2016 US Code
Title 8 - Aliens and Nationality
Chapter 12 - Immigration and Nationality
Subchapter III - Nationality and Naturalization
Part II - Nationality Through Naturalization
Sec. 1431 - 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

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:

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 section 1101(b)(1) of this title.

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. 477, title III, ch. 2, §320, 66 Stat. 245; Pub. L. 95–417, §4, Oct. 5, 1978, 92 Stat. 917; Pub. L. 97–116, §18(m), Dec. 29, 1981, 95 Stat. 1620; Pub. L. 99–653, §14, Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3657; Pub. L. 100–525, §§8(l), 9(w), Oct. 24, 1988, 102 Stat. 2618, 2621; Pub. L. 106–395, title I, §101(a), Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1631; Pub. L. 113–74, §2, Jan. 16, 2014, 127 Stat. 1212.)

2014—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 113–74 added subsec. (c).

2000—Pub. L. 106–395 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—

"(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."

1988—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 100–525, §8(l), repealed Pub. L. 99–653, §14. See 1986 Amendment note below.

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

1986—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 99–653, §14, which inserted "unmarried and" after "such child is", was repealed by Pub. L. 100–525, §8(l).

1981—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 97–116 substituted "an adopted child only if the child" for "a child adopted while under the age of sixteen years who".

1978—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 95–417 substituted in pars. (1) and (2) "eighteen years" for "sixteen years".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 95–417 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.

Pub. L. 106–395, title I, §104, Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1633, provided that: "The amendments made by this title [amending this section and section 1433 of this title and repealing section 1432 of this title] shall take effect 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 30, 2000] and shall apply to individuals who satisfy the requirements of section 320 or 322 of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1431, 1433], as in effect on such effective date."

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

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–116 effective Dec. 29, 1981, see section 21(a) of Pub. L. 97–116, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title.