Here’s something that might surprise you: even if you were adopted internationally as a kid, you might still need a certificate of citizenship through adoption.

I found this out the hard way in 2025, thirty-one years after my adoption from South Korea in 1994 when I was planning on doing some international travel.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably in a similar boat. Maybe someone just told you that you need this certificate, or maybe you’ve been putting it off because the whole thing feels overwhelming.

Let’s walk through what you can actually expect during this process, because I wish someone had given me the real scoop before I started.

What Is a Certificate of Citizenship?

Think of a Certificate of Citizenship as your citizenship’s permanent ID card.

While your passport expires every 10 years and naturalization certificates don’t always apply to adoptees, the certificate of citizenship, if adopted, never expires. It’s basically your forever proof that you’re an American citizen.

According to USCIS, this document is especially important for people who became citizens through adoption because it clears up any confusion about your citizenship status once and for all.

I had no clue I needed this certificate despite living my entire adult life in America as a naturalized citizen and permanent resident.

I’ve had jobs, paid taxes, voted , you know, all the stuff an American citizen does. But apparently, that wasn’t enough proof for certain situations. It’s wild how many of us international adoptees are walking around not knowing we might need this extra piece of paper.

Do All International Adoptees Automatically Get Citizenship?

Short answer: nope, it’s not automatic, and that’s where things get messy.

The State Deparment has actually acknowledged that tons of international adoptees find out about citizenship issues way later in life, sometimes decades after their adoption.

The Child Citizenship Act kicked in back in 2001 but its provisions applied to children under 18 who were born on or after February 28, 1983, and were in the U.S. with a U.S. citizen parent.

I became a naturalized citizen through the Child Citizenship Act, which sounds great, right? But here’s where it gets tricky…if my passport expired and I tried to travel internationally, border officials could give me a hard time without that proof of citizenship.

An expired passport can’t be accepted as a valid means of identification when leaving the US for another country. If it expires in a foreign country, that creates issues for you if you wish to visit a different country or even return home.

That’s exactly why I realized I needed my international adoption certificate of citizenship.

Who Needs to Apply for a Certificate of Citizenship?

It depends on how old you are.

If you’re 18 or older, you can apply for a certificate of citizenship through adoption yourself. If you’re younger than 18, a parent or guardian who’s a U.S. citizen has to do it for you.

Most of the time, it’s adult adoptees like us who end up applying because we’re the ones discovering we need this stuff. You might need this certificate if you:

  • Never got citizenship paperwork after your adoption
  • Aren’t sure about your citizenship status
  • Need permanent proof that won’t expire
  • Are dealing with travel or job situations that require citizenship proof

The N-600 instructions spell out all the requirements, but basically, if you were adopted internationally and there’s any question about your citizenship paperwork, getting this certificate clears everything up for good.

Step-by-Step: How to Apply for a Certificate of Citizenship (Form N-600)

Okay, let’s break this down into bite-sized pieces. The whole process takes several months, so don’t expect this to happen overnight:

  • Step 1: Go to Your Biometrics Appointment – USCIS will send you to a local office for fingerprints and photos. It’s pretty quick and painless.
  • Step 2: Gather All Your Documents – This is honestly the worst part. You’ll need to track down a bunch of paperwork (more on this below), and it takes forever.
  • Step 3: Fill Out and Submit Form N-600 – Complete the application, double-check everything, then send it to USCIS with all your documents and the fee.
  • Step 4: Wait for USCIS to Make a Decision – This is the hurry-up-and-wait part. Processing times are all over the place depending on where you live.
  • Step 5: Get Your Certificate in the Mail – If everything goes well, they’ll mail your certificate directly to you. Unlike some other citizenship situations, there’s usually no ceremony or anything.

What documents are needed for Certificate of Citizenship after international adoption?

Man, the paperwork. Here’s what you’ll need to hunt down:

  • Your birth certificate from your birth country (with a certified English translation)
  • The final adoption decree from the U.S. court
  • Proof that your adoptive parents are U.S. citizens
  • Your green card or Certificate of Arrival (if you have one)
  • Any legal name change documents
  • Maybe other stuff, depending on your specific situation

Gathering these documents was absolutely the most tedious and time-consuming part of my application.

I had to contact both the social services agency and the international adoption agency that handled my adoption, plus coordinate with my parents to get everything sent to me.

I didn’t run into any issues with needing extra documents, but I triple-checked with everyone to make sure I had the right stuff.

USCIS processing times for Certificate of Citizenship international adoption Cases: What to Expect

Here’s the thing about USCIS processing times for Certificate of Citizenship international adoption cases, they’re all over the place depending on where you live.

You can get a rough idea of how long your case might take based on which USCIS office handles your area.

If you file your N-600 application in Cleveland, 80% of cases get done within 3 months. But in Detroit? They’re saying 80% of cases take up to 9 months. That’s a huge difference.

You can check current processing times for your specific area before you get your hopes up.

A few things that can slow down your case:

  • How busy your local USCIS office is
  • Whether your adoption situation is complicated
  • If they ask you for more documents
  • General government stuff like policy changes or staffing issues

The good news is that once you submit everything, you can track your case online and get updates as it moves through the system.

Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them

The N-600 form can be a pain, but knowing what usually goes wrong can help you avoid the biggest headaches. Common mistakes include:

  • Missing documents
  • Filling out the form wrong,
  • Not understanding who’s actually eligible

Tracking down your original adoption documents, especially when adoption agencies have closed down or moved their records around a million times, can be hard.

Sometimes people find out their original paperwork has mistakes or doesn’t match up, and USCIS won’t process anything until it’s fixed.

I said this already, but I can’t stress enough how much it helped to have support from the agencies that handled my adoption.

I got assigned a post-adoption coordinator who I could call or email whenever I had questions. If she didn’t know something, she’d find out and get back to me quickly. Having that support turned what could have been a total nightmare into something manageable.

Other stuff that can trip you up:

  • Figuring out which documents need certified translations
  • Dealing with name changes between your adoption and now
  • Lost or damaged original documents
  • Trying to coordinate with agencies or government offices overseas

Certificate of Citizenship application checklist for international adoptees

Before you send off your N-600 application, use this Certificate of Citizenship application checklist for international adopteesto make sure you’ve got everything covered:

  • Completed Form N-600 (double-check every section)
  • Application fee (check USCIS for current costs)
  • Your birth certificate from your birth country with certified English translation
  • Final adoption decree from the U.S. court
  • Proof your adoptive parent is a U.S. citizen (their birth certificate, passport, etc.)
  • Your green card or Certificate of Arrival
  • Photos that meet USCIS requirements
  • Any legal name change documents
  • Copies of everything (keep the originals for yourself)
  • Self-addressed stamped envelope so they can send your documents back

Emotional Impact: “Getting that certificate was like having a weight lifted off my shoulders”

For me, this whole citizenship thing had never even crossed my mind.

When I was a kid, my parents told me I was a naturalized citizen, and that was that. It didn’t mean much to a little kid, but it did matter in 2025.

I’m big on outdoor adventures, and Banff National Park in Canada had been on my bucket list forever. Summer 2025, I finally planned the trip with some friends who were equally excited to go.

But then I started seeing all these headlines about immigration policies and people with proper documentation, student visas, work visas, you name it, getting detained at borders.

During a Zoom call with my parents, they casually mentioned that with all the news they’d been seeing, it might be smart to get my certificate of citizenship.

I was completely floored. After 30+ years since my adoption, I had no idea I needed any other paperwork to prove I was an American citizen.

Even though I was a naturalized citizen with a valid passport, social security card, driver’s license, and birth certificate, I still felt paranoid after seeing reports of people with proper documentation getting detained.

We ended up canceling the Canada trip while I started the certificate process immediately.

Getting that certificate was like having a weight lifted off my shoulders, I finally felt secure knowing I had a document that never expires and proves my citizenship beyond any doubt.

Immigration-related uncertainty affects adoptees in really unique ways, often bringing up identity and belonging questions that might have been buried for years.

Getting your Certificate of Citizenship can provide both the legal certainty and emotional peace that many of us need to feel completely secure in our American identity.

How American Adoptions Can Support You

Look, figuring out citizenship stuff as an international adoptee doesn’t have to be something you tackle completely alone.

American Adoptions provides adoption support that doesn’t end when you’re placed with a family — it’s something that continues throughout your entire life.

Whether your adoption was through us or another agency, we know that post-adoption needs like citizenship documentation are a real part of the adoptee experience.

Our team can help guide you through gathering documents, connect you with resources, and provide the emotional support that makes this whole process feel less overwhelming.

From understanding which USCIS office for international adoptions certificate of citizenship applications go to, to making sure you have all the right paperwork, we’re here to help.

Learn more about how we support adoptees throughout their journey, even decades after their adoption was finalized.