Adult Citizenship – Acquisition

This page is intended for adults (over 18 years of age) wishing to make a claim of United States citizenship. If the claim of citizenship is for a child under the age of 18 the below information is NOT INTENDED for them; in such case, please follow the link named “Consular Report of Birth Abroad“.

Persons born abroad (out of United States territory) to U.S. citizen parent/s may have acquired U.S. citizenship at birth. This determination is based upon a variety of factors: the laws in effect at the time of birth, the amount of time the U.S. citizen parent/s have lived in the U.S. prior to the birth, and, in some cases, the marital status of the biological parents.  Please note that the transmitting U.S. citizen parent(s) must have obtained U.S. citizenship prior to the birth of the adult applying for U.S. citizenship through acquisition.

Complete the required forms and gather all required documentation, before making an online appointment with the Consular section at the U.S. Embassy in Juba, to be able to make a determination about your U.S. citizenship.  Based on the documents presented by you at that time, if you have a claim to the United States citizenship, a case will be open for you and an interview will be conducted.

Applying for the adult citizenship acquisition requires ONLY ONE VISIT to the Consular Section, if you are fully prepared.

Forms and Required Documentation

The completed forms and the following documentation need to be submitted to the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Juba in order to determine if your application complies with all legal requirements:

1. Applicant’s original foreign (in this case South Sudanese) legalized birth certificate.
   Copy of the parents’ legalized foreign, official U.S. or other marriage certificate for current marriage (if applicable).  Bring originals to interview.
2. Documentary evidence of termination of any previous marriages of either parent (e.g. divorce decree, death certificate, etc.), if applicable.
3. Proof of parent’s or parents’ U.S. citizenship (e.g. certified copy of U.S. birth certificate, Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, etc.)
4. Proof of parents’ (in case they are both U.S. citizens) or parent’s identity: Photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, etc.).  In case U.S. citizen parents or parent are/is deceased, must bring the official death certificate/s.
5. Any other original document from the United States, South Sudan, Sudan, etc. establishing the identity of the applicant and his/her relationship with his/her U.S. citizen father/mother.
6. Government issued photo identification for proof of applicant’s identity.
7. A completed but unsigned Citizenship Questionnaire (PDF – 39 KB) for printing only and to be typed or completed by hand.  **This form has 3 pages and is available for printing only; it must be typed or completed by hand. **
8. A completed but unsigned Supplemental Application Statement (PDF – 17 KB).
   **This form is available for printing only and to be typed or completed by hand.
9. Application form DSP-11 completed ONLINE and printed.  Hand-written filled application forms are NOT accepted.  Applications are NOT to be signed until you are requested to do so by a Consular Officer.
10. Two 2″ by 2″ (5 cm x 5 cm) color photos (front view, full face and plain white or off-white background).
11. Fees:  Persons over 18 years of age who are documented for the first time as having previously acquired U.S. citizenship pay US$135.00 or the equivalent in South Sudanese Pounds.

Note:  Depending on the circumstances of your case, it is possible that you may be asked to present evidences of physical presence in the United States from your U. S. citizen father/mother.

Other: The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) requires that both a blood and a legal relationship exist between the applicant and the U.S. citizen parent. The burden of proof is upon the applicant to establish a claim to U.S. citizenship. For example, if a child is born out-of-wedlock, the U.S. citizen father must provide proof of access to the mother at the probable time of conception. Similarly, in unusual circumstances, such as in vitro fertilization cases, surrogate mother cases, etc., additional evidence may be required.