QUESTION
What can I do if I lost my citizenship certificate?
Asked on Aug 07th, 2013 on Immigration - Texas
More details to this question:
I had my citizenship certificate last year and applied for US passport. I received the US passport but my citizenship certificate never came back. Right now, I am filing form I-130 for my father but I do not have the citizenship certificate as required in the form (certificate number, place & date granted). I know I am able to reapply for a new one but I cannot wait. Please advise what I should do.
3 ANSWERS
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Possession of a valid US passport is concrete proof of your citizenship, so you can submit a copy of the passport instead of your certificate with the I-130 petition.
Answered on Aug 16th, 2013 at 1:24 AM
Adebola O. Asekun
Your unexpired US passport should be sufficient evidence of your citizenship, as not all US citizens are naturalized and so would not have a certificate of citizenship. But you can also go to your local USCIS office and ask them to conduct a status verification inquiry for you. There is no guarantee they will do so, but if they do, the results should provide information about your naturalization certificate number, date and place of naturalization. Of course you can also file a Form N-565 for a duplicate of your naturalization certificate to either the USCIS Nebraska or Texas Service centers. Average processing time is about 180 days
Answered on Aug 16th, 2013 at 1:24 AM
It would be wise to engage an immigration attorney to explore with you the possibility of using your U.S. passport as evidence of your U.S. citizenship and explaining the lost Certificate. Depending upon the circumstances that may be a good alternative to first applying for a replacement Certificate. If you were represented by an immigration attorney in connection with your naturalization, that attorney may have a copy of the Certificate in the attorney's file.
Answered on Aug 16th, 2013 at 1:24 AM