§ 435.407 - Types of acceptable documentary evidence of citizenship.

§ 435.407 Types of acceptable documentary evidence of citizenship.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 89 FR 22866, Apr. 2, 2024.

(a) Stand-alone evidence of citizenship. The following must be accepted as sufficient documentary evidence of citizenship:

(1) A U.S. passport, including a U.S. Passport Card issued by the Department of State, without regard to any expiration date as long as such passport or Card was issued without limitation.

(2) A Certificate of Naturalization.

(3) A Certificate of U.S. Citizenship.

(4) A valid State-issued driver's license if the State issuing the license requires proof of U.S. citizenship, or obtains and verifies a SSN from the applicant who is a citizen before issuing such license.

(5)

(i) Documentary evidence issued by a Federally recognized Indian Tribe identified in the Federal Register by the Bureau of Indian Affairs within the U.S. Department of the Interior, and including Tribes located in a State that has an international border, which—

(A) Identifies the Federally recognized Indian Tribe that issued the document;

(B) Identifies the individual by name; and

(C) Confirms the individual's membership, enrollment, or affiliation with the Tribe.

(ii) Documents described in paragraph (a)(5)(i) of this section include, but are not limited to:

(A) A Tribal enrollment card;

(B) A Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood;

(C) A Tribal census document;

(D) Documents on Tribal letterhead, issued under the signature of the appropriate Tribal official, that meet the requirements of paragraph (a)(5)(i) of this section.

(6) A data match with the Social Security Administration.

(7) Verification with a State vital statistics agency documenting a record of birth.

(8) A data match with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program or any other process established by DHS to verify that an individual is a citizen.

(b) Evidence of citizenship. If an applicant does not provide documentary evidence from the list in paragraph (a) of this section, the following must be accepted as satisfactory evidence to establish citizenship if also accompanied by an identity document listed in paragraph (c) of this section—

(1) A U.S. public birth certificate showing birth in one of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, Swain's Island, Puerto Rico (if born on or after January 13, 1941), the Virgin Islands of the U.S. or the CNMI (if born after November 4, 1986, (CNMI local time)). The birth record document may be issued by a State, Commonwealth, Territory, or local jurisdiction. If the document shows the individual was born in Puerto Rico or the Northern Mariana Islands before the applicable date referenced in this paragraph, the individual may be a collectively naturalized citizen. The following will establish U.S. citizenship for collectively naturalized individuals:

(i) Puerto Rico: Evidence of birth in Puerto Rico and the applicant's statement that he or she was residing in the U.S., a U.S. possession, or Puerto Rico on January 13, 1941.

(ii) Northern Mariana Islands (NMI) (formerly part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI)):

(A) Evidence of birth in the NMI, TTPI citizenship and residence in the NMI, the U.S., or a U.S. Territory or possession on November 3, 1986, (NMI local time) and the applicant's statement that he or she did not owe allegiance to a foreign State on November 4, 1986 (NMI local time);

(B) Evidence of TTPI citizenship, continuous residence in the NMI since before November 3, 1981 (NMI local time), voter registration before January 1, 1975, and the applicant's statement that he or she did not owe allegiance to a foreign State on November 4, 1986 (NMI local time);

(C) Evidence of continuous domicile in the NMI since before January 1, 1974, and the applicant's statement that he or she did not owe allegiance to a foreign State on November 4, 1986 (NMI local time). Note: If a person entered the NMI as a nonimmigrant and lived in the NMI since January 1, 1974, this does not constitute continuous domicile and the individual is not a U.S. citizen.

(2) At State option, a cross match with a State vital statistics agency documenting a record of birth.

(3)

A Certification of Report of Birth, issued to U.S. citizens who were born outside the U.S.

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3) A Report of Birth Abroad of a U.S. Citizen.

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4) A Certification of birth in the United States.

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5) A U.S. Citizen I.D. card.

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6) A Northern Marianas Identification Card issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (or predecessor agency).

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7) A final adoption decree showing the child's name and U.S. place of birth, or if an adoption is not final, a Statement from a State-approved adoption agency that shows the child's name and U.S. place of birth.

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8) Evidence of U.S. Civil Service employment before June 1, 1976.

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9) U.S. Military Record showing a U.S. place of birth.

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11) A data match with the SAVE Program or any other process established by DHS to verify that an individual is a citizen.(12)

10) Documentation that a child meets the requirements of section 101 of the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 as amended (8 U.S.C. 1431).

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11) Medical records, including, but not limited to, hospital, clinic, or doctor records or admission papers from a nursing facility, skilled care facility, or other institution that indicate a U.S. place of birth.

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12) Life, health, or other insurance record that indicates a U.S. place of birth.

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13) Official religious record recorded in the U.S. showing that the birth occurred in the U.S.

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14) School records, including pre-school, Head Start and daycare, showing the child's name and U.S. place of birth.

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15) Federal or State census record showing U.S. citizenship or a U.S. place of birth.

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16) If the applicant does not have one of the documents listed in paragraphs (a) or (b)(1) through (

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15) of this section, he or she may submit an affidavit signed by another individual under penalty of perjury who can reasonably attest to the applicant's citizenship, and that contains the applicant's name, date of birth, and place of U.S. birth. The affidavit does not have to be notarized.

(c) Evidence of identity.

(1) The agency must accept the following as proof of identity, provided such document has a photograph or other identifying information sufficient to establish identity, including, but not limited to, name, age, sex, race, height, weight, eye color, or address:

(i) Identity documents listed at 8 CFR 274a.2 (b)(1)(v)(B)(1), except a driver's license issued by a Canadian government authority.

(ii) Driver's license issued by a State or Territory.

(iii) School identification card.

(iv) U.S. military card or draft record.

(v) Identification card issued by the Federal, State, or local government.

(vi) Military dependent's identification card.

(vii) U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner card.

(viii) For children under age 19, a clinic, doctor, hospital, or school record, including preschool or day care records.

(ix) A finding of identity from an Express Lane agency, as defined in section 1902(e)(13)(F) of the Act.

(x) Two other documents containing consistent information that corroborates an applicant's identity. Such documents include, but are not limited to, employer identification cards; high school, high school equivalency and college diplomas; marriage certificates; divorce decrees; and property deeds or titles.

(2) Finding of identity from a Federal or State governmental agency. The agency may accept as proof of identity a finding of identity from a Federal agency or another State agency (not described in paragraph (c)(1)(ix) of this section), including but not limited to a public assistance, law enforcement, internal revenue or tax bureau, or corrections agency, if the agency has verified and certified the identity of the individual.

(3) If the applicant does not have any document specified in paragraph (c)(1) of this section and identity is not verified under paragraph (c)(2) of this section, the agency must accept an affidavit signed, under penalty of perjury, by a person other than the applicant who can reasonably attest to the applicant's identity. Such affidavit must contain the applicant's name and other identifying information establishing identity, as described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section. The affidavit does not have to be notarized.

(d) Verification of citizenship by a Federal agency or another State. The agency may rely, without further documentation of citizenship or identity, on a verification of citizenship made by a Federal agency or another State agency, if such verification was done on or after July 1, 2006.

(e) Assistance with obtaining documentation. States must provide assistance to individuals who need assistance in securing satisfactory documentary evidence of citizenship in a timely manner.

(f) Documentary evidence. A photocopy, facsimile, scanned or other copy of a document must be accepted to the same extent as an original document under this section, unless information on the copy submitted is inconsistent with other information available to the agency or the agency otherwise has reason to question the validity of, or the information in, the document.

[81 FR 86455, Nov. 30, 2016, as amended at 89 FR 22866, Apr. 2, 2024]