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We are thrilled to announce the approval of U.S. citizenship for our client, Matthew Fagenstrom, who recently received his Certificate of Citizenship after a complex and emotionally charged journey.
Case Background: For years, Matthew was under the impression that he was a U.S. citizen. He was adopted by his U.S. citizen mother from Colombia and had lived in the United States as a lawful permanent resident for many years. However, the final process of obtaining citizenship was never completed. When he recently discovered this gap in his immigration status, he turned to Barrera Legal Group to help him resolve the matter.
The Challenge: What made this case particularly challenging was the issue of readoption. Under U.S. immigration law, children who are adopted abroad under an IR-4 immigrant visa category typically need to be readopted in the United States for their citizenship to be recognized. However, in Matthew’s case, the readoption never took place. However, since his adoptive mother resided in Oregon, a state that recognizes foreign adoptions as full and final. We were able to demonstrate to USCIS that this recognition by the state of Oregon meant that a U.S. readoption was not necessary resulting in the Certificate of Citizenship Approved from foreign adoption.
Our Approach: Working closely with Matthew, we filed a compelling N-600 application, citing Oregon's legal recognition of foreign adoptions. We provided detailed legal arguments and documentary evidence, including:
Oregon Revised Statute 109.385, which affirms the state's recognition of legal foreign adoptions.
Proof of his full and final adoption in Colombia.
Evidence of his adoptive mother's U.S. citizenship and his residence in Oregon following the adoption.
This legal framework allowed us to successfully argue that readoption was unnecessary in this case and that Matthew should be recognized as a U.S. citizen under Section 320 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
The Outcome: After a thorough review by USCIS, Matthew was granted U.S. citizenship, culminating in his receiving the long-awaited Certificate of Citizenship. This marks a significant victory for Matthew, who can now fully embrace the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship.
At Barrera Legal Group, we are honored to have helped Matthew through this complex process, and we are proud of the outcome. If you or a loved one needs assistance with citizenship matters, particularly in cases involving foreign adoptions, our team is here to provide expert guidance and support.