How to Get Naturalization Certificate Copies or a Replacement

What Is a Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550)?

A Certificate of Naturalization, Form N-550, is the official document USCIS issues to a person who became a U.S. citizen through naturalization. It proves your citizenship and the date you took the oath. Most people receive it right after the Oath of Allegiance.

What the certificate proves

The N-550 proves you are a naturalized U.S. citizen and when that began. Agencies use it to issue a passport, update Social Security records and confirm voter eligibility. It never expires.

What appears on the front

Expect your name, photo, signature, birth date, former nationality, oath date and place, your USCIS registration number and a certificate number. USCIS says the layout varies by issue year.

What Is on the Certificate of Naturalization Back?

The certificate of naturalization back usually carries little or no personal data on recent versions. Some offices still ask for a copy of both sides to see notes, stamps or security printing. When you copy it for a form, scan the back as a separate page rather than leaving it out; a missing side is a common reason an office returns a packet.

Older certificates and court-issued versions

Older certificates were often issued by courts, with typed entries or handwritten notes. USCIS says older versions may lack newer security features, and that alone does not make them invalid.

Why offices ask for the back

Passport and benefit offices may want both sides to confirm the document is complete and unaltered. Never write, stamp or tape anything on either side; marks can make an office doubt it.

What Are Naturalization Papers?

Naturalization papers is an everyday name for the Certificate of Naturalization, the proof you became a citizen after an N-400. People also use it for older court records, declarations of intention and petitions held by courts, the National Archives or USCIS.

Modern vs historical naturalization papers

For anyone naturalized in recent decades, the term means the N-550 and, after a replacement, the N-570. For ancestors naturalized long ago, it often means a bundle of court records.

Papers you should keep together

Keep the certificate with your oath notice, a copy of your old green card and your passport details. Together they show your path from permanent resident to citizen. Store copies of each, so a lost certificate can be described accurately on an N-565.

Declarations of intention and older court petitions

Older papers can include a declaration of intention, the early filing stating a plan to become a citizen, and the court petition that followed. Form N-565 can replace a declaration of intention.

How to Get Naturalization Certificate Documents the First Time?

You get your first naturalization certificate by completing your citizenship application, passing the interview and attending the oath ceremony. USCIS hands you the N-550 right after the oath. There is no separate form or fee for it. If your oath is postponed, the certificate waits until the rescheduled ceremony.

At the oath ceremony

You hand back your green card, take the oath and receive your certificate. Our oath ceremony guide covers the notice, what to bring and what happens on the day. Sign nothing blank, and keep the envelope or folder you are given.

Check it before you leave

Read every detail on the spot: name spelling, birth date, country and photo. Staff can often fix errors before you go. Afterward, a correction requires Form N-565, though USCIS errors are fixed free.

Where Can I Get a Naturalization Certificate?

For anyone asking how to get naturalization certificate papers, USCIS is the only source. The first one comes at your oath ceremony, and replacements come by mail after an approved Form N-565. State offices, county clerks and embassies cannot issue one.

Where not to look

Birth certificate offices, the DMV and the Social Security Administration do not hold naturalization certificates. Websites that offer to "download" or "print" one are scams. A county court that once naturalized people may hold old files, but it cannot issue a new certificate today.

If you live abroad

Citizens abroad can file Form N-565 too, with the extra photo rules on the form page. A U.S. embassy can renew your passport, which often solves the urgent need meanwhile.

Naturalization Certificate Types: N-550, N-570, N-560, N-561

USCIS issues four main citizenship certificates. The N-550 and N-570 are naturalization certificates (original and replacement). The N-560 and N-561 are certificates of citizenship (original and replacement). The form number tells an office how you became a citizen, so use the exact title from your own document whenever a form asks which certificate you hold.

Certificate types table

The table below matches each form number to its name and to the people who receive it.

All four are replaced with the same Form N-565, whichever one you hold.

What Is Form N-570, the Replacement Naturalization Certificate?

An N-570 is a replacement naturalization certificate. USCIS issues it after an approved Form N-565 when the original was lost, mutilated or destroyed, or after a legal name change. It carries the same legal weight as the N-550 and replaces it fully.

Naturalization Certificate vs Certificate of Citizenship

People ask whether they hold a certificate of naturalization or certificate of citizenship. A naturalization certificate goes to someone who applied for citizenship as an adult. A certificate of citizenship confirms citizenship gained through a U.S. citizen parent and is issued only on request.

How to tell which one you hold

Check the title and form number. "Certificate of Naturalization" with N-550 or N-570 means you naturalized. "Certificate of Citizenship" with N-560 or N-561 means citizenship through a parent. The number usually sits near the top corner.

Which one a child should get

Children who become citizens through a naturalized parent do not receive the parent's certificate. They may request their own with the n600 form, or prove status with a passport.

Form N-560 Explained

Form N-560 is the Certificate of Citizenship. USCIS issues it to people born abroad who acquired citizenship at birth through a U.S. citizen parent, or who derived it later as children, and to certain children naturalized under a separate section of the law.

When an N-560 holder needs a replacement

If an N-560 is lost, damaged or outdated, the holder files the same Form N-565. The approved replacement is an N-561, and the evidence list mostly matches the naturalization process.

Why N-560 is not issued automatically

Unlike the N-550, a Certificate of Citizenship goes only to people who apply. Many citizens through a parent never request one and rely on a U.S. passport. Both prove citizenship.

How to Replace a Lost Certificate (Form N-565)

You replace a lost naturalization certificate by filing Form N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document. File online through a USCIS account or on paper, include a police report or sworn statement, add photos and pay the fee. Only the person named on it can apply.

When Form N-565 is the right form

Use it if your certificate was lost, stolen or destroyed, is damaged, has a clerical error, or shows an old name or birth date after a legal change. It also covers declarations of intention and repatriation certificates.

When it is not the right form

If you never naturalized, file a citizenship application first. An N-565 cannot create a certificate of citizenship you never had; that request belongs on Form N-600. A U.S. passport is renewed through the State Department, not USCIS.

Police report or sworn statement for a lost certificate

A theft calls for a police report. For a plain loss, a signed statement works: when and where you last had the certificate, how it was lost and how you searched. Vague statements invite evidence requests.

How to Get Naturalization Certificate Replacements Online or by Mail?

You can file Form N-565 online through a free USCIS account at myaccount.uscis.gov/create-account, or mail a paper form to the lockbox on the N-565 page. Online filing costs less and gives an instant receipt. Paper filing suits people who must send an original or prefer not to open an account.

Filing N-565 online

Sign in, choose Form N-565, answer each section and upload proof. If your case needs an original, such as a damaged certificate, the evidence section gives the mailing address for it.

Filing N-565 on paper

Download the current edition from uscis.gov/n-565 and check that every page shows the same edition date. Mail it with payment to the listed lockbox, tracked if it includes an original.

Linking a paper N-565 to your online account

After a paper filing, USCIS sends an Account Acceptance Notice. Use it to link the case online so you can read notices and answer evidence requests without waiting for mail.

What Do You Need to Send With Form N-565?

What you send depends on your reason. Every filer sends the signed form and photos. Lost certificates need a copy if you have one and a police report or sworn statement; corrections need the original and proof of the right details.

Evidence by reason

Find your reason in the left column; the right column lists the proof USCIS expects with the form.

If two reasons apply, such as a stolen certificate with an old name, send the evidence for both.

Photos and translations

Include passport-style photos as the N-565 instructions describe; people abroad need extra photos. Every foreign-language document needs a full English translation with the translator's certification. Write your name and A-Number lightly in pencil on the back of each photo.

Copyable N-565 Filing Checklist

This checklist covers the items N-565 filers most often forget. Tick each line before you submit. Missing evidence often triggers an evidence request that delays your new certificate. Lines that do not apply to your reason, such as a court order for a plain loss, can be skipped.

The checklist

• Current edition of Form N-565 from uscis.gov
• Every required answer completed; form signed
• Passport-style photos as the instructions describe
• Copy of the old certificate, if you have one
• Police report or sworn statement for a loss or theft
• Damaged or incorrect original, if the reason requires it
• Legal name change or birth date records
• Translations with translator certification
• Payment, unless USCIS made the error

Before you mail or submit

Copy everything you send. Use tracked delivery for paper filings and any original. Put your name and A-Number on a cover sheet, never on the certificate itself. Online filers should save the receipt PDF the same day.

How Much Does a Replacement Naturalization Certificate Cost?

As of October 2026, the Form N-565 fee is $555 paper / $505 online, based on Form G-1055, Edition 10/16/26. USCIS charges no fee when your certificate has wrong information because of a USCIS error. Paper filing costs $555, while filing online costs $505.

Paying the N-565 fee online or by mail

Online filers pay by card or bank account in their USCIS account. For paper, USCIS says to pay online through Pay.gov, or on paper with Form G-1450 (card) or Form G-1650 (bank account); checks, money orders and cashier's checks are accepted only with an approved Form G-1651 exemption. For N-400 and N-600 costs side by side, see our citizenship fees guide.

Is the N-565 Fee Waived When USCIS Made the Error?

Yes. If USCIS misspelled your name, printed a wrong birth date or made another clerical error, file the N-565 with the original certificate and proof of the correct details, such as a birth record or passport. You pay nothing, but you must show the error was USCIS's.

How Long Does a Replacement Naturalization Certificate Take?

N-565 processing time varies by office and workload. Right now, the tool shows 8.5 months (USCIS data retrieved Oct 27, 2026). Check the official tool at egov.uscis.gov/processing-times by selecting Form N-565 and the office on your receipt notice. USCIS's quarterly data show N-565: median 7.6 months (USCIS data, Apr.-June 2026). That is a median, not a promise; the live tool uses an 80% measure.

Reading the processing times tool

The tool shows how long most recent cases took, not a promise for yours. Compare your receipt date with the posted time; once past it, submit an online case inquiry.

Can You Expedite a Replacement Naturalization Certificate?

You can ask. USCIS considers expedite requests on an N-565 for urgent reasons, such as a time-sensitive benefit or job offer that needs the certificate. Explain the reason and send proof, such as a job letter or a benefit deadline. Our expedite request guide explains what USCIS weighs.

Form N-565 Case Status Sequence

Form N-565 cases usually move from "Case Was Received" to review, sometimes a biometrics notice or evidence request, then approval and the new certificate in the mail. Each step shows up in the online case status tool under your receipt number, and USCIS also sends notices by mail.

N-565 status table

Each row pairs a status or notice with what it means and the one action that fits it.

Not every case shows every row; many skip biometrics and evidence requests entirely.

Tracking the case

Enter your receipt number (3 letters + 10 digits (13 characters), e.g. EAC2512345678; leave out dashes) on Case Status Online: egov.uscis.gov or in your USCIS account. Our case was approved page explains that message for a document case.

Answering an N-565 request for evidence

Most N-565 evidence requests ask for a sworn statement, a clearer photo or name change proof. Send everything in one response, with the request notice on top, before the printed deadline.

How to Obtain a Naturalization Certificate Copy

To obtain a naturalization certificate copy, decide what kind you need. A personal photocopy works for your records. A copy from your USCIS file comes through a FOIA request. A new official certificate needs Form N-565, and a foreign government may require a special certificate.

Copies through a FOIA request

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request can return records from your USCIS file, possibly including a copy of your certificate. It is not a replacement, but it can prove facts while you wait.

Is It Legal to Photocopy a Naturalization Certificate?

Certificates carry a warning against copying without lawful authority. Making a copy for a lawful purpose, such as a benefit application or relative petition that asks for one, is common practice. Never alter a copy, and never present a copy as if it were the original.

Copy Options Compared: Photocopy, FOIA, N-565 or Special Certificate

Each copy option serves a different purpose. A photocopy is for your records. A FOIA copy proves what USCIS holds. An N-565 replacement is a new official certificate. A special certificate helps a foreign country recognize your naturalization. Pick by the need, not by speed, when deciding how to get naturalization certificate proof.

Copy options table

This table compares the four options by what you receive and when each one fits.

Only the N-565 routes produce a new official certificate; a FOIA copy is evidence, not a replacement.

What Is a Special Certificate of Naturalization?

Form N-565 also lets you request a special certificate of naturalization to be recognized by a foreign country. It is meant for the foreign government and is usually delivered to its official representative, not to you. Include a copy of your original certificate with the request.

How to Get Naturalization Certificate Records for a Deceased Relative?

To get naturalization records for a deceased relative, use the USCIS Genealogy Program or the National Archives, not Form N-565. The N-565 is only for living people replacing their own certificate. Start with the year and place of naturalization if you know them, since that tells you which archive to search.

USCIS Genealogy Program

The program searches historical immigration and naturalization files for a fee. You give the relative's name, birth date and other details, and receive copies, not a new certificate. Fees are listed on the program's uscis.gov page.

National Archives and court records

Many older naturalizations happened in federal, state or county courts, and the National Archives or court archives keep those records. Search there first for a long-ago local court case. Census and passenger records often name the court.

Changing Your Name or Birth Date on the Certificate

You change the name or birth date on your certificate by filing Form N-565 with the original certificate and the legal document showing the change, such as a court order or marriage certificate. The new N-570 shows the updated details.

Correcting a birth date

USCIS requires a court order or an amended official record to change a birth date; a simple statement is not enough. If the error came from USCIS, include proof and pay no fee.

Do You Have to Update Your Certificate After Marriage?

No. Updating the naturalization certificate after a marriage or divorce is optional. Many people update their passport with the marriage certificate or divorce decree and keep the old certificate. File the N-565 only if an agency insists your certificate match your current legal name.

Can You Use a Passport Instead of the Certificate?

Yes. A valid U.S. passport or passport card proves citizenship for travel, work and most benefits. Many people never replace a lost certificate because their passport covers their needs. The exception is a first passport: you need other citizenship proof to get one, which is where the certificate matters.

When a passport is enough

Employers, the DMV and most federal agencies accept a valid passport as proof of citizenship. Returning from abroad requires the passport, not the certificate. A passport card works for land and sea trips only.

When you still need the certificate

You may need it for a first passport, to sponsor certain relatives or for some foreign citizenship processes. If you have neither document, file the N-565 first. Ask the requesting office whether a passport works before paying.

What If Your Certificate Never Arrived?

Most certificates are handed out in person, so "never arrived" usually involves a mailed replacement. Check your case status, confirm the mailing address USCIS has, and ask whether the document was returned to USCIS before you file another N-565. Filing twice wastes the fee.

First checks

Check Case Status Online: egov.uscis.gov for a mailed or returned message. If you moved, update your address at once; our change of address guide explains how. Note the date the status changed.

Contact USCIS

Call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 or ask in your online account. If the document went back to USCIS, it may be resent once your address is fixed. TTY users can call TTY: 800-767-1833.

When a new N-565 is the answer

If USCIS confirms delivery to a correct address and the certificate cannot be found, treat it as lost. File a new N-565 with a sworn statement describing the delivery problem.

Common Naturalization Certificate Problems and Fixes

The most common certificate problems are losing it, damage, a USCIS typo, and an outdated name. Each has a set fix through Form N-565 with different evidence. The decision guide below shows which proof goes with which problem, and the sections after it walk through the three cases people report most.

Lost while moving or in a fire

Write down when and where you last saw it, file a police report if theft is possible, and prepare a sworn statement. Include any copy you kept so USCIS can confirm the loss.

Damaged by water or wear

Send the damaged original with your N-565, even if torn or faded, so two valid certificates never exist. Photograph it before you mail it. Do not tape or glue torn pieces back together; place them in a sleeve.

Stolen with other identity documents

When a wallet or bag with your certificate is stolen, file a police report first and attach it. Watch your credit, because a certificate number, A-Number and birth date can be misused together.

Who Can File Form N-565?

Form N-565 is filed by the person named on the certificate: a naturalized citizen, a holder of a certificate of citizenship, or someone with a declaration of intention or repatriation certificate. A parent or guardian usually files for a minor, and an attorney may file with Form G-28.

Naturalized citizens and certificate holders

You can file if USCIS or a court issued you a certificate or declaration and you need a replacement, correction or special certificate. Spouses and adult children cannot file for you.

Filing with an attorney or accredited representative

A lawyer or DOJ-accredited representative files Form G-28 so USCIS sends them copies of notices. You still sign the N-565 yourself, and they can handle evidence requests. Ask to see a copy before it is filed.

How to Apply for Naturalization Certificate Replacement for a Child?

To replace a child's certificate, a parent or legal guardian files Form N-565 for the child, signs for them and includes proof of the parent-child relationship. Most children hold a certificate of citizenship (N-560), so the approved replacement is usually an N-561.

Parents filing for a minor

Include the child's lost, damaged or wrong certificate if you have it, the parent's ID details and the child's birth certificate. Add any court order that changed the child's name.

When the child becomes an adult

An adult child files and signs their own N-565. If the child never had a certificate at all, a replacement is not possible; the family looks at Form N-600 instead.

What Is the Certificate Number, and Where Do You Find It?

The certificate number is the unique number printed on your Certificate of Naturalization, separate from your A-Number. Some forms and passport applications ask for it. If the certificate is lost, check old copies, passport records or a FOIA response from your USCIS file.

Certificate number vs A-Number

Your A-Number (Alien Registration Number) identifies your whole immigration file and stays with you. The certificate number identifies one printed document, so a replacement usually carries its own. Never swap the two on a form.

Finding the number without the certificate

Look for a scan, your passport application file or earlier benefit forms where you listed it. A FOIA request can also return it. Enter it on the N-565 if you know it.

Does Form N-565 Require Biometrics or an Interview?

USCIS may schedule a biometrics appointment to confirm identity and capture a photo for the new certificate. Interviews are uncommon but can happen when records do not match or the claim needs more review. Watch your mail and online account for either notice.

Biometrics for a replacement

The notice names the Application Support Center, date and time. Bring it and a photo ID, such as a passport or driver's license. The visit captures fingerprints and a photo.

Rescheduling an N-565 biometrics appointment

If you cannot attend, follow the reschedule instructions on the notice before the date. Missing it without rescheduling can lead USCIS to treat the N-565 as abandoned. Ask for a new date early.

When USCIS asks for an interview

An officer may interview you if your identity, name history or naturalization record is unclear. Bring the originals listed on the notice. An attorney or DOJ-accredited representative with a G-28 can attend.

How to Get a Naturalisation Certificate From Abroad?

U.S. citizens living abroad file the same Form N-565, online or by mail, with extra passport-style photos as the instructions describe. People searching for a naturalisation certificate from another country, such as the United Kingdom, need that country's own government, not USCIS.

U.S. citizens living overseas

File online to avoid international mail delays and keep your address current. For urgent travel home, a U.S. embassy or consulate can issue a passport while your N-565 is pending.

Non-U.S. naturalisation certificates

Other countries issue their own certificates. USCIS cannot replace a British, Canadian or Australian document; this page covers only U.S. certificates. Contact the home office or embassy of the country that naturalized you for its own replacement process.

Which Agencies Ask for Your Naturalization Certificate?

The agencies that most often ask for a naturalization certificate are the U.S. Department of State for a first passport, the Social Security Administration to update your citizenship record, and state election and motor vehicle offices. Some foreign consulates ask too.

First U.S. passport application

The passport application asks for citizenship evidence, usually the original certificate. The State Department returns it after processing, but mail it tracked, never by untracked post. Keep a full copy first.

Social Security record updates

After naturalizing, update your Social Security record so employers and benefit systems see you as a citizen. Bring the original certificate or a passport; the office hands it back. An updated record also helps E-Verify confirm a new job as a citizen.

Voter registration and REAL ID offices

State voter registration and REAL ID offices may ask for proof of citizenship. Bring the original and a copy, and check the office's document list, since many accept a passport.

How Do Agencies Verify a Naturalization Certificate?

Federal, state and local benefit agencies often verify citizenship documents through SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements), a USCIS service. A mismatch can delay benefits until the agency or USCIS confirms your record. You do not contact SAVE yourself; the agency runs the check.

What happens during a SAVE check

The agency enters your name, birth date and certificate number. If SAVE cannot confirm right away, the agency may ask USCIS to check manually. Keep copies of what you showed.

Fixing a record mismatch

Ask the agency for the case details and contact USCIS. A name or birth date error on the certificate itself is fixed through Form N-565. Bring proof of your correct details.

Real-World Certificate Scenarios

These scenarios show how to get naturalization certificate help in practice. The people are made up but the situations are typical. Each one ends with the form filed and the evidence that fits it, so you can see how to get naturalization certificate replacements in a case like yours and match it to the closest example before you start the N-565.

Lost in a move, first passport needed

Ana naturalized years ago, never got a passport and lost her certificate in a move. She files Form N-565 online with a sworn statement and photos, then applies for the passport once the N-570 arrives.

USCIS misspelled the name

David noticed after the ceremony that USCIS misspelled his surname. He files Form N-565 with the original plus his birth certificate and passport showing the right spelling, and pays no fee.

Married name, agency wants a match

Priya changed her surname at marriage and her state office accepted her updated passport. Later a foreign consulate demanded a certificate in her new name, so she filed the N-565 with her marriage certificate.

Child's certificate damaged in a flood

A parent finds their 12-year-old's N-560 ruined by water. The parent files Form N-565 for the child with the damaged original and birth certificate, and later receives an N-561.

How to Spot Fake Certificates and Replacement Scams

Only USCIS prints naturalization certificates, so any offer to sell, print or "download" one is a scam. Making or using a fake certificate is a federal crime. Report offers to the Federal Trade Commission. No legitimate service can give you an official certificate faster than USCIS issues one.

Warning signs of a scam

• Promises of a "digital certificate" or same-day download
• Fees far above the USCIS fee, paid by gift card
• Requests for your USCIS password
• Claims of a special "fast lane" with USCIS

Safe ways to get help

Use only uscis.gov for forms and filing, and choose an attorney or accredited representative for help. Our independent guide explains the process but cannot file forms or see your case.

Mistakes to Avoid When Replacing a Certificate

Common N-565 mistakes include filing an old edition, forgetting photos, skipping the police report or sworn statement, keeping a damaged original, paying a fee for a USCIS error, and filing an N-565 when an N-600 is needed. Each one can cost a rejection or an evidence request.

Form and fee mistakes

These errors usually lead USCIS to reject the filing and return it, so you lose time before the case even starts:

• Using an outdated edition of Form N-565
• Leaving the form unsigned
• Paying the old fee amount
• Paying when USCIS caused the error

Evidence mistakes

These gaps tend to bring an evidence request:

• No police report or sworn statement for a loss
• Keeping the damaged original instead of sending it
• Missing translations
• No court order for a name or birth date change

Choosing the wrong form

The costliest mistake is filing the wrong form. An N-565 only replaces a certificate you already had:

• Never naturalized: Form N-400
• Citizen through a parent, no certificate yet: Form N-600
• Lost, damaged or wrong certificate: Form N-565

How Should You Protect Your Naturalization Certificate?

Protect your naturalization certificate by storing it flat in a fireproof safe or bank deposit box, never laminating or folding it, and carrying a passport instead. Keep a note of the certificate number and oath date separately; these details speed up a replacement.

Storage tips

Use an acid-free sleeve away from heat and damp. Do not write on it or staple papers to it. Store it with your other key records, such as your birth certificate.

Information to record now

Note your certificate number, A-Number, oath date and place, and keep the notes somewhere separate. If the certificate is lost, they make the N-565 and any FOIA request easier. Store the notes in a password manager or with a trusted relative.

How Does the Certificate Connect to Other USCIS Forms?

Your certificate connects to several other forms. Your N-400 led to it. Relatives you sponsor may need it as proof of your status. It also ends your need for permanent resident forms, and it can help your children document their own citizenship.

Sponsoring relatives with your certificate

As a citizen, you file an I-130 for relatives with proof of citizenship, often a certificate copy. You may also sign an affidavit of support. A passport copy works too.

Your old green card

After naturalization you no longer need green card renewal. You returned your card at the oath; an old card you still hold no longer shows your status. Do not use it for work or travel.

When Is Legal Help Worth It for a Certificate Problem?

Get legal help if USCIS denies your N-565, questions whether you naturalized, finds records that do not match, or if your certificate shows another person's details. An immigration attorney or DOJ-accredited representative can request your file and respond to USCIS.

Signs your case needs a professional

Unusual cases include certificates issued decades ago by a court, records under a different name, or a dispute over whether you naturalized. These may need a FOIA request before you file.

Finding trustworthy help

Look for a licensed immigration attorney or an accredited representative at a DOJ-recognized nonprofit. Avoid "notarios" who promise faster certificates; they cannot give legal advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

casestatuscompass.com is an independent publication and is not affiliated with USCIS or any government agency. This page is general information, not legal advice. For denials, court or asylum matters, consult an immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative.