Go straight to the authorities. Everything in this guide is drawn from the official sources below — bookmark them and verify the current details before you file.
Useful for real-world timelines and moral support — but everyone’s case differs and posts can be outdated or wrong. Verify anything important against the official sources above.
Acquisition — becoming a U.S. citizen at birth through a citizen parent.
Derivation — becoming a citizen after birth but before 18 (e.g., Child Citizenship Act).
CRBA / FS-240 — Consular Report of Birth Abroad; State Dept. proof of citizenship at birth, under 18 only.
Certificate of Citizenship — USCIS proof of citizenship, issued via Form N-600, any age.
eCRBA — the electronic CRBA filing system (via MyTravelGov), now required at Manila & Cebu.
Physical presence — actual time the parent spent in the U.S., counted in aggregate.
In / out of wedlock — whether parents were married at the child’s birth; changes the requirements (INA 301 vs 309).
Legitimation — legal recognition of a child of unmarried parents (e.g., by later marriage or court order).
INA — Immigration and Nationality Act, the governing statute (§§ 301, 309, 320, 322).
PSA — Philippine Statistics Authority; issues official Philippine civil records.
CENOMAR — PSA Certificate of No Marriage Record.
LPR — Lawful Permanent Resident (green-card holder).
NVC — National Visa Center; processes immigrant visas between USCIS and the embassy.
ACS — American Citizen Services, the embassy unit handling CRBA & passports.
AABB — accreditation body for the labs used in embassy-directed DNA testing.
It is an independent educational resource, not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government, USCIS, the U.S. Department of State, or the Philippine government. Immigration and nationality law is complex and fact-specific; rules, fees, forms, addresses, and procedures change frequently. Nothing here creates an attorney-client relationship. Before acting, confirm details with the official sources above and consider consulting a licensed U.S. immigration attorney. Information was last reviewed in June 2026.