Chapter 8 - Posthumous Citizenship (INA 329A)
A. Eligibility for Posthumous Citizenship
In general, a person who serves honorably in the U.S. armed forces during designated periods of hostilities and dies as a result of injury or disease incurred in or aggravated by that service may be eligible for posthumous citizenship.[1] Posthumous citizenship establishes that the deceased service member is considered a citizen of the United States as of the date of his or her death.[2]
The military branch under which the deceased service member served will determine whether he or she served honorably in an active-duty status during a qualified period and whether the death was combat related.
Spouses and children of U.S. citizen service members who qualify for posthumous citizenship may be eligible for immigration benefits under special provisions of the INA.[3]
B. Application and Filing
The service member’s next of kin, the Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary’s designee in USCIS must submit an Application for Posthumous Citizenship (Form N-644) within two years of the service member’s death and in accordance with the form instructions and with appropriate fee.[4] USCIS uses the posthumous citizenship application to verify the deceased service member’s place of induction, enlistment or reenlistment; military service; and service-connected death.[5]
The following documents should be submitted along with the completed Application for Posthumous Citizenship, if available:
- DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty
- DD Form 1300, Report of Casualty/Military Death Certificate (or other military or State issued death certificate)
- Any other military or state issued certificate of the decedent’s death
C. Adjudication
USCIS will issue a Certificate of Citizenship (Form N-645) in the name of the deceased service member establishing posthumously that he or she was a U.S. citizen on the date of his or her death if the Application for Posthumous Citizenship is approved.[6] In cases where USCIS denies the Form N-644, USCIS will notify the applicant of the decision and the reason(s) for denial. There is no appeal for a denied posthumous citizenship application.[7]
Footnotes
[^ 1] See Chapter 3, Military Service during Hostilities (INA 329), Section D, Designated Periods of Hostilities [12 USCIS-PM I.3(D)].
[^ 2] See INA 329A and 8 CFR 392.
[^ 3] See Chapter 9, Spouses, Children, and Surviving Family Benefits [12 USCIS-PM I.9].
[^ 4] See Fee Schedule (Form G-1055).
[^ 5] See 8 CFR 392.2.
[^ 6] See 8 CFR 392.4. See Part K, Certificates of Citizenship and Naturalization, Chapter 2, Certificate of Citizenship [12 USCIS-PM K.2].
[^ 7] See 8 CFR 392.3(d).
Resources
8 CFR 316.5(b)(6) - Residence for certain spouses of military personnel
8 CFR 316.6 - Physical presence for certain spouses of military personnel
8 U.S.C. 1443a - Overseas naturalization for service members and their qualifying spouses and children
Appendices
Before October 29, 2019, USCIS considered children of members of the U.S. armed forces or U.S. government employees, who were stationed outside of the United States, to meet the requirement of “is residing in” the United States for the purpose of acquiring citizenship under INA 320.[1] This interpretation was consistent with the definition of “residence” for purposes of naturalization under INA 316.[2] Based on this treatment of U.S. government employees and their children in the context of naturalization under INA 316, USCIS determined that “residing in the United States” for purposes of acquisition of citizenship under INA 320 should likewise be interpreted to include children of U.S. military and government employees stationed outside of the United States who were residing with their parents.[3]
This interpretation, however, was inconsistent with other provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), including the definition of “residence” at INA 101(a)(33) and language in INA 322(a) and INA 322(d), which suggested that the citizenship of military children residing outside of the United States should be considered under that provision rather than under INA 320. Effective October 29, 2019, USCIS amended its policy guidance to address these concerns, and determined that children of members of the U.S. armed forces or U.S. government employees stationed outside of the United States would not be eligible for citizenship acquisition under INA 320.[4]
On March 26, 2020, the Citizenship for Children of Military Members and Civil Servants Act was enacted,[5] amending INA 320, so that a child residing with his or her U.S. citizen parent, who is stationed outside of the United States as a member of the U.S. armed forces or a U.S. government employee, or is residing in marital union with a member of the U.S. armed forces or a U.S. government employee who is stationed outside of the United States, acquires citizenship under INA 320 if all requirements of INA 320(c) and INA 320(a)(1)-(2) are met. In line with the statute, USCIS rescinds its previous guidance, clarifying that these children are eligible to acquire citizenship under INA 320 if all other requirements under INA 320 are met.
The amendment to INA 320 applies to children who were under the age of 18 on March 26, 2020.
Footnotes
[^ 1] Even though the child of a member of the U.S. armed forces or U.S. government employee stationed outside of the United States may be eligible to apply for a Certificate of Citizenship under INA 322 since he or she resides outside of the United States, USCIS interpreted the child to meet residency requirements under INA 320 as well, which formerly required the child to be residing in the United States with his or her parent to acquire citizenship.
[^ 2] For example, U.S. government employees, including members of the U.S. armed forces, are eligible to apply for an exception to the continuous residence requirement for naturalization under INA 316 as long as their residency outside of the United States was on behalf of the U.S. government. See INA 316(b). See INA 316(a). See Part D, General Naturalization Requirements, Chapter 3, Continuous Residence [12 USCIS-PM D.3].
[^ 3] See Policy Manual Technical Update, Child Citizenship Act and Children of U.S. Government Employees Residing Abroad (July 20, 2015); and Acquisition of Citizenship by Children of U.S. Military and Government Employees Stationed Abroad under Section 320 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), No. 103, issued May 6, 2004.
[^ 4] See USCIS Policy Alert, Defining “Residence” in Statutory Provisions Related to Citizenship [PA-2019-05]. This Policy Alert has been superseded by Policy Manual updates to reflect changes made under Pub. L. 116-133 (PDF).
[^ 5] See Pub. L. 116-133 (PDF) (March 26, 2020).
The table below provides some of the major legislative amendments that have aimed at assisting qualified military personnel and their eligible family members to become U.S. citizens or to acquire other immigration benefits, or both.
Act of May 9, 1918 (40 Stat. 512) |
---|
|
Modifications of 1918 Act[2] |
|
Second War Powers Act of March 27, 1942 (amending Nationality Act of 1940) |
|
Legislation of December 7, 1942 (amending Nationality Act of 1940) |
|
Act of June 1, 1948; Immigration and Nationality Act |
|
Lodge Act, June 30, 1950 (64 Stat. 316) |
|
Korean Hostilities; Act of June 30, 1953 (Pub. L. 86) |
|
Vietnam Hostilities Act of October 24, 1968 (82 Stat. 1343) |
|
Grenada 15 Executive Order 12582 (February 2, 1987)[3] |
|
Naturalization of Natives of the Philippines (WWII Service), Sec. 405 of Pub. L. 101-649 |
|
Hmong Veterans’ Naturalization Act of 2000 |
|
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (Pub. L. 108-136) |
|
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (Pub. L. 110-181) |
|
Kendell Frederick Citizenship Assistance Act (KFCAA) (Pub. L. 110-251) |
|
Military Personnel Citizenship Processing Act (MPCPA) (Pub. L. 110-382) |
|
Footnotes
[^ 1] See Application of Campbell, 5 F.2d 247 (E.D. Wash. 1925). See Op. Sol. of Labor, Jan, 1926, CO file 79/9.
[^ 2] See Acts of July 19 and November 6, 1919, May 26, 1926, March 4, 1929, May 25, 1932, June 24, 1935, August 23, 1937, June 21, 1939, December 7, 1942.
[^ 3] See Executive Order 12582, signed on February 2, 1987 (52 FR 3395, February 4, 1987). In consideration of Matter of Reyes, 910 F. 2d 611 (9th Cir. 1990), Executive Order 12582 was revoked by Executive Order 12913 (PDF), effective February 2, 1987, (59 FR 23115, May 4, 1994).
[^ 4] See Sec. 1703 of PL 108-136.
[^ 5] See Sec. 673 of PL 110-181.
Updates
This technical update replaces all instances of the term “alien” with “noncitizen” or other appropriate terms throughout the Policy Manual where possible, as used to refer to a person who meets the definition provided in INA 101(a)(3) [“any person not a citizen or national of the United States”].
1 USCIS-PM - Volume 1 - General Policies and Procedures
2 USCIS-PM - Volume 2 - Nonimmigrants
6 USCIS-PM - Volume 6 - Immigrants
7 USCIS-PM - Volume 7 - Adjustment of Status
8 USCIS-PM - Volume 8 - Admissibility
9 USCIS-PM - Volume 9 - Waivers and Other Forms of Relief
10 USCIS-PM - Volume 10 - Employment Authorization
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual regarding residency requirements under Section 320 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as amended by the Citizenship for Children of Military Members and Civil Servants Act.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating and incorporating relevant Adjudicator’s Field Manual (AFM) content into the USCIS Policy Manual. As that process is ongoing, USCIS has moved any remaining AFM content to its corresponding USCIS Policy Manual Part, in PDF format, until relevant AFM content has been properly incorporated into the USCIS Policy Manual. To the extent that a provision in the USCIS Policy Manual conflicts with remaining AFM content or Policy Memoranda, the updated information in the USCIS Policy Manual prevails. To find remaining AFM content, see the crosswalk between the AFM and the Policy Manual.
1 USCIS-PM - Volume 1 - General Policies and Procedures
2 USCIS-PM - Volume 2 - Nonimmigrants
3 USCIS-PM - Volume 3 - Humanitarian Protection and Parole
4 USCIS-PM - Volume 4 - Refugees and Asylees
5 USCIS-PM - Volume 5 - Adoptions
6 USCIS-PM - Volume 6 - Immigrants
7 USCIS-PM - Volume 7 - Adjustment of Status
8 USCIS-PM - Volume 8 - Admissibility
9 USCIS-PM - Volume 9 - Waivers and Other Forms of Relief
This technical update incorporates into Volume 12 the policy guidance that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced August 28, 2019 addressing requirements for “residence” in statutory provisions related to citizenship. This guidance became effective October 29, 2019.
This technical update replaces all instances of the term “foreign national” with “alien” throughout the Policy Manual as used to refer to a person who meets the definition provided in INA 101(a)(3) [“any person not a citizen or national of the United States”].
1 USCIS-PM - Volume 1 - General Policies and Procedures
2 USCIS-PM - Volume 2 - Nonimmigrants
6 USCIS-PM - Volume 6 - Immigrants
7 USCIS-PM - Volume 7 - Adjustment of Status
8 USCIS-PM - Volume 8 - Admissibility
9 USCIS-PM - Volume 9 - Waivers and Other Forms of Relief
10 USCIS-PM - Volume 10 - Employment Authorization
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to address requirements for “residence” in statutory provisions related to citizenship, and to rescind previous guidance regarding children of U.S. government employees and members of the U.S. armed forces employed or stationed outside the United States. This guidance becomes effective October 29, 2019.
USCIS is issuing updated and comprehensive citizenship and naturalization policy guidance in the new USCIS Policy Manual.
Version History
No historical versions available.