The Immigration and Naturalization Service has issued a final rule allowing for the issuance of certificates of citizenship to certain foreign-born children previously ineligible to acquire citizenship from United States mothers. In the Immigration and Nationality Technical Corrections Act of 1994, Congress changed the existing law which had only allowed US citizen fathers to confer citizenship for children born before noon Eastern Standard Time on May 24, 1934. The new law treats mothers and fathers equally. Persons seeking to benefit under the law are still required to show that applicable residency and physical presence requirements have been met. The INS initially implemented an interim regulation carrying out the new law on July 5, 1996. The final rule only differs in a few respects from the interim rule. Adopted children are not covered by the final rule. The new rule notes that eligible children can document their citizenship by applying for a Certificate of Citizenship OR a US passport, not just a Certificate of Citizenship.
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