How to prove that you have American citizenship: supporting documents and how to get them

You will have to prove your US citizenship if you are detained, or if you want to get a US passport - and in many other cases. What documents are needed to confirm citizenship, reports US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

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If you were born in the USA, then you do not need to apply to the Immigration and Naturalization Services (USCIS) to verify your citizenship. Your birth certificate issued by the place of birth is sufficient proof. What other documents can confirm your citizenship?

You are a US citizen if you have:

• Birth certificate confirming birth in the United States;
• Form N-550, Certificate of Naturalization;
• Form N-560, Certificate of Citizenship;
• Form FS-240, Foreign Birth Record of a U.S. Citizen; or
• A valid, unexpired U.S. passport.

Where to get documents that confirm your citizenship

If your documents are lost or stolen, you can get copies of them.

Certificate about naturalization andcertificate about citizenship

The Certificate of Citizenship and Certificate of Naturalization are some of the most important documents for any US citizen. Since these certificates prove your citizenship, they should be kept in a safe place.

And yet, the certificate can be lost or even stolen, and it must be restored.

The procedure for restoring both certificates is the same. To restore your certificate of naturalization or US citizenship, you need to submit an application, namely the form N-565 "Application for Replacement of Naturalization/Citizenship Document" to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Please note that certificate renewal is not free, so you will have to prepare $555 as an application fee.

The application form is called the Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document, or simply the Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document. Be prepared to provide various details to fill out the form, such as your full name, date of birth, certificate number and alien number, if one has been issued to you, and other details.

You can apply online or on paper. To apply online, you need to create your online account.

If you were born overseas, do not have any of the above documents, and believe you are a US citizen, you can apply to the US Department of State for a US passport. A passport is proof of citizenship and also serves as a travel document if you need to travel. Information on applying for a US passport can be found at US Department of State website.

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How to replace a lost or stolen birth certificate

Rules for replacing government-issued IDs vary, reports USA.gov.

Many require you to show an official document, such as a birth certificate. This confirms your citizenship.

How to get copies of birth certificates:

• USA born

Please contact civil registry office in the state or territory where you were born to obtain a copy of your birth certificate. Follow the instructions for requesting copies and paying fees. If you need a copy quickly, ask for expedited service or shipping when placing an order.

• Born abroad

If you were born to American parents abroad, they must have registered your birth with US embassy or consulate in this country. If they did, they received a consular report of birth abroad (CRBA). You can get a copy of this report from the US State Department. Depending on the country, a country's vital records may also show birth data.

What if the State Department can't find your CRBA?

If you were born on military base abroad, your parents may not have registered your birth at the US Embassy. In this case, you may have to go to the hospital where you were born.

Born abroad and adopted by parents in the USA

If you were born in another country and were adopted by a US citizen, you did not receive a US birth certificate.

The country you were born in would have betrayed him. To obtain a copy, contact nearest foreign embassy or consulate in that country. If you need a certified copy but it is not in English, please contact the embassy for help in translating it.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York.

If you were adopted from another country by a US citizen, you must have copies of your naturalization/citizenship documents.

If they don't exist, apply for a replacement naturalization/citizenship document. For help contact US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

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