What is Form N-600?
Form N-600 asks USCIS for a Certificate of Citizenship. It is for people who didn't naturalize themselves but became U.S. citizens through a parent: by acquiring citizenship at birth outside the United States to a citizen parent, or by deriving it later, for example as a lawful permanent resident under 18 living in the legal and physical custody of a citizen parent. You file it for yourself, or a U.S. citizen parent or legal guardian files it for a minor child.
You don't need a certificate to be a citizen; a U.S. passport is also proof. The certificate is a lasting record that doesn't expire. The form asks about the child: names, birth, entry to the United States and green card history, adoption and whether the parents were married. Then come both parents, their citizenship, marriages and current spouses, and, for citizenship at birth abroad, the citizen parent's physical presence in the United States and military service.
FileIt walks you through all 16 pages in plain English, shows only the parts your answers need, keeps answers inside the boxes, and prints them onto USCIS's own PDF (Edition 01/20/25), with the A-Number on every page. You print the form, sign it in ink and file it yourself, or file online with a USCIS account where USCIS allows it. FileIt never files anything with USCIS.
- Who files
- A person who became a U.S. citizen through a parent, or a U.S. citizen parent or legal guardian for a minor child.
- Filed
- Online with a USCIS account, or on paper by mail. Filings from abroad, fee waivers and service members or veterans filing for themselves go on paper.
- Pages
- 16, including the interview affidavit and USCIS officer report at the end.
- Signatures
- Signed by hand in ink. FileIt leaves the signature boxes blank.
- Edition
- Edition 01/20/25 (OMB 1615-0057, expires 02/28/2027)
- Agency
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security
Who needs to fill out Form N-600?
- Green card holders who became citizens automatically before turning 18 because a parent naturalized or was a citizen and they lived in that parent's custody.
- People born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent who acquired citizenship at birth and want a certificate as proof.
- Adopted children of U.S. citizens who meet the adoption and custody requirements.
- U.S. citizen parents or legal guardians applying for their minor child.
When to use Form N-600
- When you need lasting proof of citizenship, for example for a job, benefits or records, without relying on a passport.
- After a parent naturalizes while you are under 18, a green card holder and living in their custody.
- At any age: there is no deadline to apply once you became a citizen.
What you need before you start
- Your A-Number (from your green card, if you have one), names used, date and country of birth, and addresses.
- How and when you entered the United States, the travel document used, and when you became a lawful permanent resident.
- Adoption, custody or legitimation details, if they apply.
- Each parent's name, birth details, how the citizen parent became a citizen (certificate or naturalization number), marriages and current spouse.
- For citizenship at birth abroad: the dates the citizen parent lived in the United States and any military service.
- The filing fee, from USCIS's fee schedule (Form G-1055).
What’s on Form N-600
The 2025 edition has 16 pages. FileIt asks for it in 12 parts:
- Attorney or accredited representativeAttorney or accredited representative
- Part 1. Your eligibilityApplicant (or parent or legal guardian)
- Part 2. You (the child of a U.S. citizen)Applicant (or parent or legal guardian)
- Part 3. Your U.S. citizen mother or fatherApplicant (or parent or legal guardian)
- Part 4. Your other mother or fatherApplicant (or parent or legal guardian)
- Part 5. Legal guardian applying for a childApplicant (or parent or legal guardian)
- Part 6. The U.S. citizen parent's physical presenceApplicant (or parent or legal guardian)
- Part 7. Military service of the U.S. citizen parentApplicant (or parent or legal guardian)
- Part 8. Statement, contact information and signatureApplicant (or parent or legal guardian)
- Part 9. InterpreterInterpreter
- Part 10. PreparerPreparer
- Part 11. Additional informationApplicant (or parent or legal guardian)
How to fill out Form N-600, step by step
1 Part 1: Eligibility
Say whether you are filing for yourself or for your child, and the relationship to the U.S. citizen parent: biological, adopted, gestational, born in a marriage, or other.
2 Part 2: You (the child)
Names, SSN, birth details, height, addresses and marital status, then entry and green card history, previous applications, custody, adoption and re-adoption, and the parents' marriage. Item 25 is only for claims of citizenship at birth before October 10, 1952.
3 Parts 3-5: Parents and guardian
The U.S. citizen parent and how they became a citizen, their marriages and current spouse, then the other parent, and a legal guardian's details if one is applying.
4 Parts 6-7: Physical presence and military service
Only for citizenship claimed at birth abroad: every period the citizen parent was in the United States before your birth, and their U.S. armed forces service.
5 Parts 8-11: Statements, contact and extra space
Say whether you read English or used an interpreter, name any preparer, give your contact details, and add anything that didn't fit. FileIt prints your name and A-Number on the extra page.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Filing N-600 for a child living abroad who isn't a citizen yet: that is Form N-600K.
- Giving the citizen parent's certificate or naturalization details under the wrong way of becoming a citizen.
- Leaving physical presence empty when you claim citizenship at birth abroad.
- Answering Yes to a parent losing citizenship without an explanation in Part 11.
- Typing a name in the signature box: USCIS requires a handwritten ink signature.
After you fill it out
Print the form, sign Part 8 in ink, and have any interpreter or preparer sign their parts.
Mail it with the evidence and fee to the address uscis.gov/n-600 lists for where you live, or file online if you are eligible. Check the page before sending; Form G-1145 gets you an email or text when the lockbox accepts it.
Go to any biometrics appointment and interview USCIS schedules. FileIt keeps the finished PDF in your vault.
Fill out Form N-600 online with FileIt
- Pick the person. Choose someone from People and FileIt fills in their name, date of birth, address and other details it already knows.
- Answer plain-language questions. One part of the form at a time, with the official help text beside each question — 301 fields in all. Your answers save as you go.
- Check the live preview. Watch your answers land on the real U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security form, and let FileIt do any worksheet arithmetic.
- Generate the official PDF. FileIt prints your answers into the agency’s own PDF and files it in that person’s folder in your vault.
FileIt fills the form — it never files or submits anything for you. Deliver the finished form to whoever asked for it, the way the form’s instructions say.
Start Form N-600 now — it’s freeForm N-600: frequently asked questions
Do I need a Certificate of Citizenship to be a U.S. citizen?
No. The form itself says you aren't required to get evidence of your citizenship. You can file N-600 for a certificate, or apply for a U.S. passport with the Department of State.
What is the difference between N-600 and N-400?
N-400 is for permanent residents applying to naturalize themselves. N-600 is for people who already became citizens through a parent and want a certificate proving it.
Can I file N-600 after I turn 18?
Yes. If you became a citizen through a parent before 18, you can apply for the certificate as an adult. The custody question asks whether you lived with your citizen parent before turning 18.
Can I file Form N-600 online?
Yes, with a USCIS online account, unless you are applying from outside the United States, asking for a fee waiver, or a member or veteran of the U.S. armed forces filing for yourself. Then you file on paper.
Who signs the N-600 for a minor child?
The U.S. citizen parent or legal guardian who is applying signs Part 8 in ink.
How much does Form N-600 cost?
The fee is on USCIS's fee schedule (Form G-1055), and some members and veterans of the armed forces don't pay one. Fees change, so check before you file.
Official sources
- Blank form (PDF), published by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/n-600.pdf
- Official instructions and guidance: https://www.uscis.gov/n-600
- Edition shown on this page: Edition 01/20/25 (OMB 1615-0057, expires 02/28/2027) (checked 2026-10-19).
FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-10-19.