Form N-565: Replacing a Lost Naturalization Certificate in 2026

What Form N-565 Replaces

USCIS uses Form N-565 for a narrow set of naturalization and citizenship documents. It is not a general-purpose replacement form, and it is not the way to replace a passport, a green card or a Social Security card.

You may file N-565 to replace any of the following:

• A Naturalization Certificate, Form N-550 or N-570.
• A Certificate of Citizenship, Form N-560 or N-561.
• A duplicate certificate of naturalization, Form N-576 or N-576A.
• A certificate that is broken, damaged or otherwise unusable but still in your possession.
• A certificate carrying an incorrect name, date of birth, place of birth or other personal detail that must be corrected.

The reason for the replacement changes what you send. For a document that is broken or badly damaged you must submit the original with the application, because USCIS destroys the damaged document when it issues the replacement. For a lost or stolen document, file a police report first and include a copy of the report when you have one. For an error, include the evidence that shows what the correct information is.

Keep a photocopy or a clear photo of your certificate before you surrender it. That copy makes bank, court and immigration appointments far easier while the replacement is pending, and it gives you something to present if the original never turns up.

Who Should File, and Who Should Not

File N-565 only when you need proof of your citizenship from USCIS. If what you actually need is to travel, or to get a U.S. passport, a passport application is usually the better route, because a U.S. passport is itself accepted proof of citizenship and it arrives in weeks rather than months.

Do not file N-565 if: you need a passport or a passport card, you were told a document is waiting for pickup at a USCIS office, or you are trying to replace a permanent resident card. In the first case use the passport process, in the second USCIS will mail the original to the office you selected once processing finishes, and in the third the correct form is I-90.

N-565 is the right choice when you have no citizenship certificate at all, the document was destroyed, or the certificate contains an error that has to be fixed before the document can be relied on for a name change, a pension claim or an immigration benefit.

Fees, Photos and Evidence

The filing fee for Form N-565 is $555. That figure covers the application, the replacement document and biometric services, and it is the same whether you file on paper or online. There is no expedited option for N-565, so the fee does not change with processing speed. Pay by check or money order made out to U.S. Department of Homeland Security when mailing the paper form; never send cash.

Fees change, so confirm the current amount in the USCIS Form G-1055 fee schedule on the day you pay. If you pay by credit card, use Form G-1450 on top of the package so the Lockbox can process the card without you sending card details by mail.

N-565 requires evidence of identity and citizenship. Send:

• Two identical color photographs taken within the last 30 days, showing the full face in a front view against a white or off-white background with a natural expression. The size is 2 x 2 inches, or 5 x 5 cm. Write your name and A-Number on the back of each photo with a pencil or pen, and do not staple the photos to the form.
• A copy of a valid, unexpired U.S. government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, a federal employee ID or another U.S. passport. If you hold no photo ID of that type, send a combination of current documents that together establish your identity.
• A copy of the police report, if your certificate was stolen.
• The damaged original certificate, if your document is broken rather than missing.
• Certified English translations for any document that is not in English.

Send photocopies unless the instructions specifically call for an original. Submitting the only copy of a document you need is the most common way an application stalls.

Where and How to File

You can file online through your USCIS account or by mail to a USCIS Lockbox. Online filing is generally faster because USCIS receives the application immediately and can send the receipt notice and updates electronically instead of waiting for mail delivery.

For paper filing, the address depends on your payment method. The Phoenix Lockbox address used for N-565 packages is USCIS, PO Box 20050, Phoenix, AZ 85036-0050. Courier deliveries such as FedEx, UPS and DHL do not deliver to PO boxes and use the street address 2108 E. Elliot Rd, Tempe, AZ 85284-1806.

USCIS moves Lockbox addresses periodically. Check the address printed in the current N-565 instructions on uscis.gov on the day you mail the package, and use traceable mail so you can prove the date of filing.

After filing, USCIS issues a receipt notice with your receipt number. Use it to check your USCIS case status online. If USCIS needs new fingerprints it will schedule a biometrics appointment, so keep your mailing address current by filing Form AR-11 within 10 days of moving. Missing a biometrics notice is one of the surest ways to add months to the timeline.

How Long N-565 Takes

Form N-565 is slow. Recent USCIS processing times have ranged from roughly five months to more than ten months depending on the form version and the service center handling the case. Check the live estimate on the USCIS processing times page, because the published figure moves as backlogs shift.

There is no premium or expedited service for N-565. The only levers you control are filing completely, filing online so nothing sits in the mail, and responding to any request for evidence the same week it arrives.

If you need proof of citizenship quickly, apply for a passport instead. Routine passport service runs about 4 to 6 weeks, expedited about 2 to 3 weeks, and travel inside 14 calendar days can be handled at a passport agency, typically within 1 to 3 business days. The emergency passport guide covers the appointment route, and passport processing times breaks down each service level.

N-565 vs. a U.S. Passport: Which Do You Need?

Choose based on what you are trying to do next, not on which document feels more official.

Because a passport costs far less and arrives in weeks, most travelers who have lost a citizenship certificate apply for a passport first and file N-565 later for the record itself. A passport agent can also help when you have no documents in hand at all. The lost passport guide walks through the police report, Form DS-64 and the in-person appointment, and the minors guide covers the extra consent rules when a child needs the same process.

One practical note: you can hold both documents at the same time. Filing for a passport does not prevent a later N-565 application, and having a passport in hand usually makes the N-565 process smoother because you can present a current federal photo ID with the application.

After You File

Watch three things while the case is pending: your receipt notice, your address, and any request for evidence.

• Receipt notice. It confirms USCIS accepted the filing and gives the receipt number. Losing it does not stop the case, but it makes status checks harder, so save a PDF.
• Biometrics. If you are scheduled, attend with the notice and a photo ID. Rescheduling costs weeks.
• Address changes. File Form AR-11 within 10 days of moving, and update the address on the pending case through your USCIS account or by calling the contact center.
• Requests for evidence. Respond by the deadline on the notice with copies, not originals, unless originals are specifically required.

When the replacement arrives, check every field immediately: name spelling, date of birth, place of birth, date of admission and seal information. Errors are far easier to fix while the case is fresh. Then store the certificate somewhere that is not your wallet, keep a certified copy available for daily use, and consider applying for a passport card so you have a portable, everyday proof of citizenship that you will not mind carrying. See passport card vs. book for how the two compare.

Frequently Asked Questions