Information for New Citizens

For the benefit of new citizens, USCIS recently published a review of their rights. These rights include the freedom to express yourself, freedom to worship as you wish, right to apply for federal employment, and the freedom to pursue “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
To obtain a US passport for the first time, a new citizen must submit the original Certificate of Naturalization. A new citizen may also apply for a U.S. passport for any children under the age of 18 who automatically acquired citizenship based on the naturalization of their US citizen parent.
Soon after the naturalization ceremony, a new citizen should go to Social Security to update the Social Security record. This is important because your Social Security record will be used to establish eligibility for benefits and to demonstrate the authorization to work. In order to update your citizenship status with Social Security, you will need to present your Certificate of Naturalization or your U.S. passport.
If you filed a petition to sponsor a relative while you were a permanent resident, you should contact CIS or the National Visa Center so that the petition can be upgraded and the waiting time reduced.
If you have a child living with you who has a Green Card and is under the age of 18 when you naturalize, he or she may automatically acquire U.S. citizenship. This means that if the child is in the US as a permanent resident, and if the child is under eighteen years of age when the parent becomes a US citizen, then the child is automatically a US citizen, even if no application has been submitted to CIS. 
To obtain evidence of your child’s U.S. citizenship status, you may apply for a U.S. passport from the U.S. Department of State or for a Certificate of Citizenship using Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship, from USCIS. There is no deadline for submitting the N-600 form to obtain a Certificate of Citizenship or for submitting an application for a US passport. Children in this category never need to use an N-400 form to apply for Naturalization. They have become US citizens automatically as of the date of their parent’s naturalization
As a citizen of the United States, you may petition for certain relatives to become lawful permanent residents by obtaining a “Green Card.” To do this, you need to sponsor your relative and be able to prove that you have enough income or assets to support your relative(s) in the United States.
If you lose your Form N-550, Certificate of Naturalization, you may submit Form N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document, to USCIS. You may download this form at www.uscis.gov/forms. You may use your U.S. passport as evidence of citizenship until you receive your replacement certificate. Of course it is best to keep your Certificate of Naturalization in a safe place. The CIS fee for replacement of the Certificate is $345.
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Q.1. What is the status of permanent resident children who have reached the age of 18 when their parent becomes a US citizen?
A.1. Permanent resident children 18 years old or older must complete their five years of permanent residency and then apply for Naturalization. They do not automatically become US citizens when their parent naturalizes.

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Q.2. Which relatives can a US citizen sponsor?
A.2. A US citizen can sponsor spouse, fiancée, parents and minor children, with no waiting time. There is a waiting time for sponsoring adult single or married children, and siblings. A citizen can not sponsor nephews, nieces or grandchildren.