Steve_I

So I had my oath ceremony April 29th and applied for a passport the same day. I received the passport last Tuesday (28th May) and I'm just waiting to get my naturalization certificate back. I know they come back separately as it's illegal (apparently) to put two forms of US ID in the same mailing. Anyone remember how long it took to get the certificate back? I may be over worrying this, but I remember at the ceremony we were told it cost something like $555 to replace it if it goes missing! Hopefully the passport office uses some kind of special mailing, so that that doesn't happen.

Thanks guys!
American bloke

Noorah101

My husband's came back within a few business days.

Rene

Rete

Hubby's was the same as Rene's husbands. And no special type of mailing. Regular mail.

Steve_I

Thanks ladies! Was that after they had received the passports?

Rete

Yes, it was after the passport was received.

Steve_I

Thank you! Maybe this week coming up then.... Mail is usually pretty good around here.

retzie

Mine came back 5 days later. This was in March.

Steve_I

Thanks guys! Arrived normal mail yesterday...

Rete

There you go. Now you can bed those worries about identity theft, pull the cover over them and put them in the attic.

Steve_I

I wasn't particularly worried about identity theft, but I was worried about having to spend over 500 bucks if it went missing!

MidAtlantic

Does the certificate have any useful purpose after you have received your passport? I'm really not sure. I know mine is in a "safe place" but I don't know exactly where that safe place is right now!

Steve_I

Probably not! As you say, your passport is your official ID now. I'm probably just a bit OCD about all the paperwork we had to show to get here in the first place!

Rete

Hubby's is framed somewhere in the house. It was hung on the wall with the flag flown for him over Congress but when we moved we didn't put them up in the new place.

If we find it, great. If not, he made several copies and scanned it onto his computer and put it on a zip drive. Would never order a new one.

GeorginaUK

Hello, can I ask, did you apply for naturalisation after your 3 years in USA or do you know if you can apply slightly before the 3 years (as it takes a while for them to process the application anyway). My 3 years will be in November this year but I am wondering if I could apply in October?

Pulaski

You can apply 90 days before (and not a single day earlier) the third anniversary of you acquiring PR status assuming that your PR status is based on marriage to a US citizen. If your PR status is for any other reason then you can apply 90 days before the fifth anniversary of your PR status.