The certificate of US citizenship is a document that proves that a person has US citizenship through birth or order of law. This document is issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) to people who were born to US citizens abroad and to those who became naturalized when they were minors. Your US citizenship certificate
If you need to replace your citizenship certificate, you will need to file Form N-565 with the USCIS. You can file it by mail or in person at a local office that has jurisdiction over your area of residence. If you live in Maryland, however, you will need to file the form with the Vermont service center. When filing Form N-565 with the USCIS, you will generally be required to include the required identification and documentation to prove your identity and citizenship. You also need to file the document with a filing fee. In addition, the USCIS requires that you submit current photographs which meet the specifications on the Form N-565 instruction sheet.
If you are outside the United States and need to apply to replace your citizenship certificate, you will need to submit your application to the United States, to a USCIS office. You will also generally have to return to the United States in order to pick up your citizenship certificate. You cannot apply for your certificate at a consulate or embassy abroad.
Once you have filed Form N-565 with the USCIS, you can check on the status of your application by getting in touch with the office where you filed your form. In general, once you apply, you will get your certificate of citizenship once the application is process is complete. The process can take a few weeks to a few months, depending on the complexity of your case and the caseload at your local office. If your request for a certificate replacement is denied, you can appeal the decision or contact an immigration attorney for more assistance.
Keep in mind that you can only apply for a replacement of a US citizenship certificate if you became a US citizen by birth or by act of law while in the US. You must also have already had a US certificate of citizenship before applying for a replacement. If you became a US citizen through naturalization, you have the same benefits as any other US citizen, but your certificate of naturalization is different and you will need to follow a different procedure for replacing that certificate if it gets lost or stolen.
