The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 (CCA) is a United States federal law that amended the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 regarding acquisition of citizenship by children of US citizens and added protections for individuals who have voted in US elections in the mistaken belief that they were US citizens.

The act also implemented protections for some individuals who have voted or claimed to be US citizens as a result of a good faith mistake (CCA § 201).

The following requirements must be met for automatic citizenship: Adopted children are also covered if they meet the definition of child found at INA § 101(b)(1); 8 U.S.C.

The following requirements must be met for expeditious naturalization: Expeditious naturalization allows children of US citizens whose parents do not have the required physical presence to pass on citizenship to use their grandparents' physical presence instead to qualify for US citizenship.

Upon approval, the child enters the US, usually as a visitor with a B-2 visa, to attend an immigration appointment and oath ceremony.

Adopted children are also covered if they meet the definition of child found at INA § 101(b)(1); 8 U.S.C.

Unlawful voting in any election is also evidence of bad moral character (INA § 101(f); 8 U.S.C.

§ 1015 makes a false claim to US citizenship for the purposes of obtaining any Federal or State benefit or US employment a felony.

To deal with the extremely harsh consequences for individuals with a good faith but mistaken belief in their citizenship, Section 201 of the CCA established protections if certain conditions are met.

§ 1182(a)(10)(D) to protect individuals who voted and also amended the inadmissibility ground at INA § 212(a)(6)(C)(ii); 8 U.S.C.

§ 1182(a)(6)(C)(ii) to protect individuals who may have falsely claimed to be US citizens if they meet the requirements.

The Adoptee Citizenship Act is a series of bills in the United States Congress, dating back to 2015, that attempt to remedy the lack of US citizenship for thousands of intercountry adoptees who were adopted by US citizens as children.

[1] The legislation, first introduced in 2015 and reintroduced in Congress in 2018,[2] 2019,[3] 2021,[4][5] and 2024,[6] amends the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 to close a loophole that has for decades prevented adopted people from acquiring US citizenship through their adoptive parents.