First Time US Passport

[Lloydh123 13]

Hello,

 

If you have recently passed your Naturalization/N-400 interview and have received your Naturalization Certificate, you can apply for a US passport. I dont want to send in my original Certificate, so what is the easiest way to get a certified copy of the certificate? If the only way is through USCIS, what is the easiest way to book an appointment to get this done? Thanks!

[Lil bear 3,840]

2 minutes ago, Lloydh123 said:

Hello,

 

If you have recently passed your Naturalization/N-400 interview and have received your Naturalization Certificate, you can apply for a US passport. I dont want to send in my original Certificate, so what is the easiest way to get a certified copy of the certificate? If the only way is through USCIS, what is the easiest way to book an appointment to get this done? Thanks!

It will cost you $600. 

[JeanneAdil 6,220]

Even if you apply at US passport office like the main post office in your city ,  u have to send the original naturalization certificate

make a copy before u mail it out

it will be returned in separate mailings from the government

[Lloydh123 13]

15 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

Even if you apply at US passport office like the main post office in your city ,  u have to send the original naturalization certificate

make a copy before u mail it out

it will be returned in separate mailings from the government

I thought there is option so you don’t have to mail in your original? I thought u can get a certificate photocopy. How do you get that?

[Lil bear 3,840]

6 minutes ago, Lloydh123 said:

I thought there is option so you don’t have to mail in your original? I thought u can get a certificate photocopy. How do you get that?

If you have urgent travel plans you can apply in person at one of the few passport facilities and do it face to face. But that requires evidence of international travel within the next few days and you can only get an appt 10 working days before you travel Photocopies are not accepted. The only way to get another copy that is acceptable is to apply for a replacement certificate .. costs around $600   Your naturalization certificate is as “precious” as your GC was 

Edited June 22, 2022 by Lil bear

[Lloydh123 13]

22 minutes ago, Lil bear said:

If you have urgent travel plans you can apply in person at one of the few passport facilities and do it face to face. But that requires evidence of international travel within the next few days and you can only get an appt 10 working days before you travel Photocopies are not accepted. The only way to get another copy that is acceptable is to apply for a replacement certificate .. costs around $600   Your naturalization certificate is as “precious” as your GC was 

Interesting. I thought you could get a certified photocopy so you didn’t have to send in the original. That’s so risky, I hope it doesn’t get lost via mail. I think it’s $550 😱

[Lil bear 3,840]

6 minutes ago, Lloydh123 said:

Interesting. I thought you could get a certified photocopy so you didn’t have to send in the original. That’s so risky, I hope it doesn’t get lost via mail. I think it’s $550 😱

No certified  copy available. Its not like  the birth certificate where the county recorder keeps the original and you purchase certified copies 🤬

[Scandi 3,972]

12 minutes ago, Lloydh123 said:

Interesting. I thought you could get a certified photocopy so you didn’t have to send in the original. That’s so risky, I hope it doesn’t get lost via mail. I think it’s $550 😱

We've all done it, millions of us. You send the original certificate. 

[JeanneAdil 6,220]

30 minutes ago, Lloydh123 said:

Interesting. I thought you could get a certified photocopy so you didn’t have to send in the original. That’s so risky, I hope it doesn’t get lost via mail. I think it’s $550 😱

We all felt the same 

but if USPS looses it ,    u file a claim

u pay to have the US passport and cerificate mailed back to u

the certificate comes back in 8x11 envelope and is not folded over 

they come in separate mailings so don't panic

 

and Congratulations 

[Nkrish83 65]

Depending on the office, you can get certified copies made. It's getting harder and harder these days as most offices want you to come back with a separate appointment. If you have a certified copy of the original you can send it in instead of the original at your passport appointment. Getting Infopass appointments are a mess and it may be a hit or miss. My brother was sworn in in the IO's office and the officer was really kind to print 2 copies of the certificate and certify them. He sent one of them with his passport app instead of the original. Typically certified copies are never sent back by DoS but they sent that back as well in 3 weeks after he received his passport.

 

As someone already stated above, the only other option is really for urgent travel (with an agency) or life/death situations where you can get documents verified in person and returned same day when you go to pick up your passport. 

[Mike E 11,723]

While the passport agency says in writing it will accept a certified copy of the naturalization certificate, I’ve never seen this work in practice.  
 

Make sure to apply for both a passport and passport card so that you have two proofs of US citizenship. 

[STO Overland 137]

https://www.uscis.gov/tools/how-do-i-guides/us-citizens/how-do-i-obtain-an-authenticated-copy-of-a-certificate-of-naturalization
 

As Scandi mentions millions of us have all sent our original certificate and have received them back. We only read about the few that were lost and then believe that someone losing your certificate is the norm.
 

See the above link for details on how to get a copy. 

 

Quote:

 

“You do not need to obtain a Certified True Copy if the U.S. government asks for a copy of your certificate for official U.S. government business. For example, if the U.S. Department of State requests your Certificate of Naturalization when you apply for a U.S. passport, you may use a normal photocopy that has not been authenticated. You may use a normal photocopy of your certificate for legitimate U.S. government business.”

 

Would you mind trying this and then letting us know if you got away with it ?🤨 

[Mike E 11,723]

It’s been tried and it doesn’t work.  You could certainly sue to force the passport agency to accept it and you would prevail. But it isn’t worth it.  
 

These certified  true copies don’t seem useful for much of anything actually.   

Edited June 23, 2022 by Mike E

[Lola Lolo 34]

On my experienced last year for the first time of US passport I made an appt online thru calling there hotline but it was hard to get the answer of your call only voice prompt and even the online appt was really hard to book it..  My situation was I have my itinerary with me and it was an emergency so 14 days before your flight you make an appt online because they don’t allow the applicant without appointment confirmation that they are going to send it to

your email. After I got my appt confirmation I printed out with my itinerary and went to Dallas Passport Agency with your original Naturalization Cert and make copies of it. Then 3 days after I need to come back to pick up my New US Passport and my Naturalization Cert. with no problem. I didn’t mail it because i applied in person and pickup when. It’s ready. But like above said it depends which City you are.. Good luck and congratulations!

[JeanneAdil 6,220]

2 hours ago, Mike E said:

While the passport agency says in writing it will accept a certified copy of the naturalization certificate, I’ve never seen this work in practice.  
 

Make sure to apply for both a passport and passport card so that you have two proofs of US citizenship. 

if u send a certified copy,  u will get notice to send the original 

 

it does say the following on USCIS site but people who try to send a copy receive a letter to send original but u can photocopy this page and highlight the following and try it

 

You do not need to obtain a Certified True Copy if the U.S. government asks for a copy of your certificate for official U.S. government business. For example, if the U.S. Department of State requests your Certificate of Naturalization when you apply for a U.S. passport, you may use a normal photocopy that has not been authenticated. You may use a normal photocopy of your certificate for legitimate U.S. government business. 

 

https://www.uscis.gov/tools/how-do-i-guides/us-citizens/how-do-i-obtain-an-authenticated-copy-of-a-certificate-of-naturalization