The Certificate of US Citizenship is a type of documentation issued to US citizens by the USCIS. The certificate proves your citizenship status and may in some cases be requested as a form of identification. For example, if your spouse is applying for a green card, US immigration officials may request a copy of your certificate of US citizenship as evidence that you are a US citizen. In some cases, people apply for a certificate of US citizenship to establish their citizenship. For example, if your parents were US citizens but you were born and lived abroad, you can show proof of your parents’ nationality and apply for a certificate of citizenship in order to establish your US citizenship.
To receive your certificate of citizenship, you need to file either Form N-560 or N-561. You can do this by following a few steps:
1) Contact the USCIS either through one of their offices or USCIS.gov to download the certificate of United States citizenship request form. Make sure that you obtain the instructions for completing the request form, as well.
2) Complete the forms as fully and honestly as you can. You can file your forms either by mail or in person. You will need to submit proof of your identity to prove that your claim for a certificate of citizenship is valid.
3) Make certain that your forms are correctly filled out before filing. Seek help from a US immigration attorney if needed. There are many reasons why you might need a US immigration attorney. You may need help establishing that your biological parents were US citizens, for example. There may be no documentation of their relationship with you (in the case of adoption) or their immigration status. There may be other complications as well. You may not have the correct identification for your certificate of citizenship. A good US immigration attorney can help in many cases.
4) Any small mistakes can delay your certificate of United States citizenship or even lead to a rejection of your application, forcing you to start the process anew. Double-check your forms before filing. When filing your forms, make sure you also submit the fees, as outlined in the instructions.
5) If you lose your certificate of US citizenship, you can apply for a replacement by filing USCIS US immigration Form N-565. You can submit the form by mail or in person. As with Forms N-560 and N-561, you will need to submit evidence of your identity before a certificate of citizenship is mailed to you.
