N-600 Certificate of Citizenship 2026: Who Files and Fees

What Form N-600 Is

Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship, is how a person who is already a US citizen by law asks USCIS for a document that proves it. It is not an application to become a citizen in the ordinary sense. It is used by people who were born abroad and are citizens at birth through their parents, or who automatically became citizens after birth but before turning 18.

The result is the Certificate of Citizenship, a USCIS document that serves as evidence of your status. It is different from the Certificate of Naturalization given at an oath ceremony to people who applied on Form N-400; the N-600 route is for people whose citizenship came automatically rather than through their own naturalization application.

One important limit: USCIS does not issue a Certificate of Citizenship to someone who became a citizen simply by being born in the United States. That person's proof is a US birth certificate or a passport. The N-600 exists for the people whose citizenship flows from parentage or from a parent's naturalization while they were a child.

Who Should File Form N-600

File Form N-600 if you are already a US citizen but need formal evidence, and you fit one of these situations:

• You were born outside the United States and acquired citizenship at birth through one or both US citizen parents.
• You automatically became a US citizen after birth because your parent naturalized (or your parents married) while you were under 18 and you were a permanent resident.
• You are the parent or legal guardian of a minor child in either situation and need the certificate for the child.

A person at least 18 years old may file on their own behalf. A US citizen parent or legal guardian files for a child under 18. Current or former members of the US armed forces filing on their own behalf are exempt from the N-600 fee. Do not file Form N-600 if you are seeking naturalization for yourself; that is Form N-400. And if you are a US citizen who lives abroad, in most cases you must be in the United States for USCIS to adjudicate the N-600, and you may instead obtain proof through a US passport application.

INA 320 Automatic Acquisition vs INA 322 (N-600K)

The two statutory routes are easy to confuse:

Under INA 320 the child acquires citizenship automatically by operation of law; nothing is applied for, and the N-600 merely documents it. Under INA 322 there is no automatic acquisition, so the child is naturalized through an application (Form N-600K), which lets the family rely on a US citizen grandparent's physical presence in some cases. Because the requirements and evidence differ, confirm which provision fits your facts before filing, and file the matching form.

Evidence and Documents

The N-600 lives or dies on documentation. USCIS must be able to trace your citizenship from your parents and, where INA 320 applies, your lawful admission as a permanent resident. Typical evidence includes:

Translate any foreign-language document and include a certified translation. If a key record does not exist, USCIS accepts secondary evidence, but the burden is on you to build a convincing chain. A single missing link, such as proof that a parent met the physical-presence requirement, is a common reason for a request for evidence or a denial.

Filing Fee and Fee Waivers

Under the current USCIS fee schedule, the Form N-600 filing fee is $1,335 when filed online and $1,385 when filed on paper. Form N-600K carries the same amounts. Because fees change, confirm the figure on the USCIS fee schedule before you pay.

There is no fee for Form N-600 when a current or former member of the US armed forces files on their own behalf, and some applicants may qualify for a fee waiver through Form I-912 based on a means-tested benefit, household income at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, or extreme financial hardship. Note that a broad N-400 fee rule was proposed in 2026; if you are also filing for naturalization, check the latest USCIS guidance, because N-600 matters are handled separately.

N-600 vs a US Passport as Proof

You are not required to file Form N-600. A validly issued US passport generally serves as evidence of US citizenship during its period of validity, so many citizens simply apply for a passport and never obtain a certificate. So why file the N-600 at all?

Reasons include: some government agencies, employers, or licensing bodies ask specifically for a Certificate of Citizenship; a passport can expire, and a certificate does not; and some people want a permanent record of citizenship that does not depend on renewing travel documents. There is also timing. A passport is usually obtained faster, especially if you are abroad, where the State Department has jurisdiction over citizenship claims. If you are outside the United States, seeking a passport is normally the better first step.

Neither document is "stronger" in a legal sense; both prove the same underlying status. The practical question is which one the requesting institution will accept and which you can obtain in the time available.

Processing, Oath, and Timelines

After you file, USCIS reviews the evidence and may request more through a Request for Evidence. If you are over 14 years old and did not already take the Oath of Allegiance, USCIS schedules you to take it; if the oath is administered the same day as the interview, no separate trip is needed, and applicants under 14 may not be required to take the oath at all. Once the case is approved and the oath taken, USCIS issues the Certificate of Citizenship.

Processing time varies widely by field office and by how complete your evidence is. USCIS publishes office-specific estimates that range from a few months to well over a year for N-600 cases, so check the current processing time for the office handling your application rather than relying on a national average. Note also that USCIS does not mail Certificates of Citizenship outside the United States except in limited military cases, so plan to receive the certificate inside the country.

If you lose or damage the certificate, or need it changed, use Form N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document, which currently costs $555 on paper or $505 online.

Frequently Asked Questions