S. 2522 – Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2018

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Updated April 15, 2026 at 8:41 PM UTC

The Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2018 would automatically grant U.S. citizenship to foreign‑born children who were adopted by a U.S. citizen, as long as they meet certain age, residency, and background requirements. It applies to adoptees who are already living in the United States and to those who are still abroad but later enter the country lawfully. The bill mainly affects internationally adopted individuals and their adoptive parents.

Key Provisions

Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act so that a child adopted by a U.S. citizen before turning 18 automatically becomes a citizen if they were physically present in the U.S. under the citizen’s legal custody before age 18, had never been a citizen before, and were residing in the U.S. when the law took effect.
For adoptees still living abroad, citizenship is granted automatically on the date they first enter the United States lawfully, provided they meet the same age and prior‑residency criteria.
The usual grounds of inadmissibility (e.g., certain immigration violations) do not apply to these adoptees when they seek entry.
A criminal background check is required before a visa can be issued; unresolved serious crimes must be addressed by the Departments of Homeland Security and State.
Adoptees who have been convicted of a deportable offense involving physical force and who have been deported are excluded from automatic citizenship.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

March 8, 2018

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

March 8, 2018

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

March 8, 2018

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued March 8, 2018

II

115th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 2522

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 8, 2018

Mr. Blunt (for himself, Ms. Hirono, Ms. Klobuchar, and Ms. Collins) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To provide for automatic acquisition of United States citizenship for certain internationally adopted individuals, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2018.

2.

United States citizenship for certain internationally adopted individuals

Section 320(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1431(b)) is amended to read as follows:

(b)

Adopted children of citizen parent

(1)

In general

Subsection (a) shall apply to a child adopted by a United States citizen parent if the child satisfies the requirements applicable to adopted children under subparagraph (E), (F), or (G) of section 101(b)(1).

(2)

Limited application to certain adopted individuals residing in the United States

Notwithstanding section 318, an individual born outside of the United States who was adopted by a United States citizen parent shall automatically become a citizen of the United States when all of the following conditions have been fulfilled:

(A)

The individual was adopted by a United States citizen before the individual reached 18 years of age.

(B)

The individual was physically present in the United States in the legal custody of the citizen parent pursuant to a lawful admission before the individual reached 18 years of age.

(C)

The individual never acquired United States citizenship before the date of the enactment of the Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2018.

(D)

The individual was residing in the United States on the date of the enactment of the Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2018 pursuant to a lawful admission.

(3)

Limited application to certain adopted individuals residing outside of the united states

(A)

In general

Subject to subparagraphs (B) through (D), an individual who meets all of the criteria described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of paragraph (2) shall automatically become a citizen of the United States on the date on which the individual is physically present in the United States pursuant to a lawful admission.

(B)

Inapplicability of grounds of inadmissibility

The grounds of inadmissibility set forth in section 212(a) shall not apply to an individual described in subparagraph (A) who is seeking admission to the United States.

(C)

Criminal background check

An individual described in subparagraph (A) may not be issued a visa unless—

(i)

the individual was subjected to a criminal background check; and

(ii)

if the background check conducted pursuant to clause (i) reveals that the individual has committed a crime that was not properly resolved, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State coordinated with relevant law enforcement agencies to ensure that appropriate action is taken to resolve such criminal activity.

(D)

Deportable offenses

An individual described in subparagraph (A) may not be granted automatic citizenship under this paragraph if the individual—

(i)

has been found guilty of a deportable offense that has as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against another person; and

(ii)

was deported.

.