How do I get a copy of my father's naturalization certificate?

Constantine,

What is the name of your father?  Where in Florida do you think the naturalization was done?  Where in Florida was he during, say, April 1950 when the U.S. Census happened?  Birthdate and place (Turkey?) of your father? Do you have the ship manifest he came across with?  His petition for naturalization might be more useful than his certificate of naturalization.

Thank you for your response Joel. I am seeking documentation to submit to the embassy. I believe he was naturalized in Gainesville. He was not here in 1950, but maybe he was a citizen in 1960. I do not have a ship manifest. Respectfully, I am not comfortable submitting his name and birthdate on an open forum.

I have looked at the USCIS website. I have been directed to complete the form N565. There is a fee of 565USD, which is an obscene amount for a simple copy of a record. There was also form G 1041, but it requires an attorney to submit the form. My father is still living, but he very old, bed-ridden, and lives in his native country.

 Constantine Georgiadis 

History Hub rules forbids sharing exact birth dates of living people, so that is a correct choice on your part.  To provide context, in most cases on History Hub where people are requesting naturalization certificates, they are requesting certificates of long deceased ancestors for genealogical purposes whose information can be shared without violating the privacy of any living persons.  This was no doubt the intent behind Joel Weintraub’s inquiry.  No harm was intended.

Likewise, for reasons of privacy, the certificate that you seek is not available online. Furthermore, in most cases, the National Archives will not have a copy of the certificate of citizenship. Two copies of the certificate were created – one given to the petitioner as proof of citizenship, and one forwarded to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS).

A naturalized citizen seeking his own documentation may file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to USCIS to obtain a copy of your A-File and/or request a replacement certificate of citizenship from USCIS. The N-565 form is to obtain an official replacement for a Certificate of Naturalization. If you just need an unofficial copy of the Certificate, submitting a FOIA request to USCIS for the father's A-File will meet that need. The G-1041 is for the Genealogy Program, and is not the path we would suggest. Since your father is still living, you will need permission from your father for release of the records if the request is not submitted by your father.

[Information provided by Elizabeth Burnes, Immigration and Naturalization records subject matter expert]

Also prepare to wait 275 Business days or more when you submit G-1041 (a) 

Also prepare to wait 275 Business days or more when you submit G-1041 (a)