Do more research. There are very specific laws in the US code that deal with this, but I don't feel like looking them up right now...However, believe me when I tell you that it's anything but "straightforward".
I was born in 1966 in Stuttgart, Germany in a US military hospital. My father was a natural-born US citizen serving in the Army and my mother was a natural-born US citizen and his wife. The doctors and nurses were all Army officers and the US flag flew over the hospital.
However, despite all of that I have a German birth certificate and I was naturalized in 1968 at a Federal Courthouse in New Orleans, LA. In addition, when I turned eighteen I was in boot camp for the US Navy and was required to re-affirm my oath of citizenship or face deportation.
I'm not a natural-born citizen, I'm a naturalized citizen who keeps his naturalization papers in a very expensive fireproof safe. I'm also not qualified for the office of president - Not that I'd ever want it.
Col Sanders
Then, IMHO, you have been royally screwed, either through bad paperwork or some other complication because by law you should be a natural born US citizen. If both parents are US citizens and particularly if you are born in a US facility (particularly the military) then the current law is pretty straight forward from what I have read. I will cite chapter and verse later tonight when I can look it up specifically.
As best as I can summarize it, according to section 301 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), the following hold true for those born outside of the United Sttaes to one or two US citizen parents.
Through birth abroad to two United States citizens:Anyhow, this is how I read it. I am sure, after looking at all of this, that a lawyer would have to be involved to make sense of it in some cases. Thanks for your own personal example that got me to look even deeper. I believe, if both of your paretns were US citzens at the time of your birth abroad, and at least one of them lived in the US for some time prior to your birth that your case should be an open and shut case of natural US citzenship. But again, that's just how I read it, apparently it also had to be applied for in that manner at a US embassy or consulate at the time.A person is considered a natural born U.S. citizen if both of the following are true:
1) Both parents were U.S. citizens at the time of the child's birth.
2) At least one parent lived in the United States prior to the child's birth.A person's record of birth abroad, if registered with a U.S. consulate or embassy, is proof of his or her citizenship. He or she may also apply for a passport or a Certificate of Citizenship to have his or her citizenship recognized.
Through birth abroad to one United States citizen a person is considered a natural born U.S. citizen if all of the following are true:
1) One of his or her parents was a U.S. citizen at the time of the person in question's birth;
2) The citizen parent lived at least 5 years in the United States before his or her child's birth;
3) At least 2 of these 5 years in the United States were after the citizen parent's 14th birthday, except before November 14, 1986, where a person is a citizen if his or her U.S. citizen parent lived in the U.S. for at least 10 years and 5 of those years in the U.S. were after the citizen parent's 14th birthday. The newer law does not apply retroactively.A person's record of birth abroad, if registered with a U.S. consulate or embassy, is proof of his or her citizenship. Such a person may also apply for a passport or a Certificate of Citizenship to have his or her citizenship recognized.