Lost Certificate of Naturalization

ghosh99

New Member
While on way to apply for my new passport, I have managed to misplace my Certificate of Naturalization along with my Passport application !
I plan to file N-565 Replacement Naturaliation certificate but it needs my Certificate # and the office that issued me the Certificate. Unfortunately I don't have a copy of the certificate.
How do I get that information ? Also since I had to submit my Green Card to get the Certificate , how can i travel outside USA now ? The replacement will cost $380 and can take upto a 1 yr to get !!!
Also if I change job how can i show proof of eligibilty to work for anyone ?
Anyone went thru this process before ?
 
sorry but wow what a nightmare situation. Did you change your social security status to be a US citizen? If so employers can find out that you are a US citizen by that. although i am not 100% sure.

Dude how could you not even make the copy of certificate let alone loosing everything? I remember at my oath the officer said that loosing naturalization cert & then getting replacement for it is very lengthy process.

Good luck!
 
Schedule an InfoPass appointment immediately. Take USCIS issued documents/letters with your A-number and name. I am sure with a valid ID USCIS should be able to answer your questions and give you your certificate number. Since the certificate was produced by the local office, they should have that information or be in the position to obtain it. Once you have that, you should be able to complete the application.

Actually - I would go to the InfoPass with a pre-filled application - leave the certificate # section blank of course.
 
Thanks LolaLi ! I found out that there is a form G-639 that you can use to get any immigration related information from National Record Servise because of the "Freedom of Information" act. Apparently CIS scans every immigration document they issue. But since that process can take upto 2 weeks I will use your advise and schedule an InfoPass Appt with my local USCIS and see if they can help me get that Certificate # there
 
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Thanks LolaLi ! I found out that there is a form G-639 that you can use to get any immigration related information from National Record Servise because of the "Freedom of Information" act. Apparently CIS scans every immigration document they issue. But since that process can take upto 2 weeks I will use your advise and schedule an InfoPass Appt with my local USCIS and see if they can help me get that Certificate # there

You're welcome. Also the G-639 takes a lot longer than 2 weeks. I filed that form to get a copy of my A-file and it took USCIS 1.5 years to get the scanned documents to me.

Let us know how the InfoPass goes.
 
While on way to apply for my new passport, I have managed to misplace my Certificate of Naturalization along with my Passport application !
I plan to file N-565 Replacement Naturaliation certificate but it needs my Certificate # and the office that issued me the Certificate. Unfortunately I don't have a copy of the certificate.
How do I get that information ? Also since I had to submit my Green Card to get the Certificate , how can i travel outside USA now ? The replacement will cost $380 and can take upto a 1 yr to get !!!
Also if I change job how can i show proof of eligibilty to work for anyone ?
Anyone went thru this process before ?

This is a very sad story. I will go to my oath with a portable 3 in one copier fax scanner to copy, scan to my computer and fax to my home fax number my naturalization so, in case an infortunate event like this happens, I have many backups.

Oh man... This probably feels like you have been US Citizen for just hours because now you have absolutly no way of prooving that you are a USC. :(:(

Sorry man
 
OMG I am so glad that you've posted this question!!!!! I managed to lost my Certificate of Naturalization and I cannot apply for clearance. I also need to reapply for my Certificate of Naturalization using form N-565. I run into the same issue as you, I don't have my Certificate number. Did you ever scheduled infopass? were you able to get your certificate number? This information is crucially important for me!!!! Please let me know, I appreciate it a bunch!!!!

CA
 
So this is real issue. My oath is on Wednesday and I will keep my naturalization certificate like an egg and make multiple copies.
 
So this is real issue. My oath is on Wednesday and I will keep my naturalization certificate like an egg and make multiple copies.

Yeap. I went to Canada next day after oath and I didn't make any copies. My cert was at my mom's purse and she was loosing things in casinos and Canada, but my cert was still there. Lucky next day I applied for US Passport, but I made 2 copies JIC.
 
Just after receiving my certificate I run to the next food lion to make copies of my certificate, and drop everything home before going to party.

Thanks for the creator of this thread. His story has inpired me a lot
 
USCIS does not issue staus verification letters any more. And getting your cert number is near impossible. Had to cancel a trip because infopass did not help, I went twice. In fact, they were pretty rude about it. The best thing to do is to apply for a US passport RIGHT AWAY, because there is no way to prove you are a US citizen usless you have a passport or the certificate. Any one know how long it really takes to replace? The site says 6 months but I am hoping sooner...
 
There are two service centers that process replacement of certificates. Nebraska is around six real months. Texas seems to be less than six months.

Good luck.
 
Lost Certificate of Naturalization and don't know A number or Certificate Number

My wife's and my Certificates of Naturalization (CoNs) were lost in the eighties during one of the many moves we did during that time. Luckily, before we lost them, we had used them to obtain our US Passports, which we have always renewed in a timely fashion. Both of us are currently holding valid US Passports. We'd like to file N-565s for replacements of our CoNs, but we have no idea what the original Certificate Numbers or A-numbers were. We did not make any copies of our CoNs because it was written on them that it is illegal to do so!!! Interestingly, USCIS is now asking for such copies on the N-565 form!

Anyway, can we even file N-565 without these numbers? I imagine some records as to these numbers must exist in our passport files at the State Department because I sent them the CoNs when we first applied for the US Passports. Is it my responsibility to try to dig them out through a file search or will USCIS do it for the $380 (2x) I will be paying them to process the N-565 form?

Any advice?
 
We'd like to file N-565s for replacements of our CoNs, but we have no idea what the original Certificate Numbers or A-numbers were.
Out of interest, why? A US passport should be adequate proof of both identity and citizenship for the vast majority of purposes. Have you found something that actually requires the original certificates?
 
Out of interest, why? A US passport should be adequate proof of both identity and citizenship for the vast majority of purposes. Have you found something that actually requires the original certificates?

Out of abundance of caution, I guess.

Both myself and wife travel a LOT internationally, including to countries where purse-snatchings are very common. If I understand correctly how these things work, if a passport is lost or stolen, it's impossible to get a new passport without a CoN. We'd be grounded until we get the CoNs, and we depend on international travel in our jobs. If I am incorrect in the above, please let me know, as I will be much less motivated to get a new CoN.

Other than that, I really have no practical use for my CoN - that's why I have not thought about replacing it since the late 80s!

:)

Now back to the regularly scheduled programming - how do I find out what my original CoN Number and my Alien Registration number were?
 
Out of abundance of caution, I guess.

Both myself and wife travel a LOT internationally, including to countries where purse-snatchings are very common. If I understand correctly how these things work, if a passport is lost or stolen, it's impossible to get a new passport without a CoN. We'd be grounded until we get the CoNs, and we depend on international travel in our jobs. If I am incorrect in the above, please let me know, as I will be much less motivated to get a new CoN.
Whilst you do have to file the full form DS-11 to replace a lost passport, it appears that a "Previously issued, undamaged U.S. Passport" can be used as both evidence of citizenship and identity. You should therefore be able to use your current passport to apply for a passport card and then use that card to apply for a replacement passport if yours is ever lost. I got a passport card along with my passport for this exact reason - it is an extra piece of proof of citizenship.
 
Whilst you do have to file the full form DS-11 to replace a lost passport, it appears that a "Previously issued, undamaged U.S. Passport" can be used as both evidence of citizenship and identity. You should therefore be able to use your current passport to apply for a passport card and then use that card to apply for a replacement passport if yours is ever lost. I got a passport card along with my passport for this exact reason - it is an extra piece of proof of citizenship.

Thanks, dms1.

Getting a Passport Card is definitely easier (and cheaper!) than a new CoN.

Also, while reading your post I thought that if my current, valid passport is lost or stolen, perhaps I could use my older, cancelled one as both proof of citizenship and identity (I am pretty sure I have my old passport somewhere) in applying for a new one.

On DS-11 they don't say "a valid passport", only a "previous passport".

So, is an expired (cancelled) US Passport viewed by the USDoS as a proof of citizenship and identity for the purposes of DS-11?

Thanks again for your excellent tips.
 
Thanks, dms1.

Getting a Passport Card is definitely easier (and cheaper!) than a new CoN.

Also, while reading your post I thought that if my current, valid passport is lost or stolen, perhaps I could use my older, cancelled one as both proof of citizenship and identity (I am pretty sure I have my old passport somewhere) in applying for a new one.

On DS-11 they don't say "a valid passport", only a "previous passport".

So, is an expired (cancelled) US Passport viewed by the USDoS as a proof of citizenship and identity for the purposes of DS-11?

Thanks again for your excellent tips.
The instructions say you have to use form DS-11 if your previous passport was issued more than fifteen years ago. This suggests that a ten-year passport that has been expired for less than five years would be suitable evidence to get a new one.
 
I would think that if you apply for N-565 and you don't remember your A number or certificate number they might be able to figure it out by your name and other biographical information.

However, it seems you might be more interested on using an older passport or a passport card in case your current passport is lost or stolen. It's all up to you. Passport cards are inexpensive and last 10 years and can be used to apply for a passport. One way or another I think if you lose or get your passport stolen you cannot definitely apply for a renewal by mail. I guess you have to go in person to a passport acceptance place (post office).

Currently, there seems to be not much use for a certificate. However, it is an extra proof of citizenship and can be used to recover your identity in case everything else is lost. There have been a few posts in this forum of people who had trouble applying for a drivers license and other identity documents because they lost their certificate and driver license and didn't have a passport or other document to apply for a new driver license. Anyway, I don't mean to scare anyone, just to point the potential usefulness of having the certificate stored at a safe place in case all other form of identification gets lost or destroyed.
 
Huracan - thanks for your comments.

Actually, I managed to get in touch with the US District Court where I was naturalized and they gave me my CoN Number and my A number for free and a Letter Of Verification for $9.

I can use that Letter and the numbers to file the N-595 if I so choose.
 
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