November 1, 2010 

USCIS Issues Redesigned Naturalization Certificates

In an effort to reduce the potential for fraud while increasing the integrity of the immigration system, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has begun issuing security enhanced naturalization certificates (Form N-550) to all new U.S. citizens. The new certificate initiative, launched by USCIS on October 25, 2010, features naturalization certificates containing the citizenship candidate’s digitized photo, as opposed to the previously issued hard-copy photo, as well as a digitized signature and other security features.

Moreover, USCIS has stated that the certificates are now being printed using a more tamper-proof printing process, and that by the end of the calendar year, all of the certificates will be printed using a new automated production process aimed at increasing efficiency and decreasing the potential for human error.

USCIS has noted that regardless of these updates to the naturalization certificate, all certificates issued prior to these changes remain valid and U.S. citizens with those prior-issued certificates need not apply for a new one. For more information, visit the USCIS website.