Evidence of United States citizenship is required when applying for a passport. There are a variety of documents that can be used for this purpose. Those that are recognized as primary evidence of citizenship are listed below.
- Previously-issued, fully-valid U.S. Passport (Mutilated, altered, or damaged passports are not acceptable as evidence of U.S. citizenship.)
- Original or certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate issued by the city, county or state (must be in long form)
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth
- Naturalization Certificate
- Certificate of Citizenship
NOTE: A certified birth certificate has a registrar's raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal, registrar's signature, and the date the certificate was filed with the registrar's office, which must be within 1 year of your birth.
A Delayed Birth Certificate filed more than one year after your birth may be acceptable proof of citizenship based on the following conditions:
- Listed the documentation used to create it and
- Signed by the attending physician or midwife, or, lists an affidavit signed by the parents, or shows early public records.
If you do NOT have any of the above documents as proof of citizenship, you can submit secondary evidence of citizenship.:
Top 5 Questions About Expedited Passport Couriers
2. What exactly does a passport expediter do?
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5. Is expedited passport service worth it? Get answers to these questions and more in our Ultimate U.S. Traveler's Guide to Passport Expediters.
You can also visit our library of articles about passport expediting.
