How Much Does a Copy of a Naturalization Certificate Cost?

A replacement copy of a naturalization certificate costs $505 if you file online through a myUSCIS account or $555 if you file a paper application by mail. Both fees are paid to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services as part of Form N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document, and each covers the whole process, including any biometrics appointment USCIS may schedule. The fee is generally nonrefundable, even if your application is denied or withdrawn.{¹}

The $50 gap between the two filing methods is the clearest reason to file online if you’re comfortable doing so. Online filing also lets you pay electronically, track your case, and respond to any requests for evidence through the same account.

How You Pay the Fee

Payment rules changed on October 28, 2025. USCIS no longer accepts personal checks, business checks, money orders, or cashier’s checks for paper-filed applications. If you mail Form N-565, you pay by credit, debit, or prepaid card using Form G-1450, or by ACH bank transfer using Form G-1650.{²} A check sent with the application will cause a rejection, so any older instructions telling you to enclose one are out of date.

There is a narrow exemption for people who cannot access electronic payments. Filing Form G-1651 and certifying a lack of banking access, undue hardship, or other qualifying circumstances allows USCIS to accept a personal check, money order, bank draft, or cashier’s check if the exemption is approved.{²}

When You Do Not Have to Pay

Two situations remove the cost.

USCIS Made the Error

If the replacement is needed because USCIS made a typographical or clerical mistake on your original certificate, no filing fee is owed. You still file Form N-565, but the agency absorbs the cost of fixing its own error.{³}

You Qualify for a Fee Waiver

Form N-565 is listed as eligible for a fee waiver under Form I-912.{⁴} You have to show an inability to pay on one of three grounds:

You or a household member currently receives a means-tested benefit tied to income, such as Medicaid or SNAP. Documentation from the agency confirming the benefit is active is required.{}⁵
Your household income is at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
You face a financial hardship that prevents you from paying even if the first two grounds do not apply.

USCIS approves waivers case by case, so submit supporting evidence with the request rather than after.

Small Extra Costs to Plan For

The filing fee is the main expense, but a few smaller items can add up.

Applicants living outside the United States must include two identical passport-style photographs with Form N-565.{⁶} Passport photos usually run between $7 and $18 at pharmacies and shipping stores. Domestic applicants do not need to submit photos.

Depending on why you need the replacement, you may also pay for supporting documents. A police report for a stolen certificate is typically free or low-cost, while certified copies of a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order used to document a legal name change carry their own local fees.{⁷}

There is no separate biometrics fee. If USCIS schedules you for fingerprints, a photograph, and a signature, that appointment is covered by the filing fee you already paid.{⁷}

A Passport Can Be Cheaper and Faster

A U.S. passport is also official proof of citizenship.{⁸} If you already have one, you can use it while you wait for the replacement certificate, and processing times for Form N-565 can stretch from several months to well over a year. If you do not have a passport, applying for one may deliver proof of citizenship sooner than the N-565, depending on current timelines.

The replacement certificate is still the right choice when you specifically need the certificate itself, such as for a government filing that asks for it by name, or when your passport has also expired. For routine situations where you just need to prove citizenship to an employer, agency, or bank, a passport is accepted and often the more practical spend.

1
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1055 Fee Schedule
2
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1651, Exemption for Paper Fee Payment
3
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Immigration Documents and How to Correct, Update, or Replace Them
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Request for Fee Waiver
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. About Form I-912 Request for Fee Waiver
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. New U.S. Citizens