U.S. birth certificate
Common primary evidence for a person born in a U.S. jurisdiction whose birth established citizenship, subject to the applicable citizenship law and record requirements.
Evidence of status · reviewed August 29, 2026
How do you prove U.S. citizenship?
Citizenship is a legal status; a document is evidence of that status. Which document is available depends on how citizenship was obtained, where the person was born, and which agency has jurisdiction over the requested document.
Valid, unexpired U.S. passport
A passport is a travel document and evidence of U.S. citizenship. USCIS policy treats a valid, unexpired passport as evidence when adjudicating a citizenship claim.
Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240)
Department of State documentation that a person born abroad acquired U.S. citizenship at birth. A CRBA does not expire.
Certificate of Citizenship
USCIS evidence of citizenship acquired or derived through a parent. Form N-600 is generally the application for this certificate.
Certificate of Naturalization
Evidence issued after a person naturalizes. Form N-565, not N-600, is generally used to replace or correct a naturalization or citizenship document.
Passport
The Department of State adjudicates passport applications. A passport can prove citizenship and permits international travel, but it expires and must be renewed.
State Department passportsCertificate of Citizenship
Form N-600 documents a citizenship claim that already arose under the law. It is not an application to become a citizen through ordinary adult naturalization.
General fee: $1,335 online · $1,385 paper; $0 and waiver categories may apply.
USCIS Form N-600 Replacement certificate
Form N-565 is used for specified replacement, correction and special-certificate requests involving naturalization or citizenship documents.
USCIS Form N-565Passport, CRBA and certificate can interact
USCIS policy states that a valid, unexpired U.S. passport or CRBA may be submitted as evidence in an N-600 case. USCIS still examines whether the underlying citizenship was acquired properly. If USCIS finds evidence that a passport or CRBA was issued illegally, fraudulently or erroneously, only the Department of State has authority to revoke the passport or cancel the CRBA.
USCIS Policy ManualAn expired document is a different evidentiary question
USCIS policy distinguishes a valid, unexpired passport from an expired one and notes that a passport is no longer conclusive evidence after expiration. Do not assume that an old passport, photocopy, Social Security record or voter registration independently proves a contested citizenship claim.