How to Get a Certificate of U.S. Naturalization

The United States government normally gives what's known as a Certificate of Naturalization to new U.S. citizens, either on Form N-550 or N-570. The certificate serves as proof that the person whose name and photo the form bears has obtained U.S. citizenship via the process known as naturalization. Here's more about how to get your first one or, if need be, a replacement.

What Is Naturalization?

Naturalization is the process by which U.S. lawful permanent residents (green card holders) may, after a certain number of years, apply to become U.S. citizens. The process involves filling out and submitting U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Form N-400, attending an interview, demonstrating the ability to speak, read, and write English, and passing a test on U.S. history and government. Once approved and sworn in at an oath ceremony, they are officially U.S. citizens.

Do You Need to Separately Apply for a Certificate of Naturalization?

No, people who have successfully applied to become naturalized citizens will automatically be given a certificate of naturalization at their swearing-in ceremony. You will likely be scheduled for a swearing-in ceremony after the USCIS interview at which you are approved for U.S. citizenship.

Do You Need to Apply for a U.S. Passport?

If you want a U.S. passport, you will need to separately apply for it. A passport will be an important document to have if you plan to travel outside the United States. It is also easier to carry around than the naturalization certificate (especially if you decide to frame the certificate).

You should be given an opportunity to fill out an application for a U.S. passport at your swearing-in ceremony. If you miss that opportunity, passport applications are handled by the U.S. State Department.

A semi-alternative, if you live in certain U.S. border states and plan regular land or sea travel into Canada, is to get an "enhanced" driver's license, which comes with border-crossing privileges. It can't be used for air travel, however. And it's available only if you live in one of these states:

• Michigan
• Minnesota
• New York
• Vermont, or
• Washington.

By the way, if you decide to frame your certificate of naturalization, you might want to make a photocopy first, particularly if you there's a possibility you will want to file petitions (Form I-130) in order to help any of your family members immigrate. (Yes, copying the certificate is illegal for most purposes, but it's okay if you're lawfully trying to petition for a family member.) See The I-130 Petition: Information for Family Sponsors.

What If My Naturalization Certificate Was Lost or Destroyed?

It's possible to apply for a replacement certificate, using USCIS Form N-565. You will also need to submit:

• a copy of your drivers' license, passport, or other photo id
• a copy of the lost or destroyed certificate, if possible; or the original document, if it was mutilated but is still intact enough to mail
• a sworn statement explaining what happened to the document and your attempts to retrieve it
• the government processing fee
• if you're living overseas, two passport-style photos of yourself (applicants in the United States will have their photos taken at a biometrics interview), and
• if someone stole or destroyed your naturalization certificate, a police report reflecting your contact with law enforcement authorities.

See the further instructions on the USCIS website page concerning Form N-565.

What If I Need to Change the Information on My Naturalization Certificate?

It's also possible to apply for a corrected certificate, or one that matches your latest legal information, using USCIS Form N-565. The exception is if you provided the inaccurate information in the first place, by entering it on your N-400, in which case you're stuck with it.

On the other hand, you can definitely use Form N-565 to request correction of an error made by USCIS, and you won't have to pay the usual government filing fee for this request.

Along with the form, you will need to also submit:

• a copy of your drivers' license, passport, or other photo id
• the existing certificate (original)
• the government processing fee (unless the error was USCIS's)
• if you're living overseas, two passport-style photos of yourself (applicants in the United States will have their photos taken at a biometrics interview), and
• evidence of the needed change (such as a court-ordered name change or a marriage or divorce certificate, including foreign-language translations if they're not in English).

Can I Ask for a Gender Change Using Form N-565?

Be aware that if the change concerns gender, the Trump Administration is hostile to creating immigration documents that state anything other than the person's biological sex at birth. The latest version of the form offers the possibility of a corrected certificate only if the one you have "is incorrect because the sex listed on the document does not reflect your sex at birth." This matter is currently in litigation.

What Happens After You Submit Form N-565

Within a few weeks, you should get a receipt notice from USCIS saying that your case has been put into processing. Or, if something was missing, USCIS will send you a Request for Evidence (RFE) asking for the missing document or item and giving you a deadline to supply it.

If you are in the United States, you might also be called in for biometrics (fingerprinting, signature, and a photograph). It can use this to verify your identity and run FBI security checks.

It might take several months for USCIS to approve your case. Check the average processing times on its website. (In mid-2025, the average was 5.5 months.)

USCIS will mail the new certificate to you or, if you are living overseas, to the nearest U.S. embassy, consulate, or field office, then send you a letter advising you where to pick up your new document.

Is a Certificate of U.S. Citizenship the Same Thing?

No, a certificate of U.S. citizenship is the document given to people who became citizens automatically, through their parents or grandparents, via either the legal process of acquisition or derivation of citizenship. If you are a naturalized citizen, you do not need to worry about this type of certificate.