[Melas]

If two U.S. citizens (or let's say even just one of the parents is a U.S. citizen) have a baby born abroad, is that child automatically considered a citizen of the United States?

No. As a civilian, you'll have to contact the state department via the nearest U.S. consul and go through considerable red tape to secure a U.S. birth certificate if you have a child in a foreign country. There are processing fees, consular forms, affidavits, and the consul can even request evidence of maternity/paternity. The child is not automatically a U.S. citizen just because you are. If you do nothing, citizenship will not be conferred on the child automatically.

[Carry_Okie]

As a civilian, you'll have to contact the state department via the nearest U.S. consul and go through considerable red tape to secure a U.S. birth certificate if you have a child in a foreign country.

And when all is proven the kid is a citizen, despite the loops necessary to please the bureaucrats. Thus, the citizenship is automatic, but getting the concurrance of the bureaucrats is not.