How long is waiting time for a replacement of Nat. Certificate?

[sakura888 0]

If this is the only proof that we are now USC's, how hard or easy is it to get a replacement certificate in case of loss? Getting a copy of a natural born USC birth certificate is quick and easy, I just wonder how long is it going to be with the naturalized USC's to get a certificate replacement?

Thanks.

[Stella08 0]

They told us at our oath ceremony that it takes about six months to replace a naturalization certificate (not to mention the money it costs). We were told that we should get a receipt from the post office that we submitted our naturalization certificate for the passport application. The clerk at the post office never heard of that before but he gave us a handwritten receipt with a stamp. I don't know if that would actually have helped in case the certificate got lost since it was returned via regular mail. So how could you have traced when and where it got lost and who was to blame?

[motu 6]

Also, once you have your US Passport - the Naturalization Certificate is of no use that I can see. I have not used it for anything except the first passport. Since then the only thing it was used for was to sponsor my wife (I could have used my passport copies also). Good Luck

[sakura888 0]

Thanks guys.

You're right Stella. It doesnt make any sense to get that "receipt". How could it help trace where the certificate got lost if ever.

I also asked this because of the signature I made on my naturalization certificate. The clerk of court INSISTED that I write my full name and not my regular signature. I was telling her that my signature on the certificate should match my signature on my photo which the AO made me sign on my interview day. But she wont botch, she said SIGN YOUR FULL NAME, YOUR SIGNATURE! So I thought that she wanted me to write my full name in capital letters and sign my regular signature over it. But after I wrote my full name in capital letters, she said "OK, THAT'S IT, WE WILL HAND YOUR CERTICATE OVER TO YOU AT THE CEREMONY PROPER". And took my naturalization certificate. So now I had two different signatures on my naturalization certificate. One in my regular signature and one in capital letters.

I saw other people there at the ceremony that had their regular signature on the certificate and I got all the more confused, so I asked the USCIS officer after the oath if it does matter. He told me that my signature on my certificate should closely match my signature on the photo, and it is clear that they dont closely match. So I asked him, what can I do about it? He said, "at this point, you cant do anything else. I wouldnt be bothered by it if I were you, but I'm just telling you that that is the rule. If you want your signatures to match, you can request for a replacement which costs around 500 dollars"...

That makes me really annoyed! Why didnt they gave the clerk of court the CORRECT INSTRUCTIONS? And why did they have to have the certificate signed BEFORE the oath and then explain it later how one should sign the certificate? They should have had the new citizens briefed on how to sign their signatures before they made them sign the certificate. Argh, this really made me pissed off.

Anyways, I hope that the passport processing officer is not stupid enough to make it a big deal and let me get a passport without a pain. I just want to get done with all of these things. I'm also praying for a non-stupid officer at the SSA office. Gosh, dealing with incompetence is really annoying.

What is also disappointing to me is that a naturalized citizen can only have ONE original copy of the naturalization certificate. Whereas natural born citizens can always request for multiple copies of their birth certificates.

Even if you have a US passport, it is an added peace of mind that you have an extra copy of your naturalization certificate, in case your passport got lost or stolen. At least, while your naturalization certificate is out there with the thousands of mails in the post office bin, you still have a proof with you that you are indeed a United States Citizen.