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Certain individuals can file Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship, to obtain a Certificate of Citizenship. The certificate serves as evidence of a person’s U.S. citizenship.
There are various ways to become a U.S. citizen. USCIS only issues Certificates of Citizenship to those individuals who were born abroad but are U.S. citizens at birth through their parents, or who became citizens after birth but before the age of 18. This is different than the naturalization process.
Reasons to File Form N-600
You may file Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship, if you were born abroad and are claiming U.S. citizenship at birth through your parents. For example, you were born in a foreign country to a parent that is a U.S. citizen. Generally, you are a citizen if born to a U.S. citizen parent. This process may be referred to as acquisition of citizenship.
You may also file Form N-600 to obtain evidence of citizenship if you automatically became a U.S. citizen after your birth but before you turned 18 years of age. A parent or guardian may also file Form N-600 on behalf of a minor child. For example, your parent naturalized while you were a permanent resident child (under 18) living with that parent in the United States. This process may be referred to as derivation of citizenship. You automatically became a U.S. citizen by operation of law , but you may need Form N-600 to request that the U.S. government acknowledge your status and issue you proof. For a more detailed explanation of the requirements to file Form N-600, refer to Certificate of Citizenship eligibility.
Reasons Not to File Form N-600
Do not file Form N-600 for the following reasons:
- You have already been issued a Certificate of Citizenship. If the original certificate was lost, stolen or requires corrections, use Form N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document, to request a replacement document from USCIS.
- You do not have at least one biological or adoptive U.S. citizen parent.
- You are a permanent resident who is applying for U.S. citizenship on the basis of naturalization. Instead, use Form N-400, Application for Naturalization.
- You already received a decision on a previously filed Form N-600.
- You were born in the United States. Instead, use your birth certificate as evidence of your U.S. citizenship.