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Frequently Asked Questions About Documentation

Q: What are the current fees for USCIS documents? A: Check out our web page on USCIS Fees for more information.

Q: When should I apply for a Social Security card for my child? A: Most likely, the first time that you’ll really want a social security card for your child is when you do your taxes for the year of the adoption, or else if you want to open a bank account in their name. However, you can apply for a social security card at any time after you bring your child home, even before the adoption is final in the U.S. If you have the time, it can be useful to wait to apply for your child’s SSN until after you have gotten them either a passport or a certificate of citizenship. That way, you can submit the passport or certificate as proof of citizenship at the time that you apply for the card, and your child will be listed as a citizen and eligible to work. If you don’t have proof of citizenship when you apply for a SSN, they will assign your child a SSN, but they will be entered as having a status of “non-citizen”. In order to have your child eligible for work, you will have to go back to the Social Security Administration at a later date to show them the passport or certificate of citizenship in order to have them change your child’s status. So, having either the passport or the certificate of citizenship in hand before you apply for a SSN will save you the hassle of having to go to the office twice.

Q: How do I apply for a Social Security card for my child? A: Check out our web page on Applying for a Social Security Number for tips on filling out the application.

Q: Why bother with getting a passport or a Certificate of Citizenship? A: First, you currently need some proof of citizenship (either a certificate of citizenship or a U.S. passport) in order for your child to be eligible to work in the U.S. If you don’t apply for either document now, then you will just need to apply for one once your child reaches teenage years and wants to find work. Also, in order to apply for college scholarships you may have to prove citizenship, and there often are deadlines for applications. So rather than wait for the process of getting a certificate of citizenship when you are in a time crunch, it is better to have one on hand. Also, you may want to ensure that your child has all available documentation in case something happens to you. Right now you are the expert about your child’s adoption, where all the papers are, and about the fact that a certificate of citizenship even exists. Other people would likely be much less informed about what documentation might be needed, how to apply for such documentation, the location and meaning of various supporting documents, and so on. It is a lot easier for you to get the documentation now than it would be for someone else to have to do it later if something happened to you.

Q: Why should I get a passport for my child if I'm not planning any trips? A: A U.S. passport is universally recognized as proof of U.S. citizenship, so many people consider it handy to have. In addition, if you ever embark on relatively spontaneous trips, it can be handy to have everyone’s passport available in case you want to go abroad. Almost all international destinations are requiring that people carry passports. That said, keep in mind that children’s passports need to be renewed every 5 years.

Q: How do I apply for a passport for my child? A: Check out our web page on Applying for a Passport for tips on filling out the application.

Q: Why should I get a certificate of citizenship for my child? A: Your adopted child is a citizen even if you don’t get the certificate of citizenship. However, if at some point your child needs to show proof of citizenship, then having a certificate of citizenship is handy because: It doesn’t expire. It is one-page document that is easy to copy. Having one on hand is easier than your child having to apply for one later. Another reason why you might consider getting a certificate of citizenship for your child is simply to ensure that your child has all available documentation in case something happens to you. If something were to happen to you, the new guardian of your child would likely be much less informed about what documentation might be needed, how to apply for such documentation, the location and meaning of various supporting documents, and so on. It is a lot easier for you to get the documentation now than it would be for someone else to have to do it later.

Q: Does it matter in what order I get all these documents? A: You can get the documents in any order, but you might find it useful to get either the certificate of citizenship or the passport before you apply for the social security card.

Q: Can I get more than one Certificate of Citizenship? A: You will only get ONE Certificate of Citizenship, so don’t lose it! It is not like a birth certificate, where you can order more later. Instead, you get only one original, and then you either make copies yourself or present the original if you need to provide proof of citizenship. If you do lose the original Certificate of Citizenship, you will need to file for a replacement copy using an N-565 Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document. This will require submitting an additional fee to have the request processed.