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term:
Legitimation
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legitimation
- The legal process which a natural father can use to acknowledge legally his children who were born out of wedlock (outside of marriage). A legitimated child can be a "child" under immigration law under these conditions: * the legitimation took place according to the law of the child's residence or the father's residence; * the father proved (established) that he is the child's natural father; * the child was under the age of 18; and * the child was in the legal custody of the father who legitimated the child when the legal process of legitimation took place.
Source: Department of State. March 2007.