The Certificate of Citizenship
A Certificate of Citizenship and a Certificate of Naturalization are both documents issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) but serve different purposes:
Certificate of Citizenship: This document is issued to individuals who have acquired or derived U.S. citizenship through their parents or, in some cases, through adoption. It is typically issued to individuals who were born abroad to U.S. citizen parents or who were adopted by U.S. citizen parents. The Certificate of Citizenship serves as official proof of U.S. citizenship.
Certificate of Naturalization: This document is issued to foreign-born individuals who have gone through the process of becoming naturalized U.S. citizens. Naturalization is the process by which a non-citizen voluntarily becomes a citizen of the United States after meeting certain requirements, such as residency, language proficiency, and passing a citizenship test. The Certificate of Naturalization is issued upon successful completion of the naturalization process and serves as official proof of U.S. citizenship.In summary, the main difference between the two certificates lies in how the individual obtained U.S. citizenship: through birth or adoption (Certificate of Citizenship) or through the naturalization process (Certificate of Naturalization).Certificate of Citizenship
Do I Need a Certificate of Citizenship
A person who is born in the USA has two forms of identification to indicate that s/he is a U.S. citizen; A birth certificate and a passport.
When a person is not born in the USA and becomes a US citizen after birth, s/he only has one or no identification to indicate US citizenship. The Certificate of Citizenship replaces the Birth Certificate as evidence of U.S. Citizenship. The citizen will, like a native born American, have two forms of identification to indicate U.S. citizenship; the Certificate of Citizenship and the Passport.
Many persons would like to avoid having to purchase this certificate. It is expensive. However, the days of going to the post office with supporting documents and obtaining a U.S. Passport are coming to an end if not already over. The government now requires that a person present a Certificate of Citizenship as a supporting document when applying for a U.S. Passport.
When you apply for a Certificate that USCIS thoroughly vets the application to make sure the applicant is in fact a USC. Unfortunately there was and is so much fraud in persons applying for U.S. Passports at the post office that this practice may no longer be available.
Whether you need a Certificate of Citizenship depends on your individual circumstances. Here are a few situations in which you might need one:
You were born abroad to U.S. citizen parents: If you were born outside the United States to at least one U.S. citizen parent, you might need a Certificate of Citizenship to prove your U.S. citizenship.
You were adopted from another country by U.S. citizen parents: If you were adopted from another country by U.S. citizen parents, you might need a Certificate of Citizenship to prove your U.S. citizenship.
You were born in the United States to non-citizen parents: In some cases, individuals born in the United States to non-citizen parents might need a Certificate of Citizenship to document their citizenship status if their parents did not naturalize before the individual turned 18.
If you fall into one of these categories or if you're unsure about your citizenship status, it's a good idea to consult with an immigration attorney or contact the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for guidance specific to your situation. They can help determine whether you need a Certificate of Citizenship and assist you in obtaining one if necessary.
