Sample United States Passport
A United States Passport is proof of U.S. citizenship for purposes of
international travel. It is also one of the best methods of proving status
as an American citizen, at home or abroad.
It can also be an ideal way to establish transmission of U.S. citizenship
to foreign-born children and grandchildren. The rules are complex and
depend upon the law in effect at the time of birth. Application can be
made either to USCIS for a certificate of citizenship from abroad or within
the U.S., or alternatively by application for a U.S. passport. Many believe
the latter is a much faster and less expensive method.
U.S. citizen parents can register the birth of a child to them abroad
at a U.S. Consulate and can seek a passport as proof of citizenship. Very
specific rules apply to a foreign born child with only one U.S. citizen
parent. A very important requirement is a period of residency within the
U.S. by the one U.S. parent for a specified number of years before the
birth of the child. Being able to prove residency in a community in the
United States through facts that sometimes occurred long ago can be very
challenging, and certain types of proof are preferred over others. One
way is to request and obtain a record of Social Security earnings; another
is to show filing of taxes; another, registration to vote; yet another
is school records.
Naturalized citizens can apply for a U.S. passport after receiving a
certificate of naturalization.
If you have a question about obtaining a U.S. Passport, or applying as
proof of U.S. citizenship for a foreign-born person, please contact
Messing Law Offices for a free seven minute telephonic consultation
or to schedule an initial consultation.
With regard to employment verification, which requires employers to obtain
proof of a new hire's eligibility even for citizens, an unexpired passport
establishes that the holder is eligible for employment in the United States.
An expired passport, as of February 2, 2009, no longer is considered valid
as employment authorization.
Versions
1998 version of the U.S. Passport
A more recent computer chip version
Passport card introduced in 2008
It enables easy portability and is used to enter from
Mexico, Canada, and certain Carribean countries.
At Messing Law Offices, we provide high quality legal services and expertise to families, working men and women, and businesses. If you have a concern in the areas of family based immigration, business based immigration, employment based immigration, or naturalization and you are seeking the help of an experienced immigration lawyer, call Messing Law Offices for professional Arizona immigration attorney assistance.
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