Quick Answer: How Do You Fill Out and File Form N-600?
Use the current USCIS Form N-600 edition 01/20/25 and follow the official Form N-600 Instructions. You can complete Form N-600 online when online filing is available for your situation or download the paper form from the official USCIS Form N-600 page.
Complete only the parts that apply to you and follow the instructions for each section. Before submitting, check that all required questions are answered and that the correct person has signed the application. For paper filings, make sure every page comes from the same accepted form edition and no pages are missing.
Before filing, check the USCIS Form N-600 page again in case the form edition or filing instructions have changed.
Current Form N-600 edition: 01/20/25
Last verified: September 2026.
For a broader overview of the Certificate of Citizenship process, see our complete Form N-600 guide.
Can You File Form N-600 Online or by Mail?
Form N-600 can be filed online through a USCIS online account or by mail using the paper form. However, USCIS requires paper filing in some situations.
You must file Form N-600 by mail if you are:
- applying from outside the United States;
- requesting a fee waiver; or
- a member or veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces filing Form N-600 on your own behalf.
If none of these situations applies and USCIS allows online filing for your case, you may submit Form N-600 through your USCIS online account. If paper filing is required, complete the current paper edition and mail it to the appropriate USCIS filing address.
For current filing costs and fee-waiver information, see our Form N-600 filing fee guide.
Need Help Preparing Form N-600?
ImmigrationDirect’s guided service helps you work through Form N-600, organize the information needed for your application, and check your responses for missing or inconsistent details before you file. ImmigrationDirect is not USCIS and does not guarantee approval.
What Information Should You Have Before Filling Out Form N-600?
Before you start Form N-600, gather the information needed to complete the questions accurately. This may include:
- your current legal name and any previous names used;
- your A-Number, Social Security number, and USCIS online account number, if applicable;
- your current mailing and physical addresses;
- your parents’ names, birth details, citizenship information, and marital history;
- adoption, legal custody, or physical custody information, if applicable;
- dates and locations of a U.S. citizen parent’s physical presence in the United States if Part 6 applies;
- military-service information if Part 7 applies; and
- interpreter or preparer contact details, if someone is helping complete the form.
This section is only about preparing the information needed to answer Form N-600. Supporting evidence is covered separately in the Form N-600 document checklist.
General Instructions for Completing Form N-600
When completing a paper Form N-600, type or print clearly in black ink. Answer every question fully and accurately. If a question does not apply to you, enter “N/A” unless USCIS gives different instructions. If a question requires a number and the correct answer is zero or none, enter “None.”
If you have an A-Number, enter it in the top-right corner of each page as instructed by USCIS. If your A-Number has fewer than nine digits, add leading zeros so that it contains nine digits.
If you need more space for an answer, use Part 11, Additional Information, or attach a separate sheet. On each additional sheet, include your name and A-Number, if any, and clearly identify the page number, part number, and item number related to your answer.
Keep all entries clear and consistent so USCIS can match additional information to the correct question.
How to Fill Out Form N-600, Part by Part
Form N-600 has 13 parts. Complete the sections that apply to your situation and follow any instructions that tell you to skip or continue to another item. The guidance below explains what information belongs in each part and highlights important completion rules.
Part 1 — Information About Your Eligibility
Part 1 identifies who is filing Form N-600 and the basis for the application. Indicate whether the form is being filed by the person requesting the Certificate of Citizenship, a U.S. citizen parent, or a legal guardian, as applicable.
Then choose the category that applies to the citizenship claim.
Select only one box in Part 1, Question 1, and only one box in Question 2. USCIS states that it will reject and return Form N-600 if you select multiple boxes in either question.
If you are unsure whether Form N-600 applies to your situation, see our Form N-600 eligibility and requirements guide before completing this section.
Part 2 — Information About You
Part 2 is about the person requesting the Certificate of Citizenship. If you are filing for yourself, enter your information. If a parent or legal guardian is filing for a minor child, enter the child’s information.
Provide your current legal name and any other names you have used. If applicable, enter your name exactly as it appears on your Permanent Resident Card, even if the name is misspelled on the card. Complete the requested identification numbers, birth information, mailing and physical addresses, and marital-status details.
Complete the questions about U.S. Armed Forces service, your admission to the United States and current immigration status, and any loss or abandonment of permanent resident status when they apply. The form also asks about absences from the United States for certain applicants born before October 10, 1952 who claim citizenship at birth.
Part 2 also asks about previous applications for a Certificate of Citizenship or U.S. passport. Depending on your answers, USCIS may request additional information about adoption, legal or physical custody, or your parents’ marriage.
Complete follow-up questions only when the form indicates that they apply to you.
Part 3 — Information About Your U.S. Citizen Parent
Use Part 3 to provide information about the U.S. citizen parent through whom the citizenship claim is based.
Enter the parent’s legal name, date and place of birth, address, and citizenship information. Where requested, provide details about how the parent became a U.S. citizen and any Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization information.
You may also need to provide the parent’s marital history.
If a U.S. citizen parent is filing Form N-600 for a minor child, Part 3 still asks for that parent’s information.
Part 4 — Information About Your Other Parent
Part 4 is for information about the applicant’s other parent, separate from the U.S. citizen parent identified in Part 3.
Provide the other parent’s name, date and place of birth, citizenship or nationality, and address. If that parent is also a U.S. citizen, complete the applicable citizenship information.
The form may also ask for details about the other parent’s marital history or current spouse. Complete those items only when they apply.
Part 5 — Information About a Legal Guardian
Complete Part 5 only when a legal guardian is filing Form N-600 on behalf of a minor child.
Enter the legal guardian’s name, address, and other identifying or contact information requested on the form.
If a legal guardian is not filing the application, this section does not apply. Follow the form’s instructions for questions that are not applicable.
Part 6 — U.S. Citizen Parent’s Physical Presence in the United States
Part 6 applies when the applicant was born outside the United States and is claiming U.S. citizenship at birth through a U.S. citizen parent.
Identify the parent whose physical presence is being reported. Then list the periods that parent was physically present in the United States before the applicant’s birth. Enter the requested from and to dates for each period.
If the parent left the United States and later returned, list the periods separately rather than combining them.
If you need more space, continue the information in Part 11, Additional Information, and identify the Part 6 item you are continuing.
Part 7 — U.S. Citizen Parent’s Military Service
Complete Part 7 when it applies to a citizenship-at-birth claim and the U.S. citizen parent has U.S. Armed Forces service that must be reported.
Identify the parent and provide the military-service information requested on the form, including the applicable dates of service and type of discharge.
If additional service periods or information about another parent do not fit in the available space, continue the response in Part 11, Additional Information, and identify the related Part 7 item.
Part 8 — Statement, Contact Information, Certification, and Signature
Part 8 records how the application was completed and includes the required contact information and signature.
Indicate whether you read and understood the application yourself or used an interpreter. If someone prepared the application for you, indicate that where requested. Provide the applicable telephone number, email address, and other contact information.
Do not leave the required signature blank. For paper filings, USCIS does not accept a stamped or typewritten name as the required signature.
If a parent or legal guardian is completing Form N-600 for a child younger than 14, the parent or legal guardian must sign Part 8.
Part 9 — Interpreter Information and Signature
Complete Part 9 if an interpreter helped you understand the Form N-600 questions or instructions.
The interpreter should enter their name, contact information, and the language used to interpret the application. The interpreter must also complete the certification and sign and date the section.
The person who provided the interpretation should complete Part 9. If you did not use an interpreter, this section does not apply.
Part 10 — Preparer Information and Signature
Complete Part 10 if someone other than the applicant prepared Form N-600.
The preparer should provide their name, address, contact information, and other requested details, then sign and date the preparer certification.
If the preparer is an attorney or accredited representative, Form G-28 may also be required where applicable.
If the same person acted as both interpreter and preparer, that person should complete the applicable information in both Parts 9 and 10.
Part 11 — Additional Information
Use Part 11 when you need more space to answer a question elsewhere on Form N-600.
For each continued answer, identify the page number, part number, and item number it relates to. For example:
Page 6 – Part 3 – Item 8
If you need additional sheets, include the applicant’s name and A-Number, if any, on each sheet. Clearly identify the related page, part, and item number, and sign and date additional sheets as required by USCIS.
Use Part 11 only to continue information that did not fit in the original response area.
Parts 12 and 13 — Do Not Complete Before Filing
Part 12 — Affidavit: Do not complete or sign this part before filing Form N-600. Complete it only if a USCIS officer instructs you to do so at an interview.
Part 13 — Officer Report and Recommendation: Leave this section blank. It is reserved for USCIS use.
Review Form N-600 Before You File
Before submitting Form N-600, check that:
- you are using the current USCIS form edition and all pages are from the same edition;
- only one applicable box is selected in each Part 1 question;
- all required questions are answered;
- “N/A” and “None” are used where appropriate;
- names, dates, and other details are consistent throughout the form;
- Part 8 and any required interpreter or preparer sections are signed;
- additional information in Part 11 is properly identified;
- Parts 12 and 13 are left blank before filing; and
- you have confirmed the required Form N-600 documents and current Form N-600 filing fee separately.
How to File Form N-600 Online
To file Form N-600 online, sign in to your USCIS online account or create an account if you do not already have one. Start a new Form N-600 application and complete the requested information in the online form.
Upload the supporting documents required for your application and review the information you entered before submitting. Pay the applicable filing fee through the online system, if a fee is required for your filing.
After submission, save or print the confirmation for your records. Your USCIS online account can also be used to access your receipt information and notices related to the application.
Filing online does not mean USCIS will make a decision faster than it would for a paper-filed N-600.
How to File Form N-600 by Mail
If you are filing by mail, download the current Form N-600 PDF from USCIS and complete the paper application using the accepted edition.
Review the completed form, then print all required pages with the edition date and page information visible. Sign the application where required before assembling the filing package.
Include:
- the completed and signed Form N-600;
- the applicable payment or fee-waiver request, if required; and
- the supporting evidence that applies to your case.
Make a copy of the complete filing package for your records before mailing it.
Send the application to the USCIS filing location that applies to your filing situation and delivery method. Because USCIS can change filing locations, check the current N-600 filing instructions immediately before sending the package rather than relying on an older saved address.
Where Do You Mail Form N-600?
Check the current USCIS Form N-600 page before mailing your application. USCIS lists the current Lockbox address based on where you live and whether you are using the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial delivery service.
Use the address currently listed by USCIS rather than an address from an older copy of the form or another website. If USCIS changes the filing location, sending Form N-600 to an outdated address could delay delivery or acceptance of the application.
What Happens Immediately After You File Form N-600?
After USCIS accepts your Form N-600, it issues a receipt notice with a receipt number for the application. Keep this notice and receipt number with your records, since you can use them to check updates on your case.
For details about what happens after filing and how long the case may take, see our Form N-600 processing time guide.
Preparing Form N-600?
ImmigrationDirect can help you prepare Form N-600 with guided questions, step-by-step form support, and filing instructions. The service helps you organize the information needed for the application and review your responses for missing or inconsistent details before you file.
ImmigrationDirect is not USCIS. USCIS determines whether you qualify for a Certificate of Citizenship and makes the final decision on your application. Using a preparation service does not guarantee approval or faster processing.
