A certificate of citizenship, Form N-560 or N-561, is issued to someone who acquired or derived U.S. citizenship through a U.S. citizen parent, usually after filing Form N-600. It is a different document from a naturalization certificate, but foreign authorities treat it the same way: as proof of when and how you became a U.S. citizen.
That date is often the whole point. A country deciding whether you kept or lost its own citizenship, or whether you can pass it to your children, will look at when U.S. citizenship arrived, and the certificate is the evidence.
The rules for apostilling it match a naturalization certificate. The U.S. Department of State does not apostille the original, it cannot be copied and notarized, and no state can apostille it. What works is a certified true copy issued by USCIS, which then receives a federal apostille.
At a glance
Citizenship certificate or naturalization certificate?
| Certificate of citizenship | Certificate of naturalization | |
|---|---|---|
| Form | N-560 / N-561 | N-550 / N-570 |
| Who gets it | Children of U.S. citizens, through a parent | Adults who applied to naturalize |
| Applied for with | Form N-600 | Form N-400 |
| Original apostilled? | No | No |
| What gets apostilled | USCIS certified true copy | USCIS certified true copy |
Things worth knowing
- A U.S. passport is not a substitute when the foreign authority asks how and when you became a citizen. The passport proves citizenship, not its origin.
- If you never applied for a certificate, you may be a citizen without one. Some foreign authorities will accept your parent’s naturalization record and your birth certificate instead; ask them before filing an N-600.
- Keep the original at home. Bring it to the USCIS appointment for the certified copy, then put it away.
- Non-Hague destinations need embassy legalization after the State Department. See embassy legalization.
How it works
Step 1
Get the USCIS certified copy
By field office appointment, or a records request if that is not practical.
Step 2
Send us the certified copy
We check the certification is complete before submitting.
Step 3
Federal apostille
Submitted to the U.S. Department of State, government fee included.
Step 4
Back to you
Tracked and insured, or on to the embassy if needed.
Certificate of Citizenship Apostille: common questions
Can my original certificate of citizenship be apostilled?
No. The U.S. Department of State works from a certified true copy issued by USCIS, not the original certificate.
Can a state apostille it?
No. It is a federal document, so only the U.S. Department of State can apostille it.
Why does the foreign country want this rather than my passport?
Because it shows how and when you became a U.S. citizen, which decides questions about dual nationality and passing citizenship on. A passport shows only that you are a citizen now.
Official sources
Requirements, fees and processing times are set by the authorities below and can change without notice. Verify anything time-critical directly with them.
USCIS, Form N-600 · USCIS, Form N-565
Ready to get started?
Have the USCIS certified copy? Book the federal apostille online.
Related: Certificate of naturalization · Consular Report of Birth Abroad · Federal apostille