Citizenship certificates are issued to US citizens who acquire or derive citizenship from their US citizen parents and this citizenship certificate will help you to prove that you are a US citizen. You need to keep this certificate safe and if you lose it, you need to report the loss of your US citizenship certificate and file the USCIS Form N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document.
This form may be filed in order to replace a Citizenship or a Naturalization certificate. Similarly, you may file Form N-565, to replace a lost or mutilated Repatriation Certificate or Declaration of Intention. Besides, you may file Form N-565, if you need a special certificate of naturalization. If your name was changed after a certificate of citizenship was granted to you, you may file Form N-565, to obtain a new document in the new name. If there are mistakes on your citizenship certificate, you must not file this form to correct those errors.
To replace your certificate of citizenship, you need to fill out Form N-565 and mail the application package to the right USCIS office. You must not forget to include the required supporting documents and the application filing fee, along with the application package. You need to go through the form instructions page to get to know about the form filing fee and about the required supporting documents.
If you make mistakes while filing your application, fill out a new form, as errors may result in the denial of your application. Similarly, if your form does not accompany the right filing fees, your application will be returned to you. In order to avoid these circumstances, you need to follow the form filing instructions. You will have to submit two passport style photographs along with your application and you need to submit your recent photographs.
You will have to submit copies of your certificate of citizenship, if you have one, if you are filing Form N-565, to replace your lost document. But you need to submit your mutilated citizenship certificate along with your application, if you need to replace a mutilated document. See to that you attach all the relevant documents that are needed to prove that you are eligible to obtain a citizenship certificate.
Check your application package twice before mailing it as the USCIS will first check your application for accuracy and completeness. USCIS will accept your application only if it is complete and only if your form accompanies the exact fees. USCIS will then mail you a receipt notice that contains a 13 digit number and you need to keep this notice safe as you need to enter this number to check the status of your application, online.
USCIS will not accept your petition, if it is incomplete and if the supporting documents that you sent are insufficient. Similarly, applications that are not signed and applications without the right filing fee, may not be considered. In certain circumstances, you may be required to bring additional supporting documents with you, while you report for an interview, at a USCIS office. After verifying your documents, USCIS will approve your application and you will receive your new certificate of citizenship within six months.
