Citizenship-certificate applicants generally provide photos at appointments

Policy effect

For Forms N-600 filed on or after March 28, 2022, USCIS generally collected applicants’ photographs and signatures at an Application Support Center appointment at no additional cost instead of requiring paper photographs. Paper photographs could still be required for applicants living outside the United States. Parents or legal guardians could sign for children under 14, and children under five did not submit fingerprints. Failure to attend could result in abandonment unless a timely address-change or rescheduling request applied; USCIS also preserved the stated exception for service members abroad unable to comply for service-related reasons.

Conditions and exceptions

Validated condition or limit: For Forms N-600 filed on or after March 28, 2022, USCIS generally collected applicants’ photographs and signatures at an Application Support Center appointment at no additional cost instead of requiring paper photographs.; Paper photographs could still be required for applicants living outside the United States.; Failure to attend could result in abandonment unless a timely address-change or rescheduling request applied; USCIS also preserved the stated exception for service members abroad unable to comply for service-related reasons.

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office of the Director Camp Springs, MD 20588-0009 January 26, 2022 PA-2022-05 Policy Alert SUBJECT: Photographs and Signatures for Applications for Certificates of Citizenship Purpose U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to specify that persons submitting an Application for Certificate of Citizenship (Form N-600) will generally now have their photographs taken at a biometrics appointment instead of submitting paper photographs and handwritten signatures, as applicable. Background Curr … ently, Form N-600 applicants (children of U.S. citizens) are required to submit paper photographs with their application. However, electronic processing and improved technology now allow for digital submission of biometrics, including photographs for applicants of all ages, which enhances USCIS’ ability to provide consistent identifying features on Certificates of Citizenship. Instead of requiring paper photographs, USCIS now schedules Form N-600 applicants to appear at an Application Support Center (ASC) to submit photographs and a signature. 1 This guidance, contained in Volume 12 of the Pol … icy Manual, is effective March 28, 2022 and applies prospectively to any Form N-600 filed on or after that date. The guidance contained in the Policy Manual is controlling and supersedes any related prior guidance on the topic. Policy Highlights • Explains that Form N-600 applicants generally do not need to submit paper photographs, since USCIS can, in most cases, collect the applicant’s photograph and signature at an ASC appointment at no additional cost. • Clarifies that the information collected in connection with a Form N-600 is not submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for back … ground checks. 1 Paper photographs may still be required for applicants residing outside of the United States. Children under age 5 do not submit a fingerprint. Parents or legal guardians may sign for a child under age 14. See 8 CFR 103.2(a)(2). PA-2022-05: Photographs and Signatures for Applications for Certificates of Citizenship Page: 2 • Explains that USCIS may consider a Form N-600 abandoned where the applicant fails to appear for an ASC appointment, unless USCIS receives a timely change of address or rescheduling request as required by regulation. 2 Citation Volume 12: Citizenship and Na …

Review method

Two separate automated exact-claim source reviews

Other United States changes operative in 2022

• 2022-01-28DHS and DOL add 20,000 H-2B visas for first half of FY2022
• 2022-01-30New I-94 spouse codes provide proof of work authorization
• 2022-02-01Eligible evacuated Afghans may reuse overseas medical examinations
• 2022-02-07Longer work-document validity for specified protection and parole categories
• 2022-02-07Restoration of the 30-day processing provision for initial asylum employment authorization
• 2022-02-10Divorce does not end VAWA stepfamily eligibility
• 2022-03-11Mandatory Frivolous Asylum Adjudication Requirements (Matter of M-M-A-)
• 2022-03-15EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 (Statutory Regional Center Program Reauthorization)
• 2022-04-07USCIS Policy Manual Guidance on Interview Waiver Criteria for Family-Based Conditional Permanent Residents (Form I-751)
• 2022-04-19DHS designates Ukraine for Temporary Protected Status
• 2022-04-25Implementation of the Uniting for Ukraine Parole Process
• 2022-05-04DHS temporarily increases automatic EAD extension period to 540 days
• 2022-05-06Deferred-action consideration introduced for visa-blocked SIJs
• 2022-05-20DHS designates Afghanistan for Temporary Protected Status
• 2022-05-31DHS and DOJ issue asylum officer processing interim final rule
• 2022-07-20Policy Manual Guidance on Afghan and Iraqi Special Immigrant Visas Adjudication Transition
• 2022-07-25Permanent Adoption of Reproduced Signature Flexibilities
• 2022-08-02Uncharacterized military discharges treated as honorable for military naturalization
• 2022-08-30Policy Guidance on Special Immigrant and Nonimmigrant Religious Workers (R-1)
• 2022-08-31Codification of policy allowing issuance of diplomatic nonimmigrant visas in the United States to children born in the U.S.
• 2022-09-01Resumption of Cuban Family Reunification Parole (CFRP) Operations
• 2022-09-29Extension of Temporary Waiver of Form I-693 60-Day Rule for Civil Surgeon Signatures
• 2022-10-01President sets FY2023 refugee admissions ceiling at 125,000
• 2022-12-12Naturalization receipts extend green-card evidence for 24 months
• 2022-12-15DHS and DOL add 64,716 H-2B visas for FY2023
• 2022-12-23DHS finalizes public charge inadmissibility rule