What is N-600K Eligibility and Application Process for children of U.S. citizens living abroad?

If you’re a U.S. citizen looking to help your child gain U.S. citizenship but the child lives outside the U.S. or if you are a U.S. citizen that does not meet the eligibility requirements due to physical presence, you may wish to explore the N-600K application process. 

This blog breaks down:

• Who qualifies for N-600K
  
  
• The process to apply
  
  
• How U.S. citizen grandparents can help meet physical presence rules
  
  
• Other ways to petition a child for immigration
  
  

What is the N-600K?

The N-600K is a U.S. immigration form used to apply for citizenship for a child who lives outside the U.S. but has at least one U.S. citizen parent. It’s based on Section 322 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

This path is sometimes called “citizenship through grandparents”, because in many cases, a U.S. citizen grandparent’s physical presence in the U.S. can help the child qualify — even if the child and their parent haven’t lived in the U.S.

Who Qualifies for N-600K? (Eligibility Checklist)

To apply for citizenship under N-600K, these conditions must be met:

1. The child must be under age 18 at the time the application is approved.
   
   
2. The child must live outside the U.S. and be in the legal and physical custody of a U.S. citizen parent.
   
   
3. At least one parent must be a U.S. citizen, either by birth or naturalization.
   
   
4. The U.S. citizen parent (or their own U.S. citizen parent — the child’s grandparent) must have been physically present in the U.S. for at least 5 years, 2 of which were after age 14.
   
   
5. The child must enter the U.S. lawfully and be interviewed in the U.S. to complete the citizenship process.
   
   

Important: The N-600K process must be completed before the child turns 18 — that includes filing, travel, and the in-person interview.

Using Grandparents to Meet Physical Presence Requirement

In many situations, the U.S. citizen parent hasn’t lived in the U.S. long enough to meet the 5-year/2-year rule. The good news? A U.S. citizen grandparent can help.

Here’s how:

• The grandparent must be a U.S. citizen.
  
  
• The grandparent must have lived in the U.S. for at least 5 years, including 2 years after age 14.
  
  
• Their physical presence can be used instead of the parent’s, as long as they are alive or deceased within the past 5 years.
  
  

This is a major advantage for many immigrant families, especially where the U.S. citizen parent naturalized later in life.

N-600K Application Process – Step-by-Step

1. File Form N-600K with USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services).

• Include proof of parent’s and/or grandparent’s physical presence.

 

• Submit birth certificates, custody documentation, U.S. citizenship evidence, etc.
  

 

2. Wait for a decision from USCIS.

• Processing times vary but often take several months.
  
  

3. Bring the child to the U.S. for an interview.

• The child must enter legally (e.g., on a tourist visa).
  
• The interview happens at a USCIS field office.
  
  

If approved, the child takes the Oath of Allegiance (if required), and receives a Certificate of Citizenship.

No green card is needed in this process. The child becomes a U.S. citizen directly.

What If My Child Can’t Enter the U.S. for the N600K interview?

If a child can’t travel to the U.S., the N-600K isn’t an option — because an in-person interview inside the U.S. is required.

In that case, you’ll need to look at alternative immigration pathways, such as:

Petitioning a Child for a Green Card (Outside the U.S.)

If your child is abroad and cannot meet the physical presence requirement, or can’t travel to the U.S., a more common option is to petition for a green card first.

Here’s how:

1. File Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative).

• This starts the family immigration process.
  
  

2. Wait for visa processing through the National Visa Center and U.S. consulate.

• This is called consular processing.
  
  

3. Once your child receives their immigrant visa, they enter the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident.

4. After entry, if they meet the eligibility, they may automatically acquire citizenship under INA 320, or apply for naturalization after meeting residency rules.

This is a longer process, but it works well if the child can’t visit the U.S. in time for an N-600K interview.

Automatic Citizenship Through INA 320

If your child enters the U.S. with a green card and:

• Is under 18
  
  
• Lives with you (the U.S. citizen parent)
  
  
• Is in your legal and physical custody
  
  

They may automatically become a U.S. citizen. In that case, you can file Form N-600 (not N-600K) to get a Certificate of Citizenship.

Which Path is Best?

Let’s break it down simply:

Need Help Choosing the Right Path?

Every family’s situation is unique. If you’re unsure whether the N-600K works for your child, or if a green card or other route is better, we’re here to guide you.

Schedule a strategy session with our immigration team today:

👉 Book here

Let’s help your child become a U.S. citizen — the right way, at the right time.