Form N-550: Uses, Photocopying Rules, and Replacement

Form N-550 is the Certificate of Naturalization that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issues to a person who becomes a U.S. citizen through naturalization. You receive it after your naturalization application is approved and you take the Oath of Allegiance, and it serves as primary proof of citizenship for everything from a passport application to Form I-9 employment verification. If yours is lost, stolen, damaged, or contains an error, you request a replacement by filing Form N-565, which costs $505 filed online or $555 filed by mail.

What’s on the Certificate

The N-550 shows your USCIS registration number (your A-Number), your full legal name, a photograph, and your signature, along with descriptive details including sex, date of birth, height, marital status, and country of former nationality.¹ It carries an official seal, the date it was issued, and the location of your naturalization ceremony.

How the N-550 Differs From a Certificate of Citizenship

These two documents are easy to mix up. The N-550 goes to a person born outside the United States who went through the naturalization process and took the Oath of Allegiance.² A Certificate of Citizenship is issued to someone who acquired or derived citizenship through a parent, such as a child born abroad to a U.S. citizen. Both prove citizenship, but they reflect different legal paths. If you hold a Certificate of Citizenship rather than an N-550, Form N-565 is still the form you use for a replacement.³

When You’ll Need It

The most common trigger is applying for a U.S. passport, where you submit the original certificate along with a photocopy.⁴ Voter registration can also require it, though rules vary by state.

For a new job, the N-550 qualifies as a List C document on Form I-9 to establish employment authorization.⁵ You may also need it to update your Social Security record to reflect citizenship.⁴

Photocopying Rules Most People Don’t Know

Federal law makes it a crime to reproduce a Certificate of Naturalization “without lawful authority.” Under 18 U.S.C. § 1426(h), anyone who prints, photographs, or otherwise reproduces a naturalization certificate without authorization can face up to 10 years in prison for a first or second offense, with steeper penalties if the reproduction is tied to terrorism or drug trafficking.⁶

You are permitted to make a photocopy for submission to USCIS with an application or petition,⁷ and the Department of State requires a photocopy for a passport application. Outside those authorized purposes, don’t casually copy or scan the certificate, even at an employer’s request.

Replacing a Lost, Stolen, Damaged, or Incorrect Certificate

You replace an N-550 by filing Form N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document.³ The same form is used to get an updated certificate after a legal name change. File online through your USCIS account at myaccount.uscis.gov, or submit a paper version by mail.

Every filing needs your A-Number, the date and place of your naturalization, a clear explanation of why you need a replacement, and a copy of a government-issued photo ID. What you add beyond that depends on your situation:

Lost or stolen certificate: a sworn statement describing the circumstances, a police report if it was stolen, and a copy of the original if you have one.³
Damaged or mutilated certificate: submit the original damaged document.³
USCIS error on the certificate: evidence showing the error, such as the original certificate with the mistake.³
Legal name change: a certified copy of the document authorizing the change, such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order.⁸
Living outside the United States: two identical passport-style photographs.³

If you file online and need to send an original document, the online application will provide the mailing address for the USCIS Nebraska Service Center after you submit.³

Fees and Payment

Online filing costs $505; paper filing costs $555.⁹ Online filers can also track case status, receive notifications, and respond to evidence requests through the account.

No fee is charged when the replacement is needed solely because USCIS made a clerical or typographical error on the original certificate.³ Form N-565 is not eligible for a fee waiver through Form I-912; USCIS keeps a specific list of fee-waiver-eligible forms, and N-565 is not on it.¹⁰ There is no financial hardship exception for this form.

USCIS overhauled its payment system in late 2024 and no longer accepts personal checks, money orders, or cashier’s checks for paper-filed forms.¹¹ Mail filers pay by credit, debit, or prepaid card using Form G-1450, or authorize a direct bank account payment using Form G-1650.¹² Online filers pay through Pay.gov during submission. An unsigned application or one with the wrong fee will be rejected.

What Happens After You File

USCIS sends a Form I-797C, Notice of Action, confirming receipt, with a receipt number you can use to check status. USCIS may require a biometrics appointment to verify your identity; if so, you’ll receive a separate notice with the date, time, and location, and USCIS will capture a new photograph and signature for the replacement.⁸ Not every applicant is called in for biometrics.

Processing times vary with caseload and the complexity of your request; check current estimates on the USCIS processing times page. Once approved, the new N-550 is mailed to the address on file, so keep your address current, especially if you have moved since filing.

Proving Citizenship While You Wait

The replacement process can take months. If you already have a valid U.S. passport, you can use it as evidence of citizenship until the new certificate arrives.⁴ If you don’t have a passport and your certificate is gone, you’re stuck in a loop, because applying for a passport itself requires the certificate. In that case, contact USCIS about expedited processing if you have an urgent need such as upcoming travel or a time-sensitive employment requirement.

1
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 12 Part K Chapter 3 – Certificate of Naturalization
2
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Commonly Used Immigration Documents
3
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document
4
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. New U.S. Citizens
5
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Handbook for Employers M-274 – 13.3 List C Documents That Establish Employment Authorization
6
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1426 – Reproduction of Naturalization or Citizenship Papers
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How Do I Know If I Need Original Documents
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form N-565 Instructions for Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1055, Fee Schedule
10
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-912, Request for Fee Waiver
11
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS to Mandate Electronic Payments for Applications
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Pay With a Credit Card by Mail