§ 416.1610. How to prove you are a citizen or a national of the United States.

(a) What you should give us. You can prove that you are a citizen or a national of the United States by giving us—

(1) A certified copy of your birth certificate which shows that you were born in the United States;

(2) A certified copy of a religious record of your birth or baptism, recorded in the United States within 3 months of your birth, which shows you were born in the United States;

(3) Your naturalization certificate;

(4) Your United States passport;

(5) Your certificate of citizenship;

(6) An identification card for use of resident citizens in the United States (Immigration and Naturalization Service Form I–197); or

(7) An identification card for use of resident citizens of the United States by both or naturalization of parents (INS Form I–179).

(b) How to prove you are an interim citizen of the United States if you live in the Northern Mariana Islands. As a resident of the Northern Mariana Islands you must meet certain conditions to prove you are an interim citizen of the United States. You must prove that you were domiciled in the Northern Mariana Islands as required by section 8 of the Schedule of Transitional Matters of the Constitution of the Northern Mariana Islands, or that you were born there after March 6, 1977. By “domiciled” we mean that you maintained a residence with the intention of continuing that residence for an unlimited or indefinite period, and that you intended to return to that residence whenever absent, even for an extended period. You must also give us proof of your citizenship if you are a citizen of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands of which the Marianas are a part.

(1) You can prove you were domiciled in the Northern Mariana Islands by giving us—

(i) Statements of civil authorities; or

(ii) Receipts or other evidence that show you were domiciled there.

(2) You can prove that you are a citizen of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands by giving us—

(i) Your identification card issued by the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands and a public or religious record of age which shows you were born in this territory;

(ii) Your voter's registration card;

(iii) A Chammoro Family Record showing your birth in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; or

(iv) Your naturalization certificate.

(c) What to do if you cannot give us the information listed in paragraph (a) or (b). If you cannot give us any of the documents listed in paragraph (a) or (b), we may find you to be a citizen or a national of the United States if you—

(1) Explain why you cannot give us any of the documents; and

(2) Give us any information you have which shows or results in proof that you are a citizen or a national of the United States. The kind of information we are most concerned about shows—

(i) The date and place of your birth in the United States;

(ii) That you have voted or are otherwise known to be a citizen or national of the United States; or

(iii) The relationship to you and the citizenship of any person through whom you obtain citizenship.

(d) What “United States” means. We use the term United States in this section to mean the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands of the United States, American Samoa, Swain's Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

[47 FR 3106, Jan. 22, 1982, as amended at 62 FR 59813, Nov. 5, 1997]