In many cases, children born to US citizens on foreign soil are unaware of the fact that they are US citizens and to demonstrate their status, they just need to apply for and obtain US citizenship certificates. In this case, Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship, must be filed and proof of parents’ citizenship status must be submitted along with Form N-600. If the USCIS accepts your petition and finds that you are eligible for this document, you will be granted a US citizen certificate. This document will help you to apply for a US passport, social security benefits and for an enhanced driver’s license.
US citizen certificates are issued to individuals who obtain US citizenship by the action of the American law, while residing in America or to the children of US citizens who were not born in America. People who need a document to prove their citizenship status may apply for this certificate. Similarly, naturalized US citizens need not apply for US citizen certificates as they can use their naturalization certificates to establish that they are citizens of America. Similarly, you need to remember that citizenship certificates and naturalization certificates are not the same but both the documents serve the same purpose as the US citizens can use these documents as evidence of US citizenship.
US citizen parents may confer citizenship on their children who were born abroad and such children of US citizens can apply for US citizen certificates. You will be able to acquire citizenship from your father or your mother, if you were born abroad and if your father or your mother or if both of them were citizens of the United States. Children of naturalized US citizens may also apply for and obtain US citizenship certificates, if they were not above 18 when their parents obtained US citizenship. In this case, the child must prove that he is legally living with the parent who became a naturalized US citizen.
If you meet the prerequisites, you may go ahead and file Form N-600, to get a citizenship certificate. You can complete this form online and this application includes 10 parts. If you are a derivative citizen or if you have acquired citizenship, you may file this form to get a citizenship certificate. Citizenship certificates do not come with expiration dates and need not be renewed. However, USCIS will issue citizenship certificates after looking into the laws that were in effect when you were born. American laws do not require the US citizens to always keep with them identification documents to prove their status but you need to provide the required documents to prove your citizenship status, while applying for federal benefits or while applying for US passports.