Which government agent already has a copy of my naturalization certificate before the oath ceremony?

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kelvin8250

Registered Users (C)
Does USCIS or other government agent already has a copy of my naturalization certificate before they give me at the oath ceremony?

If the answer is Yes or No, how do you exactly know ( Please, I need a positive answer )?

This is because if I lost both my original naturalization certificate and photocopy that I am still able to request a copy from USCIS or other government agent!!!

So, folks please help!!!
 
Your A-file contains a copy of your certificate (before it was given to you). You might obtain a copy by making a FOIPA request to obtain this. It will be a black and white copy of the certificate, but you will be able to see the contents of it.

However, what you need to do is file N-565 which is the application to replace a lost or damaged or ammend a certificate. This is going to cost you $380. If you are in a lot of a hurry you might expedite this if you have a good reason. Otherwise the regular processing is a few months, around 5.

Link to N-565 (I hope it is permanent link)

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/us...nnel=db029c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD
 
Before the oath ceremony, USCIS prepares your naturalization certificate. Only that agency will have the certificate information in their system and only they can issue a replacement certificate if you lose the certificate. Once you apply for USA passport, the state department will have a copy of the certificate in their file (they can do a search for you whenever you renews your passport). Also, the social security administration will hold a copy of your certificate as well when you update them about your new immigration status. Offcourse, you are the one who will provide copies to state department and SS administration. But the final authority rests with USCIS as far as the certificate is concerned.
 
Huracan, you just said I may file a FOIPA.

Have you ever filed a FOIPA? So, a copy of my naturalization certificate really contains in my A-file, or you just guess?
 
If you've lost your certificate you need to file N-565. The FOIPA is if you'd just want to get a copy to know what the certificate number was. However, that copy won't have any legal value. To obtain a legal replacement that can be used for things like applying for a passport you need to file N-565.

To answer your questions, yes I filed FOIPA, and yes I got a photocopy of the certificate as part of the reply to my FOIPA request. FOIPA takes several months, and as I said, the photocopy you get doesn't have any legal value.
 
spiderman03 said:
Also, the social security administration will hold a copy of your certificate as well when you update them about your new immigration status. Offcourse, you are the one who will provide copies to state department and SS administration. But the final authority rests with USCIS as far as the certificate is concerned.
Click to expand...
Not too sure that either agency actually makes and keep copies of your certificate. In the case of updating status with SS administration, you don't need to present naturalization certificate..a US passport is sufficient.
 
Huracan said:
If you've lost your certificate you need to file N-565. The FOIPA is if you'd just want to get a copy to know what the certificate number was. However, that copy won't have any legal value. To obtain a legal replacement that can be used for things like applying for a passport you need to file N-565.

To answer your questions, yes I filed FOIPA, and yes I got a photocopy of the certificate as part of the reply to my FOIPA request. FOIPA takes several months, and as I said, the photocopy you get doesn't have any legal value.
Click to expand...

Huracan, I have not lost my naturalization certificate. I just want to know whether USCIS already kept a copy of my naturalization certificate in my A-file.

But I saw N-565 instruction, if I lost my naturalization certificate, I will also need to send a copy of my naturalization certificate. That's funny, USCIS already has a copy, but I still need to send a copy of it if I lost mine one later. It does not make any sense, and don't know why!!!

One more question, does the copy of my naturalization certificate print out all my personal data, except my signature?
 
If you lost your original, you'll need to apply for a certified copy via N-565. You can't get a certified copy via FOIA. You're not expected to send in a copy of your certificate if you lost the original..that instructions only applies to special certification requests, not lost ones.
 
kelvin8250 said:
Huracan, I have not lost my naturalization certificate. I just want to know whether USCIS already kept a copy of my naturalization certificate in my A-file.

But I saw N-565 instruction, if I lost my naturalization certificate, I will also need to send a copy of my naturalization certificate. That's funny, USCIS already has a copy, but I still need to send a copy of it if I lost mine one later. It does not make any sense, and don't know why!!!

One more question, does the copy of my naturalization certificate print out all my personal data, except my signature?
Click to expand...

And the funniest thing you can't make a copy of it):D
 
kelvin8250 said:
Huracan, I have not lost my naturalization certificate. I just want to know whether USCIS already kept a copy of my naturalization certificate in my A-file.

But I saw N-565 instruction, if I lost my naturalization certificate, I will also need to send a copy of my naturalization certificate. That's funny, USCIS already has a copy, but I still need to send a copy of it if I lost mine one later. It does not make any sense, and don't know why!!!

One more question, does the copy of my naturalization certificate print out all my personal data, except my signature?
Click to expand...

I thought you had lost your certificate. Anyway, sorry about the confusion.

It is a photocopy of your certificate as it was given to you at the ceremony, i.e. without your signature on it, but it has your photograph with your signature one does on the photograph and all the personal information printed. Basically they took a photocopy before they gave it to me at the ceremony. That's what it is.
 
Make photocopies of your certificate and keep them in a safe place away of your real certificate. You might also want to scan the certificate and keep it in your computer, or e-mail account, perhaps in a password encrypted file or volume.

What I don't know is if the photocopy they keep in the A-file is also black and white or color. I just know that for my FOIPA request I got a pdf file with a bunch of documents from my A-file and the first page of the pdf is a black and white photocopy of my certificate, again, obviously without my signature, but otherwise with all the other information.
 
Seems like the OP is asking if any other agency has a copy because OP misread N-565 instructions and thinks a copy is needed if a lost certificate is ever ordered.
 
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