What is the citizenship status of a child who was born abroad to alien parents and became an LPR after their parents naturalized?

• A. The child is an alien.
• B. The child is a U.S. citizen effective upon naturalization of the parents.
• C. The child is a U.S. citizen only if they meet residency requirements.
• D. The child's citizenship is dependent on the father's citizen status.

Answer: (B)

The child in this scenario is indeed considered a U.S. citizen effective upon the naturalization of the parents. According to U.S. immigration law, children who are born abroad to non-citizen parents can acquire U.S. citizenship automatically when their parents become naturalized citizens, provided certain conditions are met.

In this case, since the parents were aliens and then naturalized, the child becomes a U.S. citizen at the same time, without needing to go through a separate naturalization process, as long as they are under the age of 18 and residing in the United States with the naturalized parents. This is known as derivative citizenship.

While options discussing residency requirements and the father's citizenship status may seem relevant in other contexts, they do not apply here given that the child automatically becomes a U.S. citizen upon their parents' naturalization. Thus, the primary focus is on the child's status aligning directly with the parents' new citizenship.