Who Is Eligible for US Citizenship in Israel? The Full Map

"Am I entitled to US citizenship?" sounds simple, but the answer hinges on small details: birth year, how long the parent lived in the US, and at what age. Here are the three main paths so you know where you stand.

Path 1 — automatic citizenship through a parent

A child born outside the US to a US-citizen parent is a citizen from birth if the parent met a physical-presence requirement. For births on or after Nov 14, 1986: five years in the US, two of them after age 14, before the child's birth. Presence is counted in the aggregate — including periods before the parent was a citizen.

Path 2 — the grandparent route ⁦(N-600K)⁩

If the parent didn't meet the bar, a US-citizen grandparent might have. Then an N-600K can be filed before the child turns 18 — a separate route with its own process.

Path 3 — born in Israel to US parents ⁦(CRBA)⁩

A child born in Israel to a qualifying US-citizen parent receives an official US birth record — a CRBA — the proof of citizenship from birth, alongside a first passport and an SSN.

Why check in advance

• Thresholds changed over the years — birth year determines the rule
• Physical presence is proven with documents, not memory
• Choosing the wrong path costs valuable time and money

We run a focused eligibility check with no obligation — you enter the process only once it's clear a path exists and which one is right.