Certified copy of naturalisation certificate

[Hypnos 6,576]

There is almost no information out there about obtaining certified copies of your naturalisation certificate, so I thought I would post the information I have here.

 

First, why did I need certified copies when I have the real thing? The answer is my potential employer requires an original certified copy of my naturalisation certificate in part to verify my US citizenship, and so I had no choice but to go and get some.

 

The only way to obtain certified copies is by making an Infopass appointment at your local USCIS office. In light of the new procedure to make an Infopass at many USCIS field offices now (and by all field offices by 30th September, 2019), it's now slightly more complicated since you may not be able to schedule an Infopass yourself any longer, but you can still do it through USCIS' misinformation agents.

 

In my case, I went onto uscis.gov and using the "Ask Emma" tool stated "make Infopass". I was eventually connected to an agent in chat who asked me the reason for needing an Infopass appointment. After being satisfied by my answer, he took my personal information and said that I would be contacted within 48 hours to discuss it further. The next day (a Friday) I was called around noon by another agent, who again asked me the reason for needing an Infopass appointment. I explained, and he was again satisfied. He offered an appointment slot for Monday (so only three days later; a welcome change from the extended wait times under the old system), but I had other business then so he instead offered me Tuesday morning, which I accepted.

 

I arrived a few minutes before my 11:30am appointment, and when I checked in at the desk explained what I needed and why. She said that was fine, and that someone would call my number shortly. Ten minutes later my number was called (the floor was almost completely empty), and I explained to this new officer what I needed and why. She initially questioned why I needed five copies, and I answered that I'm applying to multiple employers who each require their own certified copy, and she said that was fine. I handed over my original naturalisation certificate, together with five photocopies I had made since I assumed she would use mine, but she said she had to make her own. Ten minutes later she came back with the five copies, one of my which I have attached here with my personal information redacted so you can see what it looks like. Basically, they add a certification cover page (G-24) and then the second page is a shrunken copy of the naturalisation certificate with a stamp. Both pages contain raised DHS seals.

 

It was surprisingly easy, and I was in and out in about 30 minutes, which has to be some kind of record when it comes to myself and USCIS. Hopefully this is of use to others, since as I said, there is almost no information available online about this subject.

cert-compressed (1).pdf

Edited March 13, 2019 by Hypnos

[jkstark 97]

While I understand that there are times where a certified copy is needed, and this account of how to get one is appreciated, I am both surprised and concerned that an employer may be asking for any copy of the certificate.  Obviously, I have no idea what other documents you already may have, but assuming that you already have a passport, there should be no requirement for any copy of the certificate. 

 

Employers are not permitted to pick and chose what documents you use to provide proof of eligibility of employment - so for instance if you have a passport, that is legally all you need.

 

There may obviously be certain specific employers who have requirements for citizenship that is not tied to employment eligibility, so in those cases having some kind of documentation might be potentially acceptable.  However, the US passport is considered prima facie proof of citizenship, making the requirement for a copy of the naturalization certificate seem *very* odd to me.

 

Each case may be different, but in general, an employer should not ever have to see your naturalization certificate from all that I can tell...

[Hypnos 6,576]

It's not for an I-9; it's a requirement from the state of Texas since I'm applying to become a police officer.

[TBoneTX 45,319]

Very helpful information indeed.

-------

Thread is shifted from the main US Citizenship forum to the "Passports, etc." subforum.

[JohnE 57]

Was there any charge for the certified copies?  Now my wife has her US passport (and is not applying to be a police officer) we were told at the oath ceremony the naturalization certificate could be locked up and really would not be needed again.  However for peace of mind I would not mind having a few certified copies.  Wondering if during the infopass if you cannot demonstrate a real need like yours if they would still honor the request.   

 

Thanks

 

[Hypnos 6,576]

There was no charge. 

 

But they ask the reason why you need the copies, though didn't require any proof. 

[milimelo 4,481]

My current employer needed to see my certificate (copy was fine) - part of security clearance process. 

 

I also know that State Department will not put apostille on a plain color copy of naturalization certificate. I made do without it because there was no way I was flying to the States to get my certificate from bank safe and then getting USCIS to do their process - not enough time. May consider doing it next time when we have extra time in the States. 

 

 

[Jake Lake 1]

16 hours ago, Hypnos said:

.

Thank you for providing this copy. That confirms what i was asking was right and the USCIS field office in Buffalo was WRONG !

I had to go to buffalo field office for the same reason. I provided them with the original certificate of naturalization along with 2 photocopies of that ( color and bakck&white, in case of any prefferences). What they issued was only Form G-24 and returning the photocopies with no stamp, signature or any sort of notations on that. And when i explained the whole point of me being here is to have this photocopy certified, i was told well the g-24 already explains that! And should be enough! And then i said so putting this letter of yours with any photocopy should be certifying that copy? What if someone puts his own picture on my certificate and produce a simple photocopy along with your letter , then can walk into any office pretending to be me! Under my name but his photo!  And that was when they started getting impatient and i had no way of forcing them to correct this, so like the time when you get a ticket and shouldnt argue it with the police but later on you take it to the court, i took it to USCIS for a soulution. 

 

Today i spent more than 6 hours with the uscis to have this discussed and all i learned, was they could not do anything about it but some appologies and i was left with 2 options. First filing complaint to office of inspector general ( a painless 10 minute call) in regard to employe misconduct which can not resolve my case directly right now, and second making another info pass to go to the same office where they failed to do the job right in the first place and caused my wife and i a day of job income and transporration and parking expenses!  Not to mention that has to be repeated again! 

 

The bitter reality is not everyone in uscis is trained well enough to know their responsibilties to avoid extra hassel, and worse than that when you try to explain it, they try to shut you up by saying they have enough experience so he/she knows what to do! Or does she?

Quote

cert-compressed (1).pdf

 

Edited March 13, 2019 by Jake Lake

[Hypnos 6,576]

In that case I would suggest going through one of your congressional representatives to get it sorted out.

 

Feel free to use my sample above so they know what it's meant to look like. As you said, without both pages it is somewhat meaningless.

[jkstark 97]

I had a similar experience though it was at the Syracuse support office - which is staffed out of Buffalo for the most part from what I understand.

 

The unfortunate part for me was that I didn't realize that the copy that I got was incorrect until the Dept of State returned it without the apostille that I needed since it was not a valid "Certified True Copy"...  I'm yet to go back and get it redone - time to get somewhere is the issue...

 

On 3/13/2019 at 2:28 PM, Jake Lake said:

Thank you for providing this copy. That confirms what i was asking was right and the USCIS field office in Buffalo was WRONG !

I had to go to buffalo field office for the same reason. I provided them with the original certificate of naturalization along with 2 photocopies of that ( color and bakck&white, in case of any prefferences). What they issued was only Form G-24 and returning the photocopies with no stamp, signature or any sort of notations on that. And when i explained the whole point of me being here is to have this photocopy certified, i was told well the g-24 already explains that! And should be enough! And then i said so putting this letter of yours with any photocopy should be certifying that copy? What if someone puts his own picture on my certificate and produce a simple photocopy along with your letter , then can walk into any office pretending to be me! Under my name but his photo!  And that was when they started getting impatient and i had no way of forcing them to correct this, so like the time when you get a ticket and shouldnt argue it with the police but later on you take it to the court, i took it to USCIS for a soulution. 

 

Today i spent more than 6 hours with the uscis to have this discussed and all i learned, was they could not do anything about it but some appologies and i was left with 2 options. First filing complaint to office of inspector general ( a painless 10 minute call) in regard to employe misconduct which can not resolve my case directly right now, and second making another info pass to go to the same office where they failed to do the job right in the first place and caused my wife and i a day of job income and transporration and parking expenses!  Not to mention that has to be repeated again! 

 

The bitter reality is not everyone in uscis is trained well enough to know their responsibilties to avoid extra hassel, and worse than that when you try to explain it, they try to shut you up by saying they have enough experience so he/she knows what to do! Or does she?