I-130 Online help!

[Oreo96 8]

Hello,

I am a US Citizen, and I got citizenship through my parent who naturalized when I was a child at the time. I am planning to fill out the I-130 online for the spousal visa, petitioning for my spouse, but there is a question asking whether I have ever obtained a Certificate of Citizenship. I have asked my parents and they said that I got one at the time, but we cannot find it anywhere! I was wondering if there is a way to still fill out the form online without answering yes or no to the question, or without providing the number of the certificate. Could I just send all pages of my US passport as proof of citizenship? But then how would I get around the yes/no question and the question asking for the number of the certificate, I wouldn’t be able to answer no if I received one before? I was reading online it takes so long to get a new one, so is there a way to fill the form out without providing the Certificate? I really do not want to get an RFE for this. And it would be unfortunate if I had to wait an extra 5-8 months for them to send me a new Certificate of Citizenship, and only then start our spousal visa process. 

[Pleasework89 46]

I don't know if this will help or if its relevant but what if you submitted a Freedom of Information  Act request through  uscis.gov online account. I have read that you can request your immigration file and your certificate of citizenship should be there, right? It's just an idea....they won't give you a copy of it but maybe your certificate number and bio data will bethere? As for proof of citizenship, you can just use your passport. 

[Alex&Nayden 91]

2 hours ago, Oreo96 said:

Hello,

I am a US Citizen, and I got citizenship through my parent who naturalized when I was a child at the time. I am planning to fill out the I-130 online for the spousal visa, petitioning for my spouse, but there is a question asking whether I have ever obtained a Certificate of Citizenship. I have asked my parents and they said that I got one at the time, but we cannot find it anywhere! I was wondering if there is a way to still fill out the form online without answering yes or no to the question, or without providing the number of the certificate. Could I just send all pages of my US passport as proof of citizenship? But then how would I get around the yes/no question and the question asking for the number of the certificate, I wouldn’t be able to answer no if I received one before? I was reading online it takes so long to get a new one, so is there a way to fill the form out without providing the Certificate? I really do not want to get an RFE for this. And it would be unfortunate if I had to wait an extra 5-8 months for them to send me a new Certificate of Citizenship, and only then start our spousal visa process. 

The same thing happened with me (parents naturalized and I was a child) but I never got a certificate. I think your passport is more than enough proof that you are a citizen. I just used my passport and it was fine.

 

You can answer yes and then add a note on the last page that you've lost it or can't find it. Just be honest. But definitely add your passport as proof of citizenship. 

[Oreo96 8]

1 hour ago, Pleasework89 said:

I don't know if this will help or if its relevant but what if you submitted a Freedom of Information  Act request through  uscis.gov online account. I have read that you can request your immigration file and your certificate of citizenship should be there, right? It's just an idea....they won't give you a copy of it but maybe your certificate number and bio data will bethere? As for proof of citizenship, you can just use your passport. 

I will definitely read into this, thank you! So you can request this through the uscis.gov website?

[Oreo96 8]

1 hour ago, Alex&Nayden said:

The same thing happened with me (parents naturalized and I was a child) but I never got a certificate. I think your passport is more than enough proof that you are a citizen. I just used my passport and it was fine.

 

You can answer yes and then add a note on the last page that you've lost it or can't find it. Just be honest. But definitely add your passport as proof of citizenship. 

Thank you so much for helping! Did you also submit the I-130 online? If so, does it let you go to the next section without putting in your Certificate number? I’m not sure what I would write in that box if it doesn’t.

 

 I’m just afraid to get an RFE for the certificate and then not be able to send it to them on time, if that makes sense. 

[Villanelle 4,121]

Are you sure your parents got a certificate for you? 

 

When one naturalizes and is able to include their children as you described above- the certificate is not automatically issued.  Nor is the passport. 

 

To obtain a certificate you or your parents would have needed to file the n600. Its currently apx 600$ or so. Not sure how much it would have cost back then but it was always expensive (significantly more than a passport) and involves sending various supporting paperwork and takes a decent amount of time to get back. The certificate is similar to your birth certificate in the way its stressed to you that it is super important and should be kept with secure documents as its a 'one of a kind' document like your birth certificate or marriage certificate would be. 

 

Obtaining the n600 certificate is optional. Majority of people only opt to get the passport as its easier and cheaper. Both establish citizenship proof however the certificate is needed (and only the certificate) as the passport isn't enough in very limited scenarios such as specific jobs with security clearances.

 

Please double check with your parents that they actually did file for the certificate. Its very odd for someone to do so and then simply misplace it.  Perhaps show them a picture of what the certificate would look like and explain the process and cost of it to be sure they actually did this because they may have just obtained passports for you all and theres nothing wrong with that, as I said you don't necessarily need the certificate in life except in very narrow circumstances which this is not.

 

They may be thinking of other paperwork you are given when naturalizing that has been since misplaced. Some of it might have referred to you being a derivative on their naturalization but papers like that are irrelevant. 

 

There also is a section on the forms where you can enter additional explanations for whatever question number you may need to attach an explanation for.  

 

 

[Oreo96 8]

8 minutes ago, Villanelle said:

Are you sure your parents got a certificate for you? 

 

When one naturalizes and is able to include their children as you described above- the certificate is not automatically issued.  Nor is the passport. 

 

To obtain a certificate you or your parents would have needed to file the n600. Its currently apx 600$ or so. Not sure how much it would have cost back then but it was always expensive (significantly more than a passport) and involves sending various supporting paperwork and takes a decent amount of time to get back. The certificate is similar to your birth certificate in the way its stressed to you that it is super important and should be kept with secure documents as its a 'one of a kind' document like your birth certificate or marriage certificate would be. 

 

Obtaining the n600 certificate is optional. Majority of people only opt to get the passport as its easier and cheaper. Both establish citizenship proof however the certificate is needed (and only the certificate) as the passport isn't enough in very limited scenarios such as specific jobs with security clearances.

 

Please double check with your parents that they actually did file for the certificate. Its very odd for someone to do so and then simply misplace it.  Perhaps show them a picture of what the certificate would look like and explain the process and cost of it to be sure they actually did this because they may have just obtained passports for you all and theres nothing wrong with that, as I said you don't necessarily need the certificate in life except in very narrow circumstances which this is not.

 

They may be thinking of other paperwork you are given when naturalizing that has been since misplaced. Some of it might have referred to you being a derivative on their naturalization but papers like that are irrelevant. 

 

There also is a section on the forms where you can enter additional explanations for whatever question number you may need to attach an explanation for.  

 

 

Thank you for the thorough explanation! I will definitely double check with them and see if they ever even filled that form out and paid the $600. As you said, they might have gotten it confused with some other paperwork that they received. Especially if it was not necessary for them to fill out. I also find it odd that we cannot find it anywhere if they did obtain one, considering my mother keeps paperwork from even before I was born. I wish there was a quick way to find out whether you even got one or not.

[Alex&Nayden 91]

2 hours ago, Oreo96 said:

Thank you so much for helping! Did you also submit the I-130 online? If so, does it let you go to the next section without putting in your Certificate number? I’m not sure what I would write in that box if it doesn’t.

 

 I’m just afraid to get an RFE for the certificate and then not be able to send it to them on time, if that makes sense. 

Yes I submitted it online. I put no I don't have a certificate. 

 

If it won't let you move on, then I would put "no" and then still explain the situation on the last page. 

[Alex&Nayden 91]

2 hours ago, Oreo96 said:

Thank you for the thorough explanation! I will definitely double check with them and see if they ever even filled that form out and paid the $600. As you said, they might have gotten it confused with some other paperwork that they received. Especially if it was not necessary for them to fill out. I also find it odd that we cannot find it anywhere if they did obtain one, considering my mother keeps paperwork from even before I was born. I wish there was a quick way to find out whether you even got one or not.

I absolutely second what this person said. We were under 18 when my parents were naturalized, so they didn't get the certificates for us. They just automatically got us passports. 

[pushbrk 12,221]

The answer to the question is probably "NO" because your parents only needed to apply for your passport.  Getting a certificate of citizenship is purely optional and an unnecessary expense.  I would simply answer the question with a NO and move on.  If your answer is wrong, it is a meaningless mistake.

[Oreo96 8]

On 6/27/2022 at 9:00 PM, Alex&Nayden said:

Yes I submitted it online. I put no I don't have a certificate. 

 

If it won't let you move on, then I would put "no" and then still explain the situation on the last page. 

I will just do that then! Thank you for the help! 

[Oreo96 8]

On 6/27/2022 at 9:02 PM, Alex&Nayden said:

I absolutely second what this person said. We were under 18 when my parents were naturalized, so they didn't get the certificates for us. They just automatically got us passports. 

I also doubt that my parents got it for us, because my mom was saying that they didn’t pay that much. 

[Oreo96 8]

On 6/28/2022 at 2:00 AM, pushbrk said:

The answer to the question is probably "NO" because your parents only needed to apply for your passport.  Getting a certificate of citizenship is purely optional and an unnecessary expense.  I would simply answer the question with a NO and move on.  If your answer is wrong, it is a meaningless mistake.

Thank you so much! I will just do it this way and answer “No”.