Certain foreign-born children adopted by U.S. citizens acquire citizenship upon entering the United States as lawful permanent residents. In general, children immigrating to the United States in the IR2 (immediate relative-adopted child), IR3 (orphan adopted abroad), and IR4 (orphan coming to the U.S. for adoption) immigrant visa categories are automatically eligible for U.S. citizenship status upon entering the United States. Prospective adoptive parents may document their child’s claim to U.S. citizenship by filing either an application for a U.S. passport for the child at the nearest passport agency or acceptance facility or an application for a certificate of Citizenship with the USCIS. Read more about the Child Citizenship Act.