The U.S. State Department is considering draft instructions that would require parents or legal guardians applying for a child’s passport to provide evidence of their own citizenship or immigration status.
Documents could include a valid American passport, U.S. birth certificate, permanent-resident card or I-94 immigration record. Officials would use the information to determine whether a child is affected by President Donald Trump’s August 6 executive order concerning birthright citizenship.
The latest order focuses on specified circumstances involving foreign-government employees, alleged fraud or commercial arrangements intended to obtain citizenship, and people classified by the government as “alien enemies.”
A broader attempt to restrict birthright citizenship was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court in June. The newer directive is also facing legal challenges.
The passport instructions remain a proposal and had not been finalized at the time of reporting. Families should therefore continue following the requirements published on the State Department’s official passport website until any formal change is announced.
Why it matters: If adopted, the proposal could expand documentation requirements for families and complicate passport applications for some children born in the United States.
