PrimoDonna
...memories of the past,
thoughts about the present,
and hopes for the future
She's a Natural Woman, I mean, Naturalized Woman
Although Amy was born on what is considered American soil in West Germany (on a U.S. military installation), we decided to get her naturalized. She had a birth certificate from the Department of State, but nothing from the Department of Immigration and Naturalization. (According to my search on the Internet, the department was transferred to the Department of Homeland Security in 2003.) We wanted to have all the doors open for Amy when she became an adult. We knew if she went into certain careers that she would have to show proof of naturalization. We didn’t want anything to slow her down or stand in her way. When she was around five years old, we had her photo taken, filled out the paperwork, and drove to Austin to swear allegiance to the United States. She has never needed that paperwork, but we were ready.
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Ask and it shall be given to you;
seek and ye shall find;
knock and it shall be opened unto you.
Matthew 7:7
Current State Department policy reads: "Despite widespread popular belief,
U.S. military installations abroad and U.S. diplomatic or consular
facilities are not part of the United States within the meaning of the 14th
Amendment. A child born on the premises of such a facility is not subject
to the jurisdiction of the United States and does not acquire U.S.
citizenship by reason of birth." However, this does not affect those who
are born abroad to U.S. citizens and who otherwise meet the qualifications
for citizenship at birth.
I'm pretty sure filing naturalization papers was unnecessary. The 14th
Amendment establishes place of birth as a means of acquiring citizenship at
birth, but that doesn't mean the U.S. had no citizens prior to the passage
of the 14th Amendment. As a U.S. citizen you bestow your citizenship on
your children as a birthright.