Your citizenship certificate number is printed in red ink in the upper-right area of your Certificate of Citizenship. It’s the identifier you’ll be asked for on passport applications, Form I-9 employment verification, and other processes that ask for proof of U.S. citizenship. If the physical document isn’t in front of you, the number can still be retrieved from federal records or from paperwork where you previously wrote it down.
Where the Number Appears on the Certificate
Look at the top-right section of the document. On every Certificate of Citizenship issued since September 27, 1906, the number is printed in red ink, which makes it stand out against the rest of the text.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Where Do I Find a C-File Number The overall design of the certificate has changed over the decades, but that placement and the red ink have stayed consistent.
Don’t Confuse It With Your A-Number
The Certificate of Citizenship also shows an Alien Registration Number, or A-Number. That’s a separate identifier USCIS uses to track your immigration history across all their systems. The certificate number is tied specifically to the document itself, and it’s the one government forms mean when they ask for a “certificate number” on citizenship evidence.
Finding the Number Without the Physical Document
Before requesting anything from a government agency, check the places the number tends to appear already:
- Photocopies or scans you made of the certificate.
- Prior passport applications, where the number was recorded as citizenship evidence.
- Old employment paperwork, if you used the certificate as a List A document on Form I-9.
- USCIS approval notices, which sometimes reference the certificate number, accessible through a MyUSCIS account if your case is linked there.
If none of those turn it up, you can request your own immigration records from USCIS under the Freedom of Information Act or Privacy Act. As of January 22, 2026, USCIS FOIA requests must be submitted online at first.uscis.gov after you create a USCIS account. Ask for the specific document rather than your entire file; narrower requests are processed much faster.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Request Records Through the Freedom of Information Act or Privacy Act
USCIS keeps duplicate records regardless of when your citizenship was documented. Documents created between September 27, 1906, and March 31, 1956, sit in Certificate Files (C-Files); records from April 1, 1956, onward are in Alien Files (A-Files).3National Archives. Naturalization Records Providing your full name, date of birth, and the approximate date of citizenship helps them locate the right file.
If you obtained a U.S. passport using the certificate, the State Department’s records contain the number you supplied. The National Passport Information Center is the contact point for accessing those records.
When You’ll Be Asked for the Number
Passport Applications
Applying for a U.S. passport on Form DS-11 requires the Certificate of Citizenship as primary evidence of citizenship, and the certificate number goes on the application.4U.S. Department of State. Get Citizenship Evidence for a U.S. Passport Renewals by mail may also ask you to reference it.
Employment Eligibility (Form I-9)
A Certificate of Citizenship qualifies as a List A document on Form I-9, establishing both identity and work authorization on its own. Your employer enters the document number in Section 2.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification Federal positions that require proof of U.S. citizenship, rather than just work authorization, will specifically want to see the certificate.
Other Government Processes
The number can come up when you apply for Social Security benefits, register to vote in states that require documentary proof of citizenship, or obtain a REAL ID at the DMV. State DMV offices typically record the certificate number as part of the REAL ID application.
What to Do if the Certificate Is Lost or Damaged
A lost certificate doesn’t affect your citizenship, but you’ll need a replacement to continue using it as proof. Search thoroughly first. These documents turn up in safe deposit boxes, old file folders, and tucked in with other vital records. If you have photocopies stored separately, keep them: they help with the replacement process, though they don’t substitute for the original.
If the certificate is damaged but still in your possession, hold onto it. You’ll submit the damaged original with your replacement application.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Immigration Documents and How to Correct, Update, or Replace Them
Filing Form N-565
The replacement form is Form N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document. You can download it from the USCIS website or file online through MyUSCIS. The application asks for your full legal name, date and place of birth, current address, and the approximate date and place your citizenship was acquired. Include copies of government-issued identification, and if your name has changed since the certificate was issued, documentation of the change such as a marriage certificate or court order.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Immigration Documents and How to Correct, Update, or Replace Them For a lost or stolen certificate, add a written statement explaining what happened.
Passport-style photos are only required if you live outside the United States; applicants inside the U.S. do not submit photos.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form N-565, Instructions for Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document
Filing Fees
The fee for Form N-565 is $555 by paper and $505 online, with biometrics included.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Frequently Asked Questions on the USCIS Fee Rule No fee is required when the replacement is needed because of a USCIS error on the original certificate.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Application for Replacement of Naturalization/Citizenship Document If you can’t afford the fee, Form I-912 lets you request a waiver based on household income at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, receipt of a means-tested public benefit, or documented financial hardship.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Additional Information on Filing a Fee Waiver
After You File
USCIS sends a receipt notice (Form I-797C) confirming your filing, usually within two to three weeks for mailed submissions. You may then be scheduled for biometrics. Processing times vary widely, from several months to over a year depending on workload and location; the current estimate for your case type is at egov.uscis.gov/processing-times. If you have an urgent need, you can ask USCIS to expedite the case after you receive the receipt notice. Expedite requests are considered case by case for reasons such as severe financial loss, humanitarian emergencies, government interests, or USCIS error, and require supporting documentation.11U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Expedite Requests
Fixing Errors on the Certificate
If the certificate has a typo or wrong information, use Form N-565 for the correction. If the mistake was USCIS’s, attach the original incorrect certificate and pay no fee.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Application for Replacement of Naturalization/Citizenship Document If the error came from information you supplied on your original application, you still file N-565, but you’ll pay the standard fee and include documentation showing what the correct information should be.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Immigration Documents and How to Correct, Update, or Replace Them Catching a name mismatch early matters, since inconsistencies between your certificate and other identity documents can hold up passport applications and I-9 verification.
Keeping the Number Secure
The certificate number, combined with your name and date of birth, is sensitive personally identifiable information.12National Archives. CUI Category: Sensitive Personally Identifiable Information Store the original in a fireproof safe or safe deposit box, and keep a scan or photocopy in a separate secure location. If the certificate is stolen rather than misplaced, note the theft in your written statement on Form N-565. USCIS doesn’t require a police report, but filing one creates a record that can help if someone tries to misuse your information.