Your naturalization or citizenship certificate proves that you are a naturalized US citizen and have successfully completed the citizenship process. If you lost it, you may need to replace your certificate of citizenship to obtain a new copy.
A naturalization certificate can help you prove that you are authorized to live and work in the US, travel on a US passport, and vote in US elections.
Once you become a US citizen, you will get a naturalization certificate after you have taken the oath of citizenship.
You will want to keep your naturalization certificate in a safe place in case you need it to prove your citizenship.
How to get a copy of naturalization/citizenship certificate?
If your naturalization certificate is lost, stolen, or damaged you may need to request a new copy. You can apply for a copy of the naturalization certificate by filing Form N-565 with the USCIS.
You can obtain this immigration form by visiting the USCIS website or by using our service to correctly prepare your Form N-565 and also get personalised filing instructions.
In addition to filling out the form, you will need to attach two passport-style photos of yourself to your application. These must be recent photos that meet all the USCIS requirements outlined in the Form N-565 instructions.
Who is eligible to get a copy of naturalization/citizenship certificate?
You may apply for a replacement of the citizenship or naturalization certificate if you fall under the following categories
- If you had a certificate but it was lost, stolen, destroyed, or mutilated.
- If you were issued a certificate which is incorrect due to typographical/clerical error by USCIS.
- If your name was changed maybe by marriage, birth date was updated maybe by a court order or your gender was changed and is legally recognized.
- If you are in need of a special certificate of naturalization which might be required by a foreign country to recognize you as a US citizen.
If you never had a naturalization or citizenship certificate this might not be the right form.
Additional instructions
In addition, when filing Form N-565 you will also need to provide any documents that support your reason for requesting a second naturalization certificate.
This is because you are not permitted to have two certificates at once. If your original certificate has become damaged, for example, you will be required to submit the damaged certificate with your Form N-565.
If your certificate is outdated because your name has changed, you will need to provide a marriage certificate or court order showing your legal name change.
Once you have filled out Form N-565 correctly and attached the photos and supporting documents as well as the current filing fee, you can file the form.
Generally, your new certificate will be mailed to you once your application has been processed.
Taking care to follow the form instructions and fill out your form correctly can ensure that there are no undue delays with your request.
If you will need proof of citizenship before your certificate arrives, contact the USCIS to see if you can arrange a temporary form of citizenship proof.
File Form N-565 using Immigration Direct’s modern software. Our form preparation services to replace your citizenship certificate includes customized form filing instructions that can help you avoid errors. Plus, our personalized instructions help you properly prepare and file your application with the USCIS.
