How to Get a Copy of Your Naturalization Certificate

The Short Answer

To get a replacement or corrected copy of your U.S. Certificate of Naturalization, file Form N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document, with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. N-565 handles replacements for lost, stolen, damaged, mutilated, or destroyed certificates, as well as corrected versions when the original contained a USCIS typographical error or when your legal name has changed through marriage or court order after naturalization.

N-565 is the only legitimate path to a new Certificate of Naturalization. USCIS does not issue copies on request for purposes outside the N-565 process, and certified true copies cannot be obtained from state courts or other agencies because the certificate is a federal document held in federal records.

When to File N-565

File N-565 in any of these situations:

• Your certificate was lost or stolen. Whether it went missing at home, during a move, in a fire, in a flood, or was stolen, N-565 is the path to a replacement.
• Your certificate was damaged or mutilated. Water damage, tears, stains, and — a common issue — improper lamination can all damage the certificate to the point where USCIS considers it no longer valid. Submit the damaged original with the N-565 if possible.
• Your certificate contains a USCIS typographical error. If USCIS made a mistake on the certificate — wrong name spelling, wrong date of birth, wrong sex code — file N-565 to request a corrected version.
• Your name has legally changed after naturalization. If you have changed your name through marriage, divorce, or court order since becoming a U.S. citizen, you can request a new certificate reflecting your current legal name.
• You need a new certificate because the old one no longer matches other identification. If your current passport and driver's license show a different legal name than your certificate, updating the certificate keeps your records consistent.

Do not file N-565 if the only issue is that you need to establish U.S. citizenship for a purpose other than your original certificate. You already are a citizen — a current U.S. passport is sufficient for most purposes, and filing N-565 does not confer any additional rights.

Step-by-Step: Filing N-565

1. Download the current N-565 form from uscis.gov. Always use the most recent version; USCIS rejects outdated form editions.
2. Complete all required fields. The form asks for your current legal name, the name that appeared on your original certificate, your A-number, date of birth, date of naturalization, place of naturalization, and the reason you are requesting a replacement or corrected certificate.
3. Attach supporting documents. Required documents vary by reason:
   • For lost certificates: A written explanation of how and when the certificate was lost, and ideally a police report if it was stolen.
   • For damaged certificates: The original damaged certificate, to be sent with the N-565.
   • For USCIS errors: Evidence of the correct information (birth certificate, passport, prior naturalization records) plus the current certificate with the error.
   • For name changes: A certified copy of the court order, marriage certificate, or divorce decree showing the name change.
4. Pay the filing fee. The N-565 filing fee is set by USCIS and published at uscis.gov/fees. Always check the current fee before sending payment.
5. Sign and date the form. The applicant must sign personally. Forms signed by anyone else are not accepted except in narrow circumstances involving applicants who cannot sign due to disability.
6. Mail the application to the USCIS lockbox address listed in the current N-565 instructions. Online filing of N-565 may be available for some categories — check uscis.gov for the current policy.

How Long Does It Take?

N-565 processing times are published at egov.uscis.gov/processing-times. Historically, N-565 has been processed in roughly 6-12 months, though times vary significantly with USCIS workload and have been longer during periods of heavy demand. There is no premium processing option for N-565.

Plan accordingly if you need the new certificate for a specific purpose. Do not wait until the last minute — file as soon as you realize you need a replacement.

What to Do While You Wait

A pending N-565 does not provide interim proof of citizenship. However, most purposes for which you might need the certificate can be handled with other documents while the replacement is pending:

• International travel — a valid U.S. passport is the primary travel document and does not depend on having the certificate in hand.
• Applying for a passport — the State Department accepts other evidence of citizenship for first-time or renewal passport applications, including prior passports and citizenship records.
• Federal employment — Form I-9 has multiple acceptable documents; a U.S. passport works for everything the certificate would prove.
• Family sponsorship — USCIS petitions that require proof of U.S. citizen status accept a copy of your passport biographical page or your naturalization certificate. If you have neither available, contact your local USCIS office.

Common Filing Mistakes

• Wrong fee. Fees change periodically. Always verify the current fee at uscis.gov/fees before filing.
• Wrong form edition. USCIS rejects outdated editions of N-565. Always download the current version from uscis.gov.
• Missing supporting documents. Each reason for filing has specific evidentiary requirements. A lost certificate needs a written explanation; a damaged certificate needs the original; a name change needs certified proof.
• Signing on behalf of the applicant. N-565 must be signed by the citizen personally in almost all cases.
• Filing before checking if you really need a replacement. Sometimes people think they need a new certificate when a current U.S. passport would serve the same purpose. A passport is faster, cheaper, and more convenient for most uses.

A Word on Security

Once you receive the new certificate, store it securely. Consider scanning it and saving an encrypted copy separately from the original so that you have evidence of what it said if anything happens to the physical document in the future. Never carry the original in a wallet or bring it to situations where loss or theft is a real risk.

The Bottom Line

If your Certificate of Naturalization is lost, stolen, damaged, contains a USCIS error, or needs to reflect a name change, Form N-565 is the replacement application. Processing takes several months, so file as soon as you realize a replacement is needed and use your U.S. passport for interim proof of citizenship. Always check uscis.gov for the current N-565 form edition and filing fee before sending the application, and consult a licensed U.S. immigration attorney if your situation is complicated by additional factors.

When to Work with an Immigration Attorney

Not every immigration question needs a lawyer, but some do. The topics covered in this article include situations where a brief consultation with a licensed U.S. immigration attorney can save months of delay, prevent irreversible mistakes, and identify options you might not otherwise know about. Consider consulting an attorney if your case involves any of the following:

• Criminal history of any kind. Even dismissed charges, expunged records, or decades-old offenses can affect immigration outcomes. The immigration consequences of a criminal record are technical and fact-specific, and plea deals that seemed favorable in criminal court sometimes have devastating immigration consequences.
• Past immigration violations or denials. Prior visa denials, overstays, periods of unlawful presence, and prior removal proceedings all affect current options. An attorney can review your history and identify which paths remain open.
• Complicated family situations. Divorce, death of a petitioner, domestic abuse, and similar circumstances can trigger waiver eligibility or affect existing petitions in ways that require careful legal analysis.
• Business immigration matters. Employment-based cases, investor visas, and self-petitions are typically too complex for do-it-yourself filing. The evidentiary standards are demanding and the stakes are high.
• Cases that feel stuck. If your case has been sitting without action for a long time, or if you received an RFE or NOID you do not fully understand, an attorney can diagnose the problem and respond effectively.
• Anything you do not fully understand. Immigration forms are technical, and a small mistake can cascade into large consequences. When in doubt, ask someone qualified.

Finding Reliable Information

The single most reliable source of current U.S. immigration information is USCIS itself. USCIS publishes form instructions, fee schedules, processing times, policy manuals, and policy alerts at uscis.gov. When any article (including this one) references specific fees, processing times, or eligibility rules, the information can become outdated as USCIS updates its policies and fee schedules. Always verify any time-sensitive detail directly with USCIS before filing anything.

Other reliable primary sources include the U.S. Department of State (for visa bulletins and consular processing), the U.S. Department of Labor (for PERM and prevailing wage information), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (for admission and port of entry rules), and the Executive Office for Immigration Review (for immigration court procedures).

Secondary sources — including practitioner guides, law school immigration clinics, and reputable nonprofit legal aid organizations — can provide helpful explanations of how the rules apply in practice. Community forums and social media should be treated with caution: they can point you to useful resources, but they also contain a great deal of inaccurate or outdated information, and the rules change frequently enough that what was true a year ago may not be true now.

Keeping Records

One of the simplest ways to protect yourself through any immigration process is to keep careful records of everything. Copies of every filing you send to USCIS, every notice you receive, every check or money order you submit, and every piece of correspondence you send or receive become critical evidence if something goes wrong later. Keep these records organized, dated, and backed up in at least two separate places (for example, a physical folder and a digital scan).

Also keep records of everything that supports your underlying eligibility — tax returns, marriage certificate, birth certificates, medical records, employment records, property records, school transcripts, and anything else that demonstrates ties to the United States, family relationships, or program eligibility. Good records are the backbone of a strong immigration case.