Name change after citizenship in rare case

[style1983]

Because naturalization can be done by a federal judge (who has the power to do a name change). An N-600 is done by USCIS, which doesn't have that power.

So, because I was naturalized by default...I assume I can't go through that process. I admit, maybe it would have given me a better understanding of what it meant to be a citizen, although I came here very young and consider myself American in almost every aspect. The main reason I asked was because of the name change. Looks like either way, I'll have to goto court then.

And this way would take around 6 months, which is just too long. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Jackolantern]

It's still a good idea to file the N-600, for other reasons. If you lose your passport, you will have no official proof of citizenship and without your own certificate they can require you to go and dig up your parent's naturalization certificates and evidence of you living in their custody before age 18 before they give you a replacement passport. The older you get the more difficult it becomes to find those old papers.

Born Americans have a non-expiring proof of citizenship in their birth certificate. Citizens who went through the naturalization process have a non-expiring naturalization certificate. You have nothing like that unless you apply for your own citizenship certificate.

 

[style1983]

It's still a good idea to file the N-600, for other reasons. If you lose your passport, you will have no official proof of citizenship and without your own certificate they can require you to go and dig up your parent's naturalization certificates and evidence of you living in their custody before age 18 before they give you a replacement passport. The older you get the more difficult it becomes to find those old papers.

Born Americans have a non-expiring proof of citizenship in their birth certificate. Citizens who went through the naturalization process have a non-expiring naturalization certificate. You have nothing like that unless you apply for your own citizenship certificate.

Not having an American passport before is enough for them? That just seems bizarre. You think there would be a national database showing who is a citizen and who isn't. It would make it much easier for the person to replace those documents in a time of need.

I don't have an extra $600 right now just to get a document proving what I already know. I understand the point...although I'm a citizen, if I were to lose my passport, I can't prove it then. Does that mean I could lose citizenship rights? I'm going to go ahead and say, the system needs some retooling if this is the case. And, it doesn't seem to even be talked about much, given this situation is unique. A citizen, without permanent proof of citizen.

We become citizens as children, yet still aren't given a "non-expiring document proving citizenship", but we're allowed to get one that expires. It just seems very strange to me. To be honest, I find it discriminatory. We essentially have to pay a "tax" for something that we never had any control over.

I was also told before by someone working HR for a large corporation, that the "naturalization certificate" was not an acceptable i-9 document proving citizenship anymore because of fraud. That a passport was required now. If this is true, the n-600 doesn't seem worth it.

 

[baikal3]

Not having an American passport before is enough for them? That just seems bizarre. You think there would be a national database showing who is a citizen and who isn't. It would make it much easier for the person to replace those documents in a time of need.

I don't have an extra $600 right now just to get a document proving what I already know. I understand the point...although I'm a citizen, if I were to lose my passport, I can't prove it then. Does that mean I could lose citizenship rights? I'm going to go ahead and say, the system needs some retooling if this is the case. And, it doesn't seem to even be talked about much, given this situation is unique. A citizen, without permanent proof of citizen.

We become citizens as children, yet still aren't given a "non-expiring document proving citizenship", but we're allowed to get one that expires. It just seems very strange to me. To be honest, I find it discriminatory. We essentially have to pay a "tax" for something that we never had any control over.

I was also told before by someone working HR for a large corporation, that the "naturalization certificate" was not an acceptable i-9 document proving citizenship anymore because of fraud. That a passport was required now. If this is true, the n-600 doesn't seem worth it.

If you find the system unfair, you should complain to your elected officials representing you in the U.S. Congress.
FYI, USCIS is one of the few government agencies which receives almost no money from congressional appropriations, and is funded almost entirely by user fees. That is why the application fees for USCIS forms are so expensive, compared, say, with the passport application fees.

By the way, your parents could have filed N-600 for you right after they naturalized; it would have been easier and cheaper back then than doing it now. Now, in order to file N-600, you'd have to get various documents showing that you did indeed derive citizenship after your parents naturalized (things like a copy of your green card that you had back then and proof that you resided with your parents at the time, etc).

If your passport gets lost, you do not loose citizenship, but you might have to work fairly hard to get a new document confirming your citizenship.

One other thing you can do now is to apply for a U.S. passport card. It is cheap ($30), the processing is fast (2-3 weeks), the card is valid for 10 years and it has the same legal force as a U.S. passport in confirming U.S. citizenship.

 

[Jackolantern]

Not having an American passport before is enough for them? That just seems bizarre.

Usually it is enough. But occasionally they question the citizenship of "citizens by default" like you when they are replacing a lost or expired passport.

The reason is that in the past some passport agencies were lax with the issuing of passports, and failed to properly check for the necessary documents, or failed to make a proper record of which documents were produced to prove citizenship. So now there are many noncitizens out there who incorrectly obtained passports. As a result, they are now more watchful of people who acquired passports without a US birth certificate or citizenship certificate.

We become citizens as children, yet still aren't given a "non-expiring document proving citizenship", but we're allowed to get one that expires. It just seems very strange to me. To be honest, I find it discriminatory. We essentially have to pay a "tax" for something that we never had any control over.

It's not discriminatory. Those who went through the naturalization process have to pay more than $600 for it, and they have to go through background checks and study for the citizenship test, while you got citizenship without doing any of that. Why should they give you a certificate for free?

I was also told before by someone working HR for a large corporation, that the "naturalization certificate" was not an acceptable i-9 document proving citizenship anymore because of fraud. That a passport was required now. If this is true, the n-600 doesn't seem worth it.

It may not be worth it now, but if your passport is lost or stolen when you're abroad, and the embassy questions your citizenship before issuing a replacement passport, you'll be wishing you had that certificate.

There is no rush to get the certificate right now; there is ample time to save up some money and apply for it next year or 2 or 3 years from now. But you don't want to be 40 or 50 and be in a position where you have to dig up your parents' 30-year old documents to replace or renew your passport.

 

[style1983]

Baikal,

I'm not here to get into a political argument. While that may be very easy to tell someone, and looks nice on paper, you come across ignorant saying that. If anything, it's seen as a smart remark in movies. "Oh you don't like this...call your congressman". Very representative of a straitjacketed mentality. Maybe in a few years they'll reply.

I'm raising the point and it is obviously unfair. We should not be penalized for something we had no control over. $600 is a month's rent for a lot of people. At the same time, I don't care that much given a passport is enough and I do have one, and I'll apply for a new one after the name change.

Just the fact I can't even file the n600 without all those documents seems absurd. I'm a citizen and I can vote, and I have an American passport - yet I have to go through a process that doesn't treat me like a citizen. I have to go back and find documents that an illegal immigrant would be hoping to obtain just to stay in the country...green card for example. Again - I don't think it makes sense. I should be past the stage of needing my green card with my picture on it as a toddler.

And I highly doubt USCIS is funded any differently, and if they are, the difference is negligible. They know people will do anything to stay in America so these extravagant fees become the norm.

 

[style1983]

Usually it is enough. But occasionally they question the citizenship of "citizens by default" like you when they are replacing a lost or expired passport.

The reason is that in the past some passport agencies were lax with the issuing of passports, and failed to properly check for the necessary documents, or failed to make a proper record of which documents were produced to prove citizenship. So now there are many noncitizens out there who incorrectly obtained passports. As a result, they are now more watchful of people who acquired passports without a US birth certificate or citizenship certificate.


It's not discriminatory. Those who went through the naturalization process have to pay more than $600 for it, and they have to go through background checks and study for the citizenship test, while you got citizenship without doing any of that. Why should they give you a certificate for free?


It may not be worth it now, but if your passport is lost or stolen when you're abroad, and the embassy questions your citizenship before issuing a replacement passport, you'll be wishing you had that certificate.

There is no rush to get the certificate right now; there is ample time to save up some money and apply for it next year or 2 or 3 years from now. But you don't want to be 40 or 50 and be in a position where you have to dig up your parents' 30-year old documents to replace or renew your passport.

I will just keep renewing passports then. I have no interest in giving them $600 free dollars.

You said
"It's not discriminatory. Those who went through the naturalization process have to pay more than $600 for it, and they have to go through background checks and study for the citizenship test, while you got citizenship without doing any of that. Why should they give you a certificate for free?"

Let's see, I went through American public schools, American big ten university, have paid taxes in America for years, and I've voted in America. English is my main language and it's what I grew up with. I consider myself American.

Essentially, you're arguing I need to be treated like someone who came here as an adult with no clue about American culture so they had to study to pass a citizenship test. In my case, American culture is all I know besides a few trips to Peru growing up, which if anything, made me appreciate America more.

What do you mean by if I were get to questioned by an embassy? Why would I bring that certificate everywhere with me? That would get annoying. At least a passport is small. Only thing I can think of is, I must be absent from some national database of citizens unless I get that certificate. Like I've been saying, those in my situation shouldn't be penalized for things they had no control over as minors. Maybe every American born person should have to pay a flat fee of $600 dollars to renew their birth certificate. Just imagine how controversial that would be. It just shows how non-born citizens are still discriminated against, given it's a veiled fashion.

 

[baikal3]

Baikal,

I'm not here to get into a political argument. While that may be very easy to tell someone, and looks nice on paper, you come across ignorant saying that. If anything, it's seen as a smart remark in movies. "Oh you don't like this...call your congressman". Very representative of a straitjacketed mentality. Maybe in a few years they'll reply.

Please, give me a break. You come across as both arrogant and ignorant in your posts. Quite a few people here, myself included, spent quite a bit of their time and effort sharing their knowledge with you. But you don't seem to appreciate that, all you do is whine and complain.
I am not at all being flippant regarding contacting members of Congress. I myself have done that on many occasions, even before becoming a U.S. citizen, regarding the issues I consider important. I do not have as cynical a view of the American democracy as apparently you do. Whatever you may think about the U.S. politicians, they do need the voters to vote for them in order to get elected, and they do listen to what the voters have to say. In fact, contacting your members of Congress directly is one of the few ways you can influence what they actually do in Washington.

I'm raising the point and it is obviously unfair. We should not be penalized for something we had no control over. $600 is a month's rent for a lot of people. At the same time, I don't care that much given a passport is enough and I do have one, and I'll apply for a new one after the name change.

You are not being penalized for anything. You have gotten U.S. citizenship for free, without having to lift a finger. That is an enormous gift, for which you should be grateful. The document in question, a certificate of citizenship, is optional. The government does not require you to have it and it is under no obligation to issue it to you for free. Moreover, for people who derive U.S. citizenship as minors, it is really the responsibility of their parents to take care of the relevant documents right then and there. If you should be pissed at anybody, it is at your parents, for not filing N-600 on your behalf right after they got naturalized. It would have been much easier for them to get the relevant documentation back then.

Just the fact I can't even file the n600 without all those documents seems absurd. I'm a citizen and I can vote, and I have an American passport - yet I have to go through a process that doesn't treat me like a citizen. I have to go back and find documents that an illegal immigrant would be hoping to obtain just to stay in the country...green card for example. Again - I don't think it makes sense. I should be past the stage of needing my green card with my picture on it as a toddler.

Like I said, it would have been very easy for your parents to take care of this at the time they got naturalized.

And I highly doubt USCIS is funded any differently, and if they are, the difference is negligible. They know people will do anything to stay in America so these extravagant fees become the norm.

That's just shows your ignorance. USCIS is funded very differently from most federal agencies and this has direct effect on the size of their application fees. Do a google search and research the question yourself if you don't believe me. Whenever USCIS needs to raise an application fee for a particular form, it needs to publish a proposed rule, subject to a period of public comments, where it needs to provide a detailed budgetary analysis of the processing cost for a particular form that justifies the proposed fee increase.

Anyway, I am done with you and with this thread.

 

[style1983]

My parents said because I had a passport I didn't need one. You still ignore the main point.

I came here as a toddler. Everything I know is "America". I grew up watching Saved by the Bell like all other American kids...you did not so it makes sense you go through a different process than me. You probably don't even understand American football.

How is that some enormous gift that I was given citizenship considering it's written in the law if both my parents went through the citizenship process, I became one automatically? If anything, I should be thankful my parents went through the process and not pissed at them.

 

[Jackolantern]

I will just keep renewing passports then. I have no interest in giving them $600 free dollars.

That's your choice; you're the one who will suffer if you're in a situation where you need the certificate and never got it.

But if you don't want to spend $600, it's cheap to keep notarized copies of your parents' naturalization certificates and marriage certificate, which may be useful if you run into trouble with renewing/replacing your passport in the future.

Essentially, you're arguing I need to be treated like someone who came here as an adult with no clue about American culture so they had to study to pass a citizenship test. In my case, American culture is all I know besides a few trips to Peru growing up, which if anything, made me appreciate America more.

So we should grant citizenship and a free certificate to everybody who came to the US as a child and grew up here? There are children who came here legally while their parents were on work visas, but they are kicked out of the country when they become adults, too old to tag along on their parents visas -- should they get citizenship too, with a free certificate? And then there are people who came to the US as young children legally with a green card, but they must go through the formal citizenship process on their own as adults because their parents chose not to. No free citizenship for them.

What the hell, I've been in the US legally for a total of more than 15 years and I'm still not even eligible to even apply for citizenship yet! And you complain about being penalized.

You got citizenship for free after being born outside America; you have it easy compared to most other people who weren't born American. You're not being penalized. Before the law changed in 2001, citizenship wasn't granted so easily to foreign-born children and most had to apply on their own after turning 18.

What do you mean by if I were get to questioned by an embassy? Why would I bring that certificate everywhere with me? That would get annoying. At least a passport is small.

The first time you use a US birth certificate or citizenship certificate to apply for a passport, that certificate goes in your permanent record with the Department of State and a permanent entry is made in their database you won't need to produce the certificate again at the embassy (or when renewing/replacing the passport within the US).

 

[xxhwx]

My parents said because I had a passport I didn't need one. You still ignore the main point.

I came here as a toddler. Everything I know is "America". I grew up watching Saved by the Bell like all other American kids...you did not so it makes sense you go through a different process than me. You probably don't even understand American football.

How is that some enormous gift that I was given citizenship considering it's written in the law if both my parents went through the citizenship process, I became one automatically? If anything, I should be thankful my parents went through the process and not pissed at them.

My suggestion to you is - go do some research on the rules and regulations yourself, whether from USCIS.gov, google.com, local library etc etc. I am sure the resources are out there available for FREE.

If you are still not convinced and continue to consider them as discriminatory and unjust, go ahead and complain/protest/petition, America is a free society, make your voice heard! That's what MLK did! I am sure you know it more than I do b/c you understand American football, right? (me too but I will never make fun of someone who does not)

I think the most used and lawful avenue is take it to the court - you vs. USCIS or you vs. US government if you have problem with laws and regulations (I am not joking I am dead serious!) They are written by man and they are not perfect after all.

Taking your frustration and dumping it on us will not help you a bit, unless you find arguing with strangers very entertaining. In case you forget, none of us made the law that upset you. All of us (or most of us) are merely some law abiding citizens who love this country as much as you do but have no power above the law, nor the power to directly change the law in your favor. We are just a bunch of people who voluntarily spend our time here, not looking for quarrel or fight (here is not Jerry Springer show), but to share our knowledge and experiences truthfully and honestly trying to help fellow immigrants and all whom it may concerned.

GOD bless and peace out.

 

[style1983]

That's your choice; you're the one who will suffer if you're in a situation where you need the certificate and never got it.

But if you don't want to spend $600, it's cheap to keep notarized copies of your parents' naturalization certificates and marriage certificate, which may be useful if you run into trouble with renewing/replacing your passport in the future.



So we should grant citizenship and a free certificate to everybody who came to the US as a child and grew up here? There are children who came here legally while their parents were on work visas, but they are kicked out of the country when they become adults, too old to tag along on their parents visas -- should they get citizenship too, with a free certificate? And then there are people who came to the US as young children legally with a green card, but they must go through the formal citizenship process on their own as adults because their parents chose not to. No free citizenship for them.

What the hell, I've been in the US legally for a total of more than 15 years and I'm still not even eligible to even apply for citizenship yet! And you complain about being penalized.

You got citizenship for free after being born outside America; you have it easy compared to most other people who weren't born American. You're not being penalized. Before the law changed in 2001, citizenship wasn't granted so easily to foreign-born children and most had to apply on their own after turning 18.


The first time you use a US birth certificate or citizenship certificate to apply for a passport, that certificate goes in your permanent record with the Department of State and a permanent entry is made in their database you won't need to produce the certificate again at the embassy (or when renewing/replacing the passport within the US).

So because I didn't use that document there is no record of me as having a passport (being a citizen) if I lose mine, or it gets stolen? I simply don't believe you.

You and others here seem to enjoy implying without that document, if I lose my passport, I'm essentially no different from an illegal immigrant. Then there is no proof I'm a citizen, but I don't carry my green card with my childhood Mickey Mouse shirt on, which would be the only form of identification proving I'm even legal here. I have no idea where it even is, it was issued to me as a toddler. Probably in my old house somewhere in the attic.

Again, I simply don't believe this to be true. You seem upset the process was easier for us who came here as children, like it should be equally difficult. Let's make babies pass citizenship tests now too. I get the impression you want to see ex post facto law implemented on those of us who came here as children before 2001. You fail to realize our experience growing up in America means we're probably in every database imaginable (even childhood immunizations), not to mention we "sound American", so if I got lost in foreign country without my passport, the embassy would at least give me the benefit of the doubt. They'd have no reason not to.

 

[style1983]

My suggestion to you is - go do some research on the rules and regulations yourself, whether from USCIS.gov, google.com, local library etc etc. I am sure the resources are out there available for FREE.

If you are still not convinced and continue to consider them as discriminatory and unjust, go ahead and complain/protest/petition, America is a free society, make your voice heard! That's what MLK did! I am sure you know it more than I do b/c you understand American football, right? (me too but I will never make fun of someone who does not)

I think the most used and lawful avenue is take it to the court - you vs. USCIS or you vs. US government if you have problem with laws and regulations (I am not joking I am dead serious!) They are written by man and they are not perfect after all.

Taking your frustration and dumping it on us will not help you a bit, unless you find arguing with strangers very entertaining. In case you forget, none of us made the law that upset you. All of us (or most of us) are merely some law abiding citizens who love this country as much as you do but have no power above the law, nor the power to directly change the law in your favor. We are just a bunch of people who voluntarily spend our time here, not looking for quarrel or fight (here is not Jerry Springer show), but to share our knowledge and experiences truthfully and honestly trying to help fellow immigrants and all whom it may concerned.

GOD bless and peace out.

Thanks for telling me America is a free society and about MLK. I didn't know that and had never heard of MLK before. Google.com sounds like it might be a website, I'll definitely look into it.

 

[sanjoseaug20]

I think the heat is on and I do not want to make it worse, but .... what the hell.

Please do try taking your immunization records to get a passport replacement. I do not care whether you were lucky or unlucky to be a USC, but the rules are the rules. As someone else already said, if you do not agree with the rules ... go petition the government to change them.

But I think your problem is that you do not believe the rules which exist ... quintessential American. I am sure they will give you a passport once you produce a transcript of your forum postings ;-)

 

[Jackolantern]

So because I didn't use that document there is no record of me as having a passport (being a citizen) if I lose mine, or it gets stolen? I simply don't believe you.

There is a record of you having a passport. But there might not be a proper record of the underlying basis for getting that passport, since you didn't have your own certificate. If audits reveal that the particular office that issued your original passport was lax with checking the documents for people who derived citizenship automatically as children, you may be required to produce those old documents again.

You and others here seem to enjoy implying without that document, if I lose my passport, I'm essentially no different from an illegal immigrant.

It's not quite as bad as that, but without a certificate you could run into extra difficulties renewing or replacing your passport.

You fail to realize our experience growing up in America means we're probably in every database imaginable (even childhood immunizations), not to mention we "sound American", so if I got lost in foreign country without my passport, the embassy would at least give me the benefit of the doubt. They'd have no reason not to.

There are numerous illegal immigrants who came here as children and are in numerous databases and also "sound American". Some of them even have SSNs, because their parents originally were here legally before overstaying, or they got their SSN long ago when the SSA was lax about checking status before issuing the SSN.

When abroad the embassy is less likely to give you the benefit of the doubt, because if they wrongly issue a passport so somebody abroad, it means they would have allowed an ineligible alien to enter the US. Embassies sometimes require people who never had their own certificate to provide documentation of their parent's citizenship before renewing their passport, and there is an actual example like that on this forum (can't find it right now).

As time goes on, the rules surrounding documents for identification and immigration are getting more strict. 10 years ago it was easy to get a driver's license without any immigration documents; now in almost all states you have to prove citizenship or other legal status. You used to be able to enter the US by land with an oral declaration of citizenship. Then they upped the minimum requirement to a driver's license + birth or citizenship certificate. Now a passport or passport card is required (or "enhanced driver's license"). They could easily add the requirement to produce a US birth certificate or citizenship certificate when applying to renew/replace a passport. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to find the relevant documents and the more expensive it will be. It used to be less than $200 when you became a citizen 16 years ago.

But if you don't want to get the certificate, don't. Unless they make it mandatory, it's your choice and you are the one to bear the costs of getting it or not having it, not us.

 

[Bobsmyth]

I live in a smaller state, and people routinely look up others (for fun it seems) on the Courts Online Search. My concern is when I ask for the document sealed, the judge may not grant it.

Public records (including court records) are available in any state. What's your worry about people searching public records? Your new name will still appear in public records.

Have you inquired with your county's court on how to file a name change? The process does not take as long as you may think.

http://www.ehow.com/how_6712361_change-name-polk-county_-iowa.html

http://www.iowacourts.gov/wfdata/files/Name_Change_Petition.pdf

 

[style1983]

There is a record of you having a passport. But there might not be a proper record of the underlying basis for getting that passport, since you didn't have your own certificate. If audits reveal that the particular office that issued your original passport was lax with checking the documents for people who derived citizenship automatically as children, you may be required to produce those old documents again.


It's not quite as bad as that, but without a certificate you could run into extra difficulties renewing or replacing your passport.

You don't sound quite as sure this time. I don't see how any passport office could be "lax". In theory - they could, but I'm sure there is a certain protocol. It's not like buying a gumball. So you know, when I got my current passport in 2005, it was not difficult. You've said it yourself - you are not a lawyer.

Yes, I know there are other hispanics who sound American, some citizens, some not.

I'm also sure given this day and age, there is a database somewhere stating who is and isn't a citizen. There is no rational way not having that document is going to render you unknown as a US citizen when you are one. When applying for a job, an employer can check via SSN & ID (without requiring a passport of proof of citizenship) so I'm sure it's there somewhere.

 

[style1983]

bobsmyth, I already explained. I live in a smaller community and my family is well known in the area. It's mainly something I don't want to share with the world (or at least not until I feel ready), just because it's been a very personal thing for me. That is it.

 

[Bobsmyth]

bobsmyth, I already explained. I live in a smaller community and my family is well known in the area. It's mainly something I don't want to share with the world (or at least not until I feel ready), just because it's been a very personal thing for me. That is it.

Like I said, public records are there for a reason. Getting a name change won't shield you from public searches.

 

[Jackolantern]

You don't sound quite as sure this time. I don't see how any passport office could be "lax". In theory - they could, but I'm sure there is a certain protocol. It's not like buying a gumball.

Not so sure of what? I know for sure that some people have had difficulty renewing or replacing their passport because they never had a certificate. But it's also true that most people don't have a problem. I'm just saying that you don't know if you will be one of the unlucky ones to run into that problem.

As far as being "lax" is concerned, immigration-related agencies are notorious for being sloppy and inconsistent with their procedures. That's one of the reasons this forum is so large.

I'll give you an example of how this relates to passports. The laws for derivative citizenship of children (such as your situation) require the citizen parent(s) to have legal custody of the minor child, and the child is supposed to be physically living with the citizen parent. But the passport agencies sometimes didn't ask for any proof of custody or living arrangement; they simply assumed the parent(s) had custody based on them being present at the office together with the child, and went ahead and issued the passport.

Years later when the person applies for renewal, a very meticulous person goes through the file and doesn't see a birth certificate nor citizenship certificate, and they don't see any evidence of custody or living arrangement from when the original passport was issued. So they raise the issue with a supervisor, who then makes a judgment call on whether to give the benefit of the doubt, or to ask for more evidence from the applicant.

I'm also sure given this day and age, there is a database somewhere stating who is and isn't a citizen. There is no rational way not having that document is going to render you unknown as a US citizen when you are one. When applying for a job, an employer can check via SSN & ID (without requiring a passport of proof of citizenship) so I'm sure it's there somewhere.

Yes there is such a database (actually several), but they have gaps and errors in their information, and different agencies have their own separate databases that don't sync up with each other. The E-Verify database used by employers was criticized for it's 4% error rate, where it would fail to confirm the citizenship of naturalized citizens. Then those in the unlucky 4% had to bring proof of citizenship to the Social Security office and ask the employer to retry. I've read that they've brought the error rate down to 1% now. But 1% still is a lot for a country with 300 million people.

Also, it's one thing to have information about whether you are a citizen, and another to have info on the basis for your citizenship. When that basis is missing, you can run into trouble if the authorities question your citizenship, and some people even had to go to court to fight to prove their citizenship. It's kind of like having a title saying you own a house, but with no record of how and when you bought it or who you bought it from. People have lost their houses over this; that's why title insurance is required when you get a mortgage.