the Department and submit evidence to support his claim to U.S. nationality. (b) When a diplomatic or consular officer denies an application for a certificate of identity under this section, the applicant may submit a written appeal to the Secretary, stating the pertinent facts, the grounds upon which U.S. nationality is claimed and his reasons for considering that the denial was not justified. [31 FR 14521, Nov. 11, 1966] (a) Section 351(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. (1) A person who desires to claim U.S. nationality under the provisions of section 351(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act must, within the time period specified in the statute, assert a claim to U.S. nationality and subscribe to an oath of allegiance before a diplomatic or consular officer. (2) In addition, the person shall submit to the Department a statement reciting the person's identity and acquisition or derivation of U.S. nationality, the facts pertaining to the performance of any act which would otherwise have been expatriative, and his desire to retain his U.S. nationality. [31 FR 13537, Oct. 20, 1966, as amended at 61 FR 29652, 29653, June 12, 1996] (a) Section 324(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. (1) A woman formerly a citizen of the United States at birth who wishes to regain her citizenship under section 324(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act may apply abroad to a diplomatic or consular officer on the form prescribed by the Department to take the oath of allegiance prescribed by section 337 of that Act. (2) The applicant shall submit documentary evidence to establish her eligibility to take the oath of allegiance. If the diplomatic or consular officer or the Department determines, when the application is submitted to the Department for decision, that the applicant is ineligible for resumption of citizenship because of section 313 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the oath shall not be administered. (b) The Act of June 25, 1936. (1) A woman who has been restored to citizenship by the Act of June 25, 1936, as amended by the Act of July 2, 1940, but who failed to take the oath of allegiance prior to December 24, 1952, as prescribed by the nationality laws, may apply abroad to any diplomatic or consular officer to take the oath of allegiance as prescribed by section 337 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. (2) The applicant shall submit documentary evidence to establish her eligibility to take the oath of allegiance. If the diplomatic or consular officer or the Department determines, when the application is submitted to the Department, that the applicant is ineligible for resumption of citizenship under section 313 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the oath shall not be administered. (c) Certification of repatriation. Upon request and payment of the prescribed fee, a diplomatic or consular officer or the Department shall issue a certified copy of the application and oath administered to a woman repatriated under this section. (d) Section 324(d)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. (1) A former citizen of the United States who did not retain U.S. citizenship by failure to fulfill residency requirements as set out in Section 201(g) of the 1940 Nationality Act or former 301(b) of the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act, may regain his/her U.S. citizenship pursuant to Section 324(d) INA, by applying abroad at a diplomatic or consular post, or in the U.S. at any Immigration and Naturalization Service office in the form and manner prescribed by the Department of State and the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). (2) The applicant shall submit documentary evidence to establish eligibility to take the oath of allegiance, which includes proof of birth abroad to a U.S. citizen parent between May 24, 1934 and December 24, 1952. If the diplomatic, consular, INS, or passport officer determines that the applicant is ineligible to regain citizenship under section 313 INA, the oath shall not be administered. [31 FR 13537, Oct. 20, 1966, as amended at 61 FR 29653, June 12, 1996] (a) Administrative presumption. In adjudicating potentially expatriating acts pursuant to INA 349(a), the Department has adopted an administrative presumption regarding certain acts and the intent to commit them. U.S. citizens who naturalize in a foreign country; take a routine oath of allegiance; or accept non-policy level employment with a foreign government need not submit evidence of intent to retain U.S. nationality. In these three classes of cases, intent to retain U.S. citizenship will be presumed. A person who affirmatively asserts to a consular officer, after he or she has committed a potentially expatriating act, that it was his or her intent to relinquish U.S. citizenship will lose his or her U.S. citizenship. In other loss of nationality cases, the consular officer will ascertain whether or not there is evidence of intent to relinquish U.S. nationality. (b) Whenever a person admits that he or she had the intent to relinquish citizenship by the voluntary and intentional performance of one of the acts specified in Section 349(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and the person consents to the execution of an affidavit to that effect, the diplomatic or consular officer shall attach such affidavit to the certificate of loss of nationality. (c) Whenever a diplomatic or consular officer has reason to believe that a person, while in a foreign country, has lost his U.S. nationality under any provision of chapter 3 of title III of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, or under any provision of chapter IV of the Nationality Act of 1940, as amended, he shall prepare a certificate of loss of nationality containing the facts upon which such belief is based and shall forward the certificate to the Department. (d) If the diplomatic or consular officer determines that any document containing information relevant to the statements in the certificate of loss of nationality should not be attached to the certificate, the person may summarize the pertinent information in the appropriate section of the certificate and send the documents together with the certificate to the Department. (e) If the certificate of loss of nationality is approved by the Department, a copy shall be forwarded to the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Department of Justice. The diplomatic or consular office in which the certificate was prepared shall then forward a copy of the certificate to the person to whom it relates or his representative. [31 FR 13537, Oct. 20, 1996. Redesignated and amended at 61 FR 29652, June 12, 1996; 63 FR 20315, Apr. 24, 1998] (a) A person desiring to renounce U.S. nationality under section 349(a)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act shall appear before a diplomatic or consular officer of the United States in the manner and form prescribed by the Department. The renunciant must include on the form he signs a statement that he absolutely and entirely renounces his U.S. nationality together with all rights and privileges and all duties of allegiance and fidelity thereunto pertaining. (b) The diplomatic or consular officer shall forward to the Department for approval the oath of renunciation together with a certificate of loss of nationality as provided by section 358 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. If the officer's report is approved by the Department, copies of the certificate shall be forwarded to the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Department of Justice, and to the person to whom it relates or his representative. [31 FR 13537, Oct. 20, 1966, as amended at 61 FR 29653, June 12, 1996] When an approved certificate of loss of nationality or certificate of expatriation is forwarded to the person to whom it relates or his or her representative, such person or representative shall be informed of the right to appeal the Department's determination to the Board of Appellate Review (part 7 of this chapter) within one year after approval of the certificate of loss of nationality or the certificate of expatriation. [44 FR 68827, Nov. 30, 1979. Redesignated at 61 FR 29653, June 12, 1996]
Title 22: Foreign Relations
PART 50—NATIONALITY PROCEDURES
Section Contents
§ 50.1 Definitions.
§ 50.2 Determination of U.S. nationality of persons abroad.
§ 50.3 Application for registration.
§ 50.4 Application for passport.
§ 50.5 Application for registration of birth abroad.
§ 50.6 Registration at the Department of birth abroad.
§ 50.7 Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America.
§ 50.8 Certification of Report of Birth Abroad of a United States Citizen.
§ 50.9 Card of identity.
§ 50.10 Certificate of nationality.
§ 50.11 Certificate of identity for travel to the United States to apply for admission.
§ 50.20 Retention of nationality.
§ 50.30 Resumption of nationality.
§ 50.40 Certification of loss of U.S. nationality.
§ 50.50 Renunciation of nationality.
§ 50.51 Notice of right to appeal.
§ 50.1 Definitions.
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Subpart A—Procedures for Determination of United States Nationality of a Person Abroad
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§ 50.2 Determination of U.S. nationality of persons abroad.
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§ 50.3 Application for registration.
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§ 50.4 Application for passport.
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§ 50.5 Application for registration of birth abroad.
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§ 50.6 Registration at the Department of birth abroad.
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§ 50.7 Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America.
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§ 50.8 Certification of Report of Birth Abroad of a United States Citizen.
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§ 50.9 Card of identity.
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§ 50.10 Certificate of nationality.
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§ 50.11 Certificate of identity for travel to the United States to apply for admission.
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Subpart B—Retention and Resumption of Nationality
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§ 50.20 Retention of nationality.
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§ 50.30 Resumption of nationality.
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Subpart C—Loss of Nationality
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§ 50.40 Certification of loss of U.S. nationality.
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§ 50.50 Renunciation of nationality.
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§ 50.51 Notice of right to appeal.
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