Citizenship Document Replacement Package

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is a part of the Department of Homeland Security that handles a wide range of requests related to getting citizenship or naturalization certificates for green card holders.

However, due to various reasons, the USCIS may also be called upon to issue a replacement document for a US citizen or naturalized resident.

Thanks to the huge volume of applications that go through the USCIS offices at any given time, the application process for a replacement naturalization/citizenship document can be a nightmare.

Overall, the processing time alone can take over half a year, meaning it is not something that you would want to do in an emergency. Also, there are a lot of documents required as evidence, not to mention the need to fill Form N-565 as accurately as possible, following the prescribed guidelines.

Many people end up making common mistakes during the application process, which may result in them not being given their special certificate of naturalization.

If you need a replacement naturalization/citizenship document but find yourself overwhelmed by the multiple forms and requirements on the USCIS website, Citizen Concierge is here to help. You can call 786-551-1119 right now and make an appointment.

Before digging deeper into how the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services handles Form N-565 applications for replacement documents, it is important to understand some of the terms that people find confusing.

In particular, many people do not know the difference between a naturalization certificate and a certificate of citizenship.

A certificate of citizenship is used to prove that you are an American citizen. It allows a citizen to be recognized based on the following:

• Being born outside America to parents who are U.S. citizens
• The applicant’s parents not getting a Consular Report of Birth Abroad for their child before their 18th birthday

On the other hand, a certificate of naturalization is given to a person who was/is a citizen of another country and later becomes a citizen of the United States. This individual must have met all the requirements for eligibility for naturalization as outlined on Form N-400.

Although there are some significant differences between a certificate of naturalization and a certificate of citizenship, both applications are done using Form N-565 (application for replacement naturalization/citizenship document).

Form N-565 is the official document required by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for any application for the replacement of a naturalization certificate or a certificate of citizenship.

These two documents provide official proof of citizenship and allow the holder to be recognized by a foreign country as a citizen of the United States. They can also be used as a repatriation certificate when returning from abroad.

However, only genuine U.S. citizens who were previously issued a certificate of naturalization or a certificate of citizenship can apply for a special certificate of naturalization/citizenship using Form N-565.

There are many reasons why a U.S. citizen may want to apply for a replacement naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship, such as:

• The original document contains incorrect information
• There was a name change since the naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship was issued
• The naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship was mutilated or damaged
• The naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship was destroyed, stolen, or lost

The same Form N-565 can also be used by U.S. citizens who want to replace any of the following official documents:

• Original special certificate of naturalization as a U.S. citizen to be recognized by a foreign county
• Repatriation certificate
• Declaration of Intention

One of the most important things that you have to do before filing Form N-565 (application for replacement naturalization/citizenship document), or any other USCIS forms for that matter, is to check the eligibility requirements.

One thing that most applications that go through the USCIS offices have in common is that the filing and biometric service fees are non-refundable.

Considering that these fees normally cost hundreds of dollars, you need to make sure you meet the eligibility requirements before sending your application for replacement of the naturalization/citizenship document.

The following are the eligibility criteria for Form N-565:

• Applicant must be a previous holder of a certificate of citizenship or a naturalization certificate
• The original document must have been lost, stolen, or destroyed
• There are some corrections required on the original document

However, if you fall into any of the following categories, you cannot use Form N-565 to apply for a certificate of naturalization or a certificate of citizenship:

• A U.S. citizen applying for an original certificate of citizenship (use Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship)
• Any permanent residents or green card holders applying for U.S. citizenship (use Form N-400, Application for Naturalization)

When applying for a new certificate of naturalization or certificate of citizenship, you will need to go through multiple forms, provide many documents as evidence, and supply a lot of information.

As such, it is common for applicants to miss a few essential details that will damage their chances of being approved.

To avoid this and make sure you receive your special certificate of naturalization or citizenship, use the following checklist of all the evidence required:

• A copy of your current naturalization certificate if you need a special certificate of naturalization
• Evidence of your marital status change
• Two identical passport-style photographs for applicants who reside outside the U.S.
• Evidence of your legal gender change
• The original document or certificate when applying for a replacement document after a name, date of birth, or gender change
• Evidence of your legal change or date of birth
• A copy of the original document if you are applying for replacement of a lost, stolen, or destroyed document
• Evidence of your legal name change
• Evidence of the USCIS typographical or clerical error that you need to correct
• A sworn statement or police report if you need to replace a lost, stolen, or destroyed certificate of naturalization/citizenship

However, whether you are applying for a new certificate of naturalization or a certificate of citizenship, it is unlikely that you will require all the evidence listed above. All you need to do is determine the criteria under which you qualify to use Form N-565 and attach the corresponding evidence documents.

It is important to remember that the USCIS is not under any obligation to help you by reminding you of important documents or information you may have missed.

In most cases, if the immigration services officer finds that your package is missing some crucial information, your application will simply be denied or rejected.

If you would rather stick with the traditional way of applying for a new certificate of citizenship or certificate of naturalization, you can send your Form N-565 via mail. The only thing that the USCIS does not accept is applications that are submitted by hand to their offices.

As such, you can choose either of the following means of sending your package to the USCIS mailing address:

U.S. Postal Service

If you are using the U.S. postal service, send your Form N-565 to the following address:

USCIS, Attn: N-565, P.O. Box 20050, Phoenix, AZ 85036-0050.

Courier Services

There are many reliable courier services that you can also rely on, including popular ones, such as UPS, DHL, and FedEx. If you choose any of these companies, make sure the package is delivered to:

USCIS, Attn: N-565 (Box 20050), 1820 E. Skyharbor Circle S, Ste. 100, Phoenix, AZ 85034-4850.

Currently, the USCIS is reporting an average processing time for all Form N-565 applications of well over a year. That is a long time to wait for a response, especially if you have something very important to do that needs a certificate of naturalization or a certificate of citizenship.

While Citizen Concierge cannot do anything about speeding up the time the USCIS takes to process applications, if you enlist a filing specialist to assist you, your waiting period can be cut by a few months.

As long as you meet the eligibility requirements, all you need to do is ensure you submit a strong application by completing Form N-565 accurately and supplying all the required documents. It helps to also ensure that your application form is neat and that all the multiple forms and documents are arranged in the right order.

Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed way to take any shortcuts when filing Form N-565. The USCIS usually has to deal with a massive backlog of requests, which is why it takes so long to respond to your application.

The best you can do is enlist filing specialists to help you. At Citizen Concierge, you will have access to help from seasoned professionals who know how to navigate the complex system of applying for a certificate of naturalization or a certificate of citizenship.

Before you start filling out your Form N-565 Application for Replacement Naturalization Citizenship document, here are a few guidelines that will make the process a lot smoother:

• Type or print all the answers in black ink only
• Only use photocopies for all supporting documents unless an original document is specifically required
• Write “NONE” if your answer is zero and “N/A” if not applicable
• Use Form G-1450 to pay by credit card
• Foreign language documents need to be translated and come with a valid English-certified translation
• Use a personal check, money order, or cashier’s check
• Use the latest edition of Form N-565
• Submit your application with the latest USCIS filing fee (you can check on the USCIS website for the current filing and biometric services fees

Form N-565 is a seven-page application form that contains up to 11 sections, so it takes a while to complete the entire package accurately. However, not all the sections will apply to you, so you need to watch out for those and write “N/A” before moving on.

The following are the important instructions you need to adhere to when filing Form N-565:

Section 1: Personal Information

The first section is the easiest to complete because all you need to do is add your personal details, such as your name, mailing address, Alien registration number, date of birth, certificate number, and country of birth.

All the important notices, appointment information, and requests for additional information will be sent to the mailing address you provide, so you have to ensure that it is somewhere you can safely and conveniently receive these documents.

Section 2: Type of Application for Replacement Naturalization Certificate

To complete the second section, it is very important that you know what eligibility criteria you are using Form N-565 based on. The following are the five types of documents you can replace, of which you can only choose one:

• Certificate of Naturalization
• Special Certificate of Naturalization to prove U.S. citizenship to a foreign country
• Certificate of Citizenship
• Declaration of Intention (Form FS-240)
• Certificate of Repatriation

After choosing a document, you will be required to show what makes your situation eligible for that criteria. An example is a situation where you want a replacement document for a stolen certificate of naturalization. You will need to provide a police report to confirm that the document was stolen.

If you cannot find a box to tick that applies to your particular situation, there will be an “other” section at the end where you can write down your reason for using Form N-565.

Section 3: Processing Information

The USCIS will also require some additional information about you, such as height, race, ethnicity, gender, and marital status. You can provide these in section three, as well as stating whether you have lost or renounced your U.S. citizenship.

Section 4: Applying To Correct Your Documents

The fourth section is reserved for applications for document corrections. If you have typos in your current certificate of naturalization or certificate of citizenship, such as a misspelled name, you can highlight the error to the USCIS officers, provide proof of the correct name, such as an ID document, and include the incorrect documents inside the package.

Section 5: Name Change

In section five, you will provide details of any legal name change due to a court order or state-issued marriage. Simply state why your name was changed, provide evidence of the new name, such as a marriage certificate, and include the original document that is to be changed.

Section 6: Date of Birth Change

As with the name change, under section six, you will provide information about a change in your date of birth, whether by court order or state-issued document, and the required evidence and the documents that are to be changed.

Section 7: Gender Change

A gender change will have to be proved by supplying evidence, such as a court order. You will also need to provide other documents to support your case, such as medical certification.

Under this section, you will have to include the contact information of the doctor who handled the gender change and statements from other people who are not the doctor, such as nurses.

Section 8: Applying for a Special Certificate of Recognition

There are some cases when you will need a special certificate of recognition to prove that you are a U.S. citizen, such as when you need to be recognized by a foreign country. You can provide the details of your situation under section eight.

Section 9: Signature and Contact Information

This is an area where many applicants make the mistake of forgetting to include their signatures. After you enter all your contact information, such as phone numbers and email addresses, be sure to sign your Form N-565 application.

Sections 10 and 11: Interpreter and Preparer Signatures

If you used an interpreter or preparer, such as an immigration lawyer, to assist you with filling out Form N-565, make sure they include their names, contact information, and signatures under sections 10 and 11.

If you are worried about how you are going to file your Form N-565, there is no need to be. Citizen Concierge is ready to assist with everything, from eligibility tests to filing your forms. Call 786-551-1119 or send an email to support@citizenconciergepllc.com, and a filing specialist will be in touch.