How to Get a Certificate of Citizenship for Your Child
Obtaining a Certificate of Citizenship for your child is often done for an internationally adopted child, for a child who claims citizenship through one parent or a child who was born overseas but claims citizenship through parental right. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the COC is necessary to document citizenship based on parentage. The form must be completed, printed and mailed--along with the appropriate fee and two passport-size color photos--to the appropriate government office.
Things You'll Need
- N-600 Application for Certificate of Citizenship
- Processing fee - check or money order
- Passport style photographs (2)--2 inches width by 2 inches length
- Necessary support documentation
- Envelope
- Postage
- Return address
- USCIS Field Office address for your place of residence
Instructions
Download and save the N-600 form for the Certificate of Citizenship. Type the information directly to the form, save and print, or print a blank document and complete by pen. Obtain a money order or write a check for $460. If you are filing the COC for an adopted minor child, the fee is $420. According to the USCIS, the check should be made out to: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Don't abbreviate the department name. Include the whole department title. Provide the required supporting documentation for your claim to a Certificate of Citizenship. These documents are described at length in the USCIS provided instructions. Some supporting document types are: birth certificate, proof of U.S. citizenship, proof of status as U.S. national, proof of legitimation, proof of legal custody (such as adoption), copy of permanent resident card, and/or a copy of final adoption decree. Include two color, passport-style, identical photographs measuring 2 inches wide by 2 inches long with your application. According to the USCIS, the photos must have been taken within the last 30 days. The photographs must have a white background and a gloss finish. Photos must feature a frontal, full-face presentation measuring 1 to 1-3/8 inches from the top of the head to below the chin. No head coverings are allowed unless you can demonstrate religious proof. In pencil or pen, write your Alien Receipt Number and name on the back of each photograph. Place the completed form N-600, check or money order, supporting documentation, and photographs into an envelope. Usually a standard
business size envelope, measuring 4-1/8 inches wide by 9-1/2 inches long will suffice. Affix the appropriate amount of first class or priority postage to the upper right corner of the front of the envelope. Traceable methods of mailing are preferred if you are sending sensitive or original documents through the mail. Write your return address in the upper left corner of the envelope front. This should be the same address indicated as your place of residence on the completed N-600 form. Write the appropriate USCIS field office address on the front, center of the envelope. Maryland residents, according to the USCIS, must send their application packet to the Vermont office at: Vermont Service Center, 75 Lower Weldon St., St. Albans, VT, 05479-0001. See Resources for a link to your field office. Mail the application packet. The USCIS does not provide an estimated time that you can expect your COC or notification of the packet acceptance. A receipt will be sent to you in the mail acknowledging processing of your check separate from the receipt of the COC.
