Certificate of Citizenship (N-600)

N-600 is a form that is used to provide a certificate of citizenship. A citizenship certificate can be used as evidence that the applicant is a United States citizen. A Certificate of Citizenship can only be applied for if you acquired or derived US citizenship before you were 18.

N-600 Certificate of Citizenship Applications Are Not For Becoming a US Citizen

It’s very important to know that applying for a Certificate of Citizenship is not the same as applying to become a US citizen. A Certificate of Citizenship application is only for people who are already U.S. citizens who want proof of citizenship.

For people interested in becoming a US citizen, learn more about the naturalization application here.

Who Needs To Use N-600 To Apply For a Certificate of Citizenship?

A Certificate of Citizenship can be beneficial for U.S. citizens who were born outside of the country to parents who are US citizens. Citizenship certificates can also be useful for people who aren’t US citizens by birth but become U.S. citizens before they turned 18 years old. Children who have been adopted by U.S. citizens may also apply for a citizenship certificate.

N-600 Certificate of Citizenship for People Born Outside of The US Whose Parent Is a US Citizen

Different citizenship laws apply depending on when an N-600 applicant was born. The citizenship laws that were in effect when an applicant was born to apply to that applicant’s citizenship status. Other citizenship laws may apply if a citizenship certificate applicant was born during or before their parents were married.

N-600 Certificate of Citizenship for People Who Became a Citizen After Birth But Before Turning 18

Generally, all of the following conditions must be met for a person who became a US citizen after birth but before turning 18 in order to be eligible for a citizenship certificate.

• The applicant’s parent must be a U.S. citizen
• The applicant must be the biological or adopted child of their U.S. citizen parent
• The applicant must be legally allowed to be in the U.S. for permanent residence
• The applicant must be living in the US under the legal and physical custody of their U.S. citizen parent

Who Shouldn’t Use N-600 To Obtain a Citizenship Certificate

While Form N-600 is intended to be used by US citizens who would like a certificate of citizenship, depending on circumstances, Form N-600 may not be the right application to use to apply for a citizenship certificate.

Applicants shouldn’t use Form N-600 to apply for a citizenship certificate if:

• The applicant is not a US citizen
• Neither one of the applicant’s biological or adoptive parents are US citizens
• The applicant’s US citizen parent regularly resides outside the US (use Form N-600K instead)
• The applicant was born before their parents were married, the applicant did not become a US citizen before their 16th birthday and the applicant’s father is their only parent who is a US citizen
• The applicant wants to replace a lost or stolen citizenship certificate (use Form N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document instead)
• The applicant has submitted Form N-600 in the past and was rejected

What Evidence is Needed as Part of an N-600 Certificate of Citizenship Application?

For an N-600 Certificate of Citizenship application to be accepted, the applicant must include evidence of their citizenship status. The following forms of evidence must be included in an N-600 application.

Pictures of the Applicant

The applicant needs to include two identical headshot color photographs of themselves. The pictures for the N-600 application must be:

• Taken within 30 days of the application being submitted
• Taken with a white or off-white background
• Printed on glossy, thin paper or a digital photo with at least a 3.5-megapixel resolution
• Unmounted or cannot be retouched
• 2” x 2” in size
• Taken face-forward
• Taken with the applicant not wearing anything on their head unless for religious purposes
• Included with the applicant’s printed name and Alien Registration Number (or A-Number) written in pencil or felt pen on the back of the images.

Birth & Marriage Certificates

The applicant’s birth certificate must also be included in the application. The birth certificate of the US citizen parent of the applicant must also be included. A marriage certificate for the applicant’s US citizen parent is also required, as is a document proving marriage termination (such as divorce certificate or death certificate), if applicable.

Proof of US Citizenship

Certificate of Citizenship applicants must also include proof of their US citizenship. Examples of accepted proof of US citizenship may include:

• US birth certificate
• Form N-550 (Certificate of Naturalization)
• Form N-560 (Certificate of Citizenship)
• Form FS-240 (Report of Birth Abroad of United States Citizen)
• US Passport (must be valid and not expired)
• You may need to indirectly prove US citizenship by providing other evidence

Proof of Living and/or Working in the United States

An N-600 applicant must also include proof that they’re living and/or working in the United States. This may include:

• School, job or military records
• Deeds, mortgages or lease documents that prove residence
• Social Security quarterly reports and sworn, written testimony from others who can vouch for the applicant’s US residency.

In addition to the above forms of evidence that must be included in an N-600 Certificate of Citizenship application, additional evidence may be necessary depending on an applicant’s personal situation (such as being adopted by US citizens or being born before your parents were married, among others).

Do It Right & Reduce The Risk of Rejection

Gathering all of the required evidence for an N-600 application can be difficult. Additionally, making sure the evidence is in the proper format is very important, as evidence that doesn’t meet required specifications can cause applications to be delayed or rejected.

For years, Bousquet Holstein PLLC has helped people complete and submit accepted Certificate of Citizenship applications. Some immigration attorneys offer free initial consultations, but these free consultations often are too quick and too general to provide meaningful help for someone’s specific situation. With an initial consultation with us, you’ll receive personal attention, including a detailed review of all relevant paperwork and a clear plan for what to do next.

Contact today to schedule your initial consultation.