Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments of 1986
Public Law 99-653 · H.R. 4444 · 99th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Nov 14, 1986 · Immigration
Sponsor: Rep. Peter Rodino (D-NJ-10)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments of 1986 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the requirement that an adopted child must be in the custody of the adopting parent or parents for two years following adoption in order to be recognized as the "child" of such parent or parents.
Permits alternate foreign state chargeability (for purposes of numerical entry limitations) to a spouse or child following to join a principal alien in the United States. (Current law permits this only for a spouse or child accompanying a principal alien.)
Repeals the visa application fingerprint requirement and certain related provisions.
States that an issued immigrant visa shall be replaced only during the fiscal year it was originally issued. (Current statutory language refers to the "year" of original issue.)
Repeals existing requirements that: (1) immigrant visa applicants submit supporting documentation in duplicate; and (2) consular officers make and retain duplicates of all issued immigrant visas.
Repeals specified provisions relating to the entry of aliens from foreign contiguous territory or adjacent islands on nonsignatory transportation lines.
Repeals Federal law relating to specified nonquota immigrant benefits.
Reduces the period of U.S. physical presence required to transmit citizenship to a child born abroad of one citizen parent and one alien parent.
Permits an illegitimate child of an American father to acquire U.S. citizenship based on: (1) the father's written acknowledgement of paternity; or (2) a court-adjudicated determination of paternity. Requires the father to provide financial support while the child is a minor.
Reduces the time within which, after naturalization, a naturalized citizen's establishment of permanent residence abroad shall be considered prima facie grounds for revoking naturalization.
Requires voluntariness and intention to relinquish U.S. nationality as essential elements in any finding of loss of nationality. Repeals specified provisions for loss of nationality by minors through their parents. Reduces the age of majority from 21 years old to 18 years old.
Limits the loss of nationality consequence as a result of taking an oath of allegiance to a foreign state, or of accepting service in a foreign government, to persons 18 years of age or older. Mandates loss of nationality for service in the armed forces of a foreign state only for: (1) service in commissioned or noncommissioned officer ranks; or (2) service in armed forces engaged in hostilities against the United States.
Amends Federal law to repeal the requirement that the personal effects inventory of an American who dies overseas be done article by article.
Establishes an administrative naturalization process for children under the age of 18 years who were adopted before reaching the age of 16 years by a U.S. citizen or U.S. citizens.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Judiciary Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 15 actions.
- Nov 14, 1986Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 99-653.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 5, 1986PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 18, 1986Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Sep 29, 1986FloorFloor · Passed House by Voice Vote.
- Sep 26, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
- Sep 25, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
- Sep 12, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Jul 22, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Mar 20, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- Mar 18, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.