N-565 to get a replacement.
Worksheet – This is a worksheet
may be identified as Form I-551.
USCIS advises naturalized citizens in the back of this Guide that you The Permanent Resident Card to also obtain a United States
may use as a tool to determine
used to be known as the Alien
passport as evidence of their U.S. whether you are eligible for
Registration Card and/or “Green
citizenship.
naturalization. Do not send this
Card.”
worksheet to USCIS at any time;
N-600, “Application for
it is for your use only.
Physical Presence – Physical
Certificate of Citizenship” –
presence in the United States is an
Qualified U.S. residents born
Oath Ceremony – To become a
important eligibility requirement.
outside the United States to U.S.
naturalized citizen of the United
Most naturalization applicants
citizen parents, or parents who
States, you must attend an oath
must spend a specified amount of
became citizens, may file a Form
ceremony where you take the Oath time in the United States in order
N-600 to get a Certificate of
of Allegiance to the United States. to meet the physical presence
Citizenship.
requirement for naturalization.
46
Except in a few cases, time spent
Information Officers (IIOs). IIOs
outside of the United States, even are available to answer questions
brief trips to Canada and Mexico, you have about naturalization.
does not count toward your
Remember to use InfoPass to
“physical presence.”
make an appointment to talk to an
IIO. Visit our website at
Port-of-Entry – The Port-of-
www.uscis.gov for instructions on
Entry is the place where you
how to use InfoPass.
legally entered the country as a
Permanent Resident.
USCIS Lockbox Facility – There
are four Lockbox Facilities in
Selective Service – The Selective the United States that handle the
Service System is the Federal
receipting of applications for
agency responsible for providing
immigration services and benefits.
manpower to the U.S. Armed
Forces in an emergency. Male
U.S. National (but not U.S.
applicants generally are required
Citizen) – A person who, because
to have registered with the
of his or her birth in American
Selective Service before applying Samoa or on Swains Island,
for naturalization. See pages
owes permanent allegiance to
28-29 for information on who
the United States, and who may
is required to register, how to
naturalize based on residence
register, and what to do if you
in an outlying possession of the
were required to register but did
United States.
not, or call the Selective Service
System at 1-847-688-6888 for
United States Passport – A U.S.
more information.
passport is an official document
that identifies you as a U.S.
Service Center – USCIS Service citizen. All naturalized citizens
Centers handle and adjudicate
are encouraged to get a passport
most applications for immigration as soon as possible after they are
services and benefits. There are
naturalized.
four USCIS Service Centers in the
United States.
USCIS Forms Line – The
USCIS Forms Line distributes
all forms for immigration and
naturalization. You can call the
Forms Line at 1-800-870-3676
to have any USCIS forms sent to
you, including the “Application
for Naturalization” (Form N-400).
USCIS Information Counter –
USCIS offices have information
counters staffed by USCIS
employees called Immigration
A Guide to Naturalization
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