Certificate of Naturalization copying

J

jcas

New Member
Hi everyone.

I need proof of citizenship for a program I'm applying to. However, the only proof of citizenship I have at the moment is the certificate itself; I haven't gotten a passport yet.

I'd really rather not have to use the original, but the front says something to the effect of "IT IS PUNISHABLE BY U.S. LAW TO COPY, PRINT, OR PHOTOGRAPH THIS CERTIFICATE, WITHOUT LAWFUL AUTHORITY." So, I guess I'm wondering if this really prohibits me from making a copy for a legitimate purpose?

Thank you.
 
This does not prohibit you from making copies for lawful purposes. I asked that question to an IO who told me that it's ok to make copies of it.
 
You can only make black & white copies of the certificate. You cannot make color copies.
 
xxzz said:
You can only make black & white copies of the certificate. You cannot make color copies.
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Where did you get that idea? That's the first time I ever heard of it. The following link does not say anything about it.

http://www.newcitizen.us/after.html

"Step 2. Make Backup Copies

We recommend that you make at least one backup copy of your Certificate of Naturalization and store it in a secure and different place than your original.

The bottom left hand corner of your Certificate of Naturalization reads, "IT IS PUNISHABLE BY U.S. LAW TO COPY, PRINT, OR PHOTOGRAPH THIS CERTIFICATE, WITHOUT LAWFUL AUTHORITY."
You have lawful authority to make backup copies of your certificate in case it is lost, damaged, or stolen. For example, should you lose your original Certificate of Naturalization, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS or CIS) will ask you to attach a copy of your certificate when you apply for a new one. The CIS will also ask for a copy of your Certificate of Naturalization if you petition to bring other family members into the US, so make at least two copies.

Unlawful copying of a Certificate of Naturalization includes such things as copying for the purposes of falsifying or altering the photograph, falsifying information on the certificate, copying so others may use the certificate, and copying for the proposes of counterfeiting or other criminal activity.

You may also want to have one or two additional backup copies of your Certificate of Naturalization notarized by a notary public. These notarized copies can be used at the border to reenter the United States, but only if you are returning from a country within the Western Hemisphere (Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America). We advise travelling outside the country with a US passport. However, a notarized copy of your Certificate of Naturalization can and should be used as a backup to your US passport. "
 
You can make black & white copies of the naturalization certificate,not color copies.....i have mine with me all the time and in todays scenario very much necessary...
 
I found the actual law regarding the copying of the certificate. It does not say anything about color copying or some such. I suspect that is more of a recommendation rather than actual regulation.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00001426----000-.html

1426. Reproduction of naturalization or citizenship papers

(a) Whoever falsely makes, forges, alters or counterfeits any oath, notice, affidavit, certificate of arrival, declaration of intention, certificate or documentary evidence of naturalization or citizenship or any order, record, signature, paper or proceeding or any copy thereof, required or authorized by any law relating to naturalization or citizenship or registry of aliens; or
(b) Whoever utters, sells, disposes of or uses as true or genuine, any false, forged, altered, antedated or counterfeited oath, notice, affidavit, certificate of arrival, declaration of intention to become a citizen, certificate or documentary evidence of naturalization or citizenship, or any order, record, signature or other instrument, paper or proceeding required or authorized by any law relating to naturalization or citizenship or registry of aliens, or any copy thereof, knowing the same to be false, forged, altered, antedated or counterfeited; or
(c) Whoever, with intent unlawfully to use the same, possesses any false, forged, altered, antedated or counterfeited certificate of arrival, declaration of intention to become a citizen, certificate or documentary evidence of naturalization or citizenship purporting to have been issued under any law of the United States, or copy thereof, knowing the same to be false, forged, altered, antedated or counterfeited; or
(d) Whoever, without lawful authority, engraves or possesses, sells or brings into the United States any plate in the likeness or similitude of any plate designed, for the printing of a declaration of intention, or certificate or documentary evidence of naturalization or citizenship; or
(e) Whoever, without lawful authority, brings into the United States any document printed therefrom; or
(f) Whoever, without lawful authority, possesses any blank certificate of arrival, blank declaration of intention or blank certificate of naturalization or citizenship provided by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, with intent unlawfully to use the same; or
(g) Whoever, with intent unlawfully to use the same, possesses a distinctive paper adopted by the proper officer or agency of the United States for the printing or engraving of a declaration of intention to become a citizen, or certificate of naturalization or certificate of citizenship; or
(h) Whoever, without lawful authority, prints, photographs, makes or executes any print or impression in the likeness of a certificate of arrival, declaration of intention to become a citizen, or certificate of naturalization or citizenship, or any part thereof
 
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The USCIS officers told us at our oath ceremony that we could make B&W, but not color, photocopies of our natz certificates. They even recommended we do so - given that obtaining a replacement for the real certificate would be both expensive and time consuming.
 
I guess the B&W may be interpreted as copying for one's records, but what if some one wanted to make an 'exact' color copy and then do what ever illegal activity they may want to do.
boatbod said:
The USCIS officers told us at our oath ceremony that we could make B&W, but not color, photocopies of our natz certificates. They even recommended we do so - given that obtaining a replacement for the real certificate would be both expensive and time consuming.
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equate said:
I found the actual law regarding the copying of the certificate. It does not say anything about color copying or some such. I suspect that is more of a recommendation rather than actual regulation.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00001426----000-.html

1426. Reproduction of naturalization or citizenship papers

(a) Whoever falsely makes, forges, alters or counterfeits any oath, notice, affidavit, certificate of arrival, declaration of intention, certificate or documentary evidence of naturalization or citizenship or any order, record, signature, paper or proceeding or any copy thereof, required or authorized by any law relating to naturalization or citizenship or registry of aliens; or
(b) Whoever utters, sells, disposes of or uses as true or genuine, any false, forged, altered, antedated or counterfeited oath, notice, affidavit, certificate of arrival, declaration of intention to become a citizen, certificate or documentary evidence of naturalization or citizenship, or any order, record, signature or other instrument, paper or proceeding required or authorized by any law relating to naturalization or citizenship or registry of aliens, or any copy thereof, knowing the same to be false, forged, altered, antedated or counterfeited; or
(c) Whoever, with intent unlawfully to use the same, possesses any false, forged, altered, antedated or counterfeited certificate of arrival, declaration of intention to become a citizen, certificate or documentary evidence of naturalization or citizenship purporting to have been issued under any law of the United States, or copy thereof, knowing the same to be false, forged, altered, antedated or counterfeited; or
(d) Whoever, without lawful authority, engraves or possesses, sells or brings into the United States any plate in the likeness or similitude of any plate designed, for the printing of a declaration of intention, or certificate or documentary evidence of naturalization or citizenship; or
(e) Whoever, without lawful authority, brings into the United States any document printed therefrom; or
(f) Whoever, without lawful authority, possesses any blank certificate of arrival, blank declaration of intention or blank certificate of naturalization or citizenship provided by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, with intent unlawfully to use the same; or
(g) Whoever, with intent unlawfully to use the same, possesses a distinctive paper adopted by the proper officer or agency of the United States for the printing or engraving of a declaration of intention to become a citizen, or certificate of naturalization or certificate of citizenship; or
(h) Whoever, without lawful authority, prints, photographs, makes or executes any print or impression in the likeness of a certificate of arrival, declaration of intention to become a citizen, or certificate of naturalization or citizenship, or any part thereof
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I don't know where you are in your Natz timeline. You would know this if you had attended oath ceremony. They specifically tell you at the oath ceremony not to make color copies.
 
I was never told anything about color copies. Just said to make sure I make copies. So I did. I've never found anything that says you can't make color at all. So not sure why some are told that and a lot of us aren't. Even in the oath letter it doesn't state anything about color or B&W, just to make copies.

So as far as my experience color is fine...
 
xxzz said:
I don't know where you are in your Natz timeline. You would know this if you had attended oath ceremony. They specifically tell you at the oath ceremony not to make color copies.
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You are right. I would know. I've been to a multiple number of ceremonies in different states.

I don't think there are such rules. Color copiers only became common rather recently. So it's too early for them to have an official regulation regarding its uses. What they probably worry is the color copies look practically like the real thing, so they don't want to you make such copies to minimize the occurances of fraudulent uses.
 
Passport renewal

If my certificate of naturalization gets lost in the process of my daughter's passport renewal, will I be able to get a new one? I was asked to send the originals (my wife's and mine) by mail with her application, although she has a previous (expired) passport issued when she was less than 16. The instructions downloaded from the site seem to imply that when a previous passport has been issued, it's not necessary to use the naturalization certificates, but the post office representative said that sending the application without the originals will only delay the process and we will have to send them later anyway. Maybe I should try another Post Office.

We were told that our daughter, now 16, got naturalized the moment we did, but she didn't get a naturalization certificate. Will she depend forever on having her valid passport? Will she need our certificates once in a while to prove her citizenship? Will she be able to get one when she turns 18?

Regarding copying the naturalization certificate, nothing was mentioned on our ceremony.
 
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rgj said:
If my certificate of naturalization gets lost in the process of my daughter's passport renewal, will I be able to get a new one? I was asked to send the originals (my wife's and mine) by mail with her application, although she has a previous (expired) passport issued when she was less than 16. The instructions downloaded from the site seem to imply that when a previous passport has been issued, it's not necessary to use the naturalization certificates, but the post office representative said that sending the application without the originals will only delay the process and we will have to send them later anyway. Maybe I should try another Post Office.

We were told that our daughter, now 16, got naturalized the moment we did, but she didn't get a naturalization certificate. Will she depend forever on having her valid passport? Will she need our certificates once in a while to prove her citizenship? Will she be able to get one when she turns 18?

Regarding copying the naturalization certificate, nothing was mentioned on our ceremony.
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Your post office was wrong in asking for parents' naturalization certificate when the child has an expired/valid US passport. Your daughter is not dependent on your certificate to prove US citizenship.

If you need an alternate proof of US citizenship (something to have in case the passport is lost) you should also apply for a US passport card which costs only $35 and is valid for 10 years. the card can be used to prove US citizenship for employment or for any other purpose and can also be used as a document to support future US passport applications.
A certificate of citizenship is also available from USCIS for $460 (file form N-600) which is a non-expiring document but cannot be used to prove US citizenship for proving employment authorization.

To answer your original question, yes you can obtain a duplicate certificate of naturalization by filing "Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document" N-565. Fees for this form are $380.

Keep a copy of your naturalization certificate in a safe place.
 
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nkm-oct23 said:
Your post office was wrong in asking for parents' naturalization certificate when the child has an expired/valid US passport. Your daughter is not dependent on your certificate to prove US citizenship.
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Isn't there a rule that requires the certificate (either of the parent or the passport applicant) for the renewal, if the passport has expired more than a certain number of months or years ago?
 
Jackolantern said:
Isn't there a rule that requires the certificate (either of the parent or the passport applicant) for the renewal, if the passport has expired more than a certain number of months or years ago?
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This is from travel.state.gov:

STEP 2: Submit Evidence of U.S. Citizenship

When applying for a U.S. passport in person, evidence of U.S. citizenship must be submitted with Form DS-11. All documentation submitted as citizenship evidence will be returned to you. These documents will be delivered with your newly issued U.S. passport or in a separate mailing.

Primary Evidence of U.S. Citizenship (One of the following):

Previously issued, undamaged U.S. Passport
Certified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state*
check box Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth
Naturalization Certificate
Certificate of Citizenship

No mention of expiration of passport. The applicant must use DS-11 and apply in person since the first passport was issued when applicant was under 16 years of age.
 
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