You cannot look up a naturalization certificate online. USCIS issues the Certificate of Naturalization only as a physical, tamper-resistant document, and no government portal will show you a digital image or PDF of it. If yours is lost, stolen, damaged, or wrong, the fix is Form N-565, which costs $505 online or $555 by mail as of March 2026.
What a USCIS Online Account Actually Shows
A free USCIS online account is useful, but it will not display your certificate. It lets you check the status of a pending application, view receipt notices, respond to requests for evidence, and update your mailing address. If you file Form N-565 online, the account becomes your tracking dashboard. The certificate itself never appears there. USCIS keeps naturalization records offline because the document carries sensitive personal data — your A-Number, date of naturalization, and biographical details — and functions as proof of citizenship that officials verify in person.
Do You Actually Need a Replacement
Before paying for a replacement certificate, ask whether a U.S. passport will do the job. A valid U.S. passport is widely accepted as standalone proof of citizenship for employment verification, benefit applications, and most government transactions. Even an expired passport can be accepted as evidence of citizenship in certain contexts. If you already have a passport or can renew one, that is usually faster and cheaper than waiting months for a replacement certificate.
A replacement is genuinely necessary when you need to apply for your first U.S. passport and have no other proof of citizenship, when the certificate contains a USCIS error, or when a legal proceeding specifically requires the original document type.
Common Reasons to File for a Replacement
The most straightforward reason is that your original was lost, stolen, or physically damaged. USCIS expects a police report or sworn statement explaining what happened, along with a copy of the original certificate if you still have one.
A legal name change is the other common trigger. If your name changed through marriage, divorce, or court order, your certificate no longer matches your current legal identity. You attach the supporting document — marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order — when you file.
How to File Form N-565
Form N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document, is the only route to a replacement certificate. You can download the current version from uscis.gov or file directly through a USCIS online account.
The form asks for your A-Number (Alien Registration Number), full legal name, any previous names, date and place of birth, and the date and location of your naturalization. In Part 3 you select the specific reason for the replacement. USCIS rejects incomplete submissions, so check every required field, particularly your family name, current mailing address, and the basis for your application.
Finding Your A-Number
If you cannot remember your A-Number, check your Permanent Resident Card (green card) or Employment Authorization Card. The number appears as “A#,” “AR#,” or “USCIS#” and is always nine digits. A U.S. visa stamp in your passport does not contain an A-Number. Old USCIS correspondence, approval notices, or your original green card will also have it. USCIS can look it up during processing, but providing it upfront avoids delays.
Supporting Documents
What you attach depends on why you need the replacement:
- Lost, stolen, or destroyed certificate: a police report or sworn statement explaining the circumstances, plus a copy of the original certificate if available.
- Name change: a copy of your marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order authorizing the new name.
- USCIS clerical error: the original incorrect certificate, which you must return.
- Applicants living outside the United States: two identical passport-style photographs.
Any foreign-language documents must include a certified English translation.
Filing Fee and Payment Rules
As of March 1, 2026, the fee for Form N-565 depends on how you file:
- Paper filing by mail: $555
- Online filing: $505
- USCIS clerical error correction: $0
If USCIS made a typographical or clerical error on your original certificate, you owe nothing for the replacement. File the same Form N-565, select the error-correction basis, and return the incorrect certificate with your application.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 12, Part K, Chapter 4 – Application for Replacement of Naturalization/Citizenship Document
USCIS no longer accepts personal checks, business checks, money orders, or cashier’s checks for paper filings. When mailing your application, pay by credit, debit, or prepaid card using Form G-1450, or by direct bank transfer using Form G-1650. Online filers pay through Pay.gov. Applicants who lack access to banking services or electronic payment systems can request an exemption to pay by check.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Filing Fees
Fee Waivers for Low-Income Applicants
If the fee is a hardship, you can request a full waiver by filing Form I-912 with your N-565. USCIS will waive the fee if you meet at least one of these criteria:3eCFR. Title 8, Section 106.3 – Fee Waivers and Exemptions
- You receive a means-tested benefit such as Medicaid, SNAP, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or Supplemental Security Income.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-912, Instructions for Request for Fee Waiver
- Your household income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. For 2026, that is $23,940 or less for a single-person household and $49,500 or less for a family of four in the 48 contiguous states. Alaska and Hawaii thresholds are higher.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Poverty Guidelines
- You face extreme financial hardship such as extraordinary medical expenses or sudden job loss, even if your income is above the poverty threshold.
A parent living with a child who receives Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, SSI, or public housing assistance counts as receiving that benefit for fee waiver purposes.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-912, Instructions for Request for Fee Waiver
Online Filing vs. Mail
Online filing is generally faster and $50 cheaper. You create a USCIS online account, complete the form digitally, pay $505 through Pay.gov, and get instant confirmation. One catch: if your application involves returning an original document, such as a certificate with a USCIS error, you still have to mail that physical document to the Nebraska Service Center after filing online.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document
Paper applications go to the USCIS Phoenix Lockbox in Arizona. Include your completed Form N-565, all supporting documents, and your payment form (G-1450 for card payments or G-1650 for bank transfers). Clip Form G-1145 to the front page if you want email or text confirmation that USCIS received the package.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document
What Happens After You File
Within about two to three weeks of USCIS receiving your application, a receipt notice (Form I-797C) should arrive in the mail. It contains a 13-character receipt number you can use with the USCIS Case Status tool. Online filers see the receipt in their account almost immediately.
USCIS may issue a Request for Evidence if something is missing or unclear, and may require a biometrics appointment for identity verification, though biometrics are not automatic for every N-565.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form N-565, Instructions for Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document Processing times have historically ranged from about five to eight months, but they vary with USCIS workload and case complexity. Check the USCIS processing times page for current estimates. Once approved, the replacement arrives by mail.
Requesting Expedited Processing
USCIS accepts expedite requests in limited circumstances. The most common qualifying reason is an emergency or urgent humanitarian situation, which USCIS defines as a pressing circumstance related to human welfare: serious illness or disability, death of a family member, extreme living conditions caused by natural disasters or armed conflict, or being a vulnerable person whose safety is at risk.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Expedite Requests
Expedite requests are not guaranteed and require supporting evidence. Needing the certificate quickly for a passport application or travel plans is unlikely to qualify on its own. For a genuine emergency, contact USCIS after filing and submit the expedite request through your online account or by calling the USCIS Contact Center.
Looking Up a Deceased Relative’s Records
If you are researching a family member’s immigration history rather than your own, USCIS offers a Genealogy Program covering naturalization files, alien registration records, and visa files dating back to the early 1900s. As of 2026, fees are $80 per request by paper or $30 per request online, using Form G-1041 (Index Search Request) and Form G-1041A (Records Request).9Department of Homeland Security. G-1055 Fee Schedule Records for people born less than 100 years ago require proof of death.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Record Requests Frequently Asked Questions
Why No Digital Copy Exists
Naturalization certificates are among the most heavily protected federal documents. Using a fraudulent, forged, or altered certificate, or using someone else’s certificate as your own, carries a fine and up to five years in federal prison.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. Title 18, Part I, Chapter 69 – Nationality and Citizenship Counterfeiting or unlawfully reproducing one is treated even more seriously, with penalties reaching 10 to 25 years depending on the circumstances. That is why USCIS does not make digital copies available and why the physical document carries multiple security features. If anyone offers to “borrow” your certificate or make copies for safekeeping, treat it as a warning sign.