Aliens who wish to travel to the United States with their children should be familiar with the way that the United States Code and Immigration and Nationality Act defines the term “child”. A child is defined as an “unmarried person under 21 years of age.” However, there are numerous extensions to this definition that should be considered so that the child can receive all of the benefits associated with immigration law. Located in New York City, the immigration law firm of Berd & Klauss, PLLC has extensive experience assisting with immigration issues related to children.

While “child” has a rather broad definition as it pertains to immigration law, there are additional specifics, such as:

• In Wedlock: If a child is born to married individuals, the parents simply need to prove that the relationship is legitimate with a birth certificate.
• Out of Wedlock: If the two parents are not married at the time of birth, and the child has a primary relationship with the mother, then no further steps need to be taken. If the child’s primary relationship is with the father, he must have legal custody of the child and a bona fide relationship must exist.
• Adoption: A child must have been adopted before turning 16 and must have been in the legal custody of and living with his or her adoptive parents in order to be considered under immigration law.

Immigration law contains various intricacies when children are involved, but these can be efficiently navigated with help from a dedicated attorney. The lawyers at Berd & Klauss, PLLC have considerable experience handling immigration law pertaining to children. Visit the immigration attorneys online for more information.