How To Replace a Lost Certificate of Citizenship
Published April 17, 2023
It’s no question that a Certificate of Citizenship is an incredibly useful document. It is, after all, one of the few documents you can use to prove not only your identity but also your citizenship in the US.
However, what makes your Certificate of Citizenship more important than most documents is that it’s one of the first identification documents you gain access to, along with birth certificates. It’s what kickstarts your journey to obtaining more identification documents like passports and driver’s licenses.
That’s why it can be frustrating to lose it since the already arduous process of obtaining identification documents becomes even more tiring as you have to replace your lost Certificate of Citizenship.
But can you even get a replacement?
Can I Get a Replacement if I Lost My Certificate of Citizenship?
Fortunately, like most essential documents, you can replace a lost Certificate of Citizenship, and it’s simpler than you may think. In fact, there’s a specific form for that particular transaction.
Of course, that would require that you truly lose the certificate. It might be that you lost it, got it stolen, or it was destroyed. In most instances, the reason for losing it doesn’t matter much so long as you had one previously. There are other circumstances that would make you eligible for a replacement.
Here are two examples of those circumstances:
- Your previous Certificate of Citizenship has a typographical error made.
- You changed your name, date of birth, or any other detail that appears on your certificate and must therefore modify your Certificate of Citizenship to reflect those specific changes.
So, you’ve now confirmed that you can indeed replace your lost document. In the following section, we’ll talk about how to get a copy of citizenship certificate to replace the document you lost.
Step-by-Step Guide To Replace a Lost Certificate of Citizenship
The steps you must take to replace your lost document are quite similar to the steps you took when you were applying for Certificate of Citizenship for the first time. However, there’s one difference—you need to prove that you truly lost the Certificate of Citizenship, and it’s not a lie.
With that in mind, here’s pretty much everything you need to gather for this process:
- Your 2×2 photograph in white or whitish background printed on a thin, glossy paper (only if you reside outside the US)
- A copy of a US government-issued photo ID (e.g., passport, driver’s license, etc.)
- A police report or sworn statement indicating what exactly happened for you to have lost your Certificate of Citizenship and your efforts to retrieve it
- A filing fee of $555
Once you gather these four requirements, you should be able to replace your lost Certificate of Citizenship easily by following these steps. Keep in mind that there are several ways to file your request, and the preceding steps will focus on how you can do it online via the USCIS website.
1. Create an Account on the USCIS website
To submit your request, you must have an account on the USCIS website, so make sure you create one first before proceeding to the next steps. The registration process is free and similar to the registration process of most platforms like Facebook or Twitter.
2. Fill Out the Form
Form N-565, also referred to as the Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document, will be the core of this process. All you have to do is proceed to the corresponding webpage of the form. There, you’ll find a button that says File Online. Click that button.
Upon doing so, it’ll take you to the form, where you can fill it out accordingly. The platform should guide you throughout the process, but we still advise that you download and read the instructions.
3. Pay the Filing Fee
After filling it out completely, you can file it right there and then. But of course, you’ll have to pay the filing fee, and for that, connecting your credit card or any other payment platform is necessary.
Now, if you intend to go the mail route, the process will be a bit different. Rather than being automatically taken to the form, you must download Form N-565 manually, fill it out, print the filled-out form, then mail it to the mailing address of USCIS. For your reference, here’s the address:
USCIS
Attn: N-565
P.O. Box 20050
Phoenix, AZ 85036-0050
You must also send your payment manually, whether it’s through money order, cashier’s check, personal check, or credit card. It’s more of a hassle for really no advantage, so we suggest going the online route. Regardless of the method, you can check the status of the application via the website.
Final Words
As you can see, it’s relatively easy to replace a lost Certificate of Citizenship, unlike what most people believe. But of course, it’s not so simple that losing this document is no big deal. On the contrary, it can be devastating, considering how you must pay $555 for the processing. So, take better care of your Certificate of Citizenship next time to avoid this needless expense.
Lost Your Birth Certificate? Request A Replacement Online
Instant Vital Records offers a birth certificate replacement service you can use from the comfort of your home. Enter your information and our software will automatically complete the required forms for your state. We print and mail your forms along with required payments to your state health department. You can trust that we take your personal information privacy and security seriously with HIPAA compliant data storage and data encryption. To get started, simply click here to begin your application. Your replacement documents will arrive by mail to your home within a few weeks.
This Blog Is Fact Checked By Experts
Our team of experts has thoroughly verified the accuracy of this content. For detailed information on the editorial guidelines followed on our website, please click here.
About The Author
Lenard Arceo is an experienced blogger and writer who enjoys learning to code in his spare time. His commitment to delivering factual content is what has helped him create hundred of helpful articles that have reached millions of people.
