How, where, and what forms and other documents should be filed?
8 C.F.R. § 320.3
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01(a) Application. Individuals who are applying for a certificate of citizenship on their own behalf should submit the request in accordance with the form instructions on the form prescribed by USCIS for that purpose. An application for a certificate of citizenship under this section on behalf of a child who has not reached the age of 18 years must be submitted by that child's U.S. citizen biological or adoptive parent(s), or legal guardian.
(b) Evidence. (1) An applicant under this section must establish eligibility as described in 8 CFR 320.2. An applicant must submit the following supporting evidence unless such evidence is already contained in USCIS administrative file(s):
(i) The child's birth certificate or record;
(ii) Marriage certificate of child's parents (if applicable);
(iii) If the child's parents were married before their marriage to each other, proof of termination of any previous marriage of each parent (e.g., death certificate or divorce decree);
(iv) Evidence of U.S. citizenship of parent, (i.e., birth certificate; naturalization certificate; FS-240, Report of Birth Abroad; a valid unexpired U.S. passport; or certificate of citizenship);
(v) If the child was born out of wedlock, documents verifying legitimation according to the laws of the child's residence or domicile or father's residence or domicile (if applicable);
(vi) In case of divorce, legal separation, or adoption, documentation of legal custody;
(vii) Copy of Permanent Resident Card/Alien Registration Receipt Card or other evidence of lawful permanent resident status (e.g. I-551 stamp in a valid foreign passport or Service-issued travel document);
(viii) If adopted, a copy of the full, final adoption decree and, if the adoption was outside of the United States and the child immigrated as an IR-4 (orphans coming to the United States to be adopted by U.S. citizen parent(s)), evidence that the foreign adoption is recognized by the state where the child is permanently residing; and
(ix) Evidence of all legal name changes, if applicable, for the child and U.S. citizen parent.
(2) If the Service requires any additional documentation to make a decision on the application for certificate of citizenship, applicants may be asked to provide that documentation under separate cover or at the time of interview. Applicants do not need to submit documents that were submitted in connection with: An application for immigrant visa and retained by the American Consulate for inclusion in the immigrant visa package, or an immigrant petition or application and included in a Service administrative file. Applicants should indicate that they wish to rely on such documents and identify the administrative file(s) by name and alien number. The Service will only request the required documentation again if necessary.
Source: eCFRURL: https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2024-07-01/title-8.xmlFetched: 7/26/2026