US Citizenship Card Questions...

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

Good luck on your immigration journeys. I was just curious, even though I don't become a US Citizen for another 2 years or so, but I had to ask:

"Is there such a thing as US Citizenship Card? If so, what does it look like? What kind of information is needed on it? What kind of information does it contain? Is it kind of like a Green Card, or does it have more or less information on it? Does it have to be renewed and/or have an expiry date?"

Just curious. Thanks.

Ant

[warlord 73]

It is not a card, you get a certificate, full paper certificate of naturalization. You keep this in a safe with your birth certificate etc. You can't carry it around at all, so you will need to update your Social Security and also get a passport. The passport is what you can carry around if you leave the country...

[diadromous mermaid 36]

Hi Everyone,

Good luck on your immigration journeys. I was just curious, even though I don't become a US Citizen for another 2 years or so, but I had to ask:

"Is there such a thing as US Citizenship Card? If so, what does it look like? What kind of information is needed on it? What kind of information does it contain? Is it kind of like a Green Card, or does it have more or less information on it? Does it have to be renewed and/or have an expiry date?"

Just curious. Thanks.

Ant

The process of becoming a citizen when one has not been born in the USA is referred to as Naturalization. As such, a Certificate of Naturalization is issued to demonstrate that an alien has now acquired US citizenship. Thereafter a US passport can be secured. The certificate shows an image of the alien, the date he or she was Naturalized, the A number, location that the swearing in ceremony was held, there's a US judge's signature and one of the Director of Homeland Security, as well, if memory serves me well. There is no expiry date, and nothing more need be done to maintain the citizen status, except making sure the individual does not commit a wrong for which he or she could be stripped of citizenship!

The certificate is sizable and should be kept in a safe palce as warlord said. The passport is used to enter the country as a USC.

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

Good luck on your immigration journey. Thanks for your replies. Wow, it looks like there is a lot of stuff on the naturaliztion certificate. Kind of like a big decorated fancy certificate or a card no expiry date, I suppose. Ahhh...now I can see that naturalization certificate in my mind now.....

Lol...I thought that a person gets both a card and a certificate (kind of like in Canada) when they naturalize in the US. No wonder when I went to google an image of a US natualization card it didn't turn up/there were no results...because it doesn't exist! Oh well, hey, at least I don't have to carry another card around when that happens. And yes, I will keep that in a safe place, along with other important documents (like a US passport).

Ant

Edited February 22, 2007 by antocru

[Niels Bohr 72]

Once you have a US Passport, the Naturalization Certificate is rarely needed. The US Passport is practically a universal ID at that point.

I don't remember I needed my Naturalization Certificate again when I received my passport. Whenever I want to prove my citizenship all I had to do was present my passport. (Note: I lost my Naturalization Certificate, and to file for a duplicate copy it costs 220 dollars!)

And, I know passport expires every 10 years. After you mail in your certificate for the first time to get your passport, you can renew your passport without ever needing it again.

[antda 13]

Hi Consolemaster,

Good luck on your immigration journey. Thanks for your reply specifically about the US Passport too. Sorry that you lost your certificate and had to get it replaced though. Yes, that is a benefit about the US Passport, that it lasts for 10 years. And yeah, I didn't know that showing the naturaliztion certificate only once is all that is needed for the US passport, so that's good too. What would one need to show to renew a US Passport anyways, just a copy of their expired US passport?

From the looks of it, the process to the US Passport seems a lot easier too, in comparison to the Canadian Passport (lol...eg. expiry of only 5 years, needing the naturaliztion certificate/birth certificate every time, needing a guarantor to sign, etc.). So yeah, I'll definately get a US Passport, when the time comes for me in about 2-3 years or so.

Ant

Once you have a US Passport, the Naturalization Certificate is rarely needed. The US Passport is practically a universal ID at that point.

I don't remember I needed my Naturalization Certificate again when I received my passport. Whenever I want to prove my citizenship all I had to do was present my passport. (Note: I lost my Naturalization Certificate, and to file for a duplicate copy it costs 220 dollars!)

And, I know passport expires every 10 years. After you mail in your certificate for the first time to get your passport, you can renew your passport without ever needing it again.

Edited February 22, 2007 by antocru

[tammiandtom 0]

What would one need to show to renew a US Passport anyways, just a copy of their expired US passport?

To renew a US passport all you do is fill out a form, send $67, along with your passport and then wait for your new one (you get your old one back as well). I'm currently waiting for my new renewal passport. It's been about two weeks.

[antda 13]

Hi Crzaieladybug,

Good luck on your immigration journey and good luck renewing your US passport too. Thanks for the info too about renewing the passport. Lol...I'll keep that in mind when I have to renew it in about 13 years or so (lol...I have yet to have my first US Passport, which I will get in 2-3 years). And by that time, the renewal rates will probably go up (though probably not as high as a Canadian passport, at $90 or so now). I'll pass on the info about renewing a US passport to the Americans that I know around here too, who need their passports renewed....

Ant

To renew a US passport all you do is fill out a form, send $67, along with your passport and then wait for your new one (you get your old one back as well). I'm currently waiting for my new renewal passport. It's been about two weeks.

[tammiandtom 0]

Hi Crzaieladybug,

Good luck on your immigration journey and good luck renewing your US passport too. Thanks for the info too about renewing the passport. Lol...I'll keep that in mind when I have to renew it in about 13 years or so (lol...I have yet to have my first US Passport, which I will get in 2-3 years). And by that time, the renewal rates will probably go up (though probably not as high as a Canadian passport, at $90 or so now). I'll pass on the info about renewing a US passport to the Americans that I know around here too, who need their passports renewed....

Ant

Good luck to you also! I'm sure the fees will go up, lol. I still can't get over that $200+ price to get a new Naturalization document if you lose it. Ouch!!

[warlord 73]

The passport fees are $97 so it's still about the same as Canadas (can't remember though I did send that out too a few weeks ago).

Social Security will need to see your certificate as well, so other then that, you're job might (depending on how big of a company you work for) in order to update your existing I-9 tax form.

Other then that, think of it as a birth certificate and put it away in a safe place. Now there has been talk about making a national US Citizen card or something, but not sure that will ever happen at all...

[antda 13]

Hi Warlord,

Good luck on your immigration journey. Congrats on being a US Citizen too! Yes, I think that the passport fees are about the same for both Canada and the US, but the only thing is that the US Passport lasts for 10 years, versus 5 for Canada.

So in that sense, the US Passport is the better deal....lol....

$97 (10 years) + $67 (10 more years) = US Passport

$90 (5 years) + $90 (5 more years years) = Canadian Passport

Lol...so I guess being naturalized in the US, is like being born again in the US...lol...never thought about it that way...interesting...."A born-again American!, with a new life and a new name!". I like it! Lol...so in that sense, I guess I'll have more than one/two "birth certificate(s)" (ahh..a third certificate to add to my collection, just kidding of course).

Good thing to know about Social Security too. Thanks. As for the US Citizen card, personally I don't think that they need to bother with that, as frankly there are too many cards and too many fees to pay anyways. Not worth it, if one is not going to need to show their naturalization certificate often (or at all, in most cases). Might as well just stick with the US Passport.

Ant

The passport fees are $97 so it's still about the same as Canadas (can't remember though I did send that out too a few weeks ago).

Social Security will need to see your certificate as well, so other then that, you're job might (depending on how big of a company you work for) in order to update your existing I-9 tax form.

Other then that, think of it as a birth certificate and put it away in a safe place. Now there has been talk about making a national US Citizen card or something, but not sure that will ever happen at all...

Edited February 22, 2007 by antocru