The Certificate of US Citizenship (Form N-560 or N-561)

If you want to request the Certificate of US Citizenship, you have to fill out one of the forms N-560 or N-561 that are issued by the United States government.  Keep reading to learn about these forms, the simple way to go through filling them out, and what they can do for you.

How Do You Qualify for a Certificate of US Citizenship?

Many people think that qualifying for US Citizenship is a complex process, but in reality, there are only a few concrete requirements.  You must:

• Either be a United States citizen by action of law while living in the United states, or
• You must be born to a United States citizen outside of the United States. 
• You can also fill out N-560 or N-561 to request a Certificate of United States Citizenship if one (or both) of your parents were naturalized and met all legal conditions when you were under the age of 18.

What Do You Need to Do to Get a Certificate of US Citizenship?

First contact the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service.  You can do this by visiting a Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services office or by visiting their website.  Obtain a request form from this office, which is a part of the Department of Homeland Security.  Forms N-560 and N-561 will work for most people, but you should contact an attorney if you want to have professional legal help through the process or are in a complex situation.

Next, request the guide, “Certificate of United States Citizenship Guide” through the website.  This will help you through the entire process of requesting a copy of the United States Citizenship Certificate for yourself.  Start this process as soon as you can because the process often takes a long time for the government to deal with since there is a lot of paperwork.

How to Fill Out the Form

The guidebook will guide you through the entire process of filling out your request form for N-560 or N-561. Once it is completed, you will mail it to the United States government.  Finally, after processing your request, you will get a Certificate of United States Citizenship in the mail.  Once you have the Certificate of US Citizenship, you will have proof of your citizenship of the United States and will have all of the rights that come with this.  You will need to have N-565 if you are changing your name for a replacement Certificate of United States Citizenship.

Getting Legal Help

If you need assistance filing your forms or applying for a certificate of US citizenship, contact an experienced US immigration attorney who can guide you through the process.