If you have lost your Naturalization Certificate/Certificate of Citizenship, you need to apply for a replacement by filing Form N-565 which is the citizenship certificate replacement application. This application has to be sent to USCIS who will, in turn, send you a new Naturalization Certificate/Certificate of Citizenship. You can get the N-565 form online or call the USCIS Forms Line. Generally, you may have to wait for a year to get your new certificate. Meanwhile, you can use your passport to prove your citizenship.
Apply here for your replacement citizenship document.
You can file for the citizenship certificate replacement either at USCIS Texas Service Center or in Nebraska, depending on the state you live in. A filing fee of $345 is charged for the application.
Who Can File Form N-565?
You can apply for the citizenship certificate replacement if:
- Your name has been changed due to some court order or marriage after the certificate was issued and you want your new name to be used in the document
- Your Certificate of Citizenship, Certificate of Naturalization or Declaration of Intention or Repatriation Certificate has been lost, mutilated or destroyed
- If you need a foreign country to recognize you as a citizen of the United States and you require a special certificate for the recognition.
Documents Required
You need to submit two photographs that should have been taken within thirty days of filing of the citizenship certificate replacement application. The photos must be color passport style photos of 2”x 2” showing your full face, with white to off-white background.
Process of Citizenship Certificate Replacement
After filing the forms for citizenship certificate replacement and acquiring the necessary documents, you should mail them to USCIS along with the filing or submission fee.
If you are filing for citizenship certificate replacement because your documents have been destroyed or mutilated, you need to attach the mutilated documents as well. In case, you are filing for a new application due to name-change, you need to attach a copy of the court order or marriage certificate to prove your name change. However, if you are filing for a special certificate of naturalization, you should send a copy of your naturalization certificate along with citizenship certificate replacement application form.
After you have sent your application, the USCIS will check through it along with the supported documents. If the form is incomplete or you have sent it without the required documents, then USCIS will decline your application. So, it is very important for you to ensure that the application is complete with required documents. After you have sent the application, you will get the Application Receipt Notice along with a 13-character Application Receipt number within 1 month. You can use this number to check your application status.
The USCIS may ask for more information when you come for an interview. Once your eligibility for the document is established, your application will be approved and you will receive new documents. A special certificate of naturalization will be sent to the U.S Department of State to deliver it to an alien government administrator. If your application is denied, you will be notified in writing by USCIS along with the reasons for denial.