N-644, Application for Posthumous Citizenship
Public Law 101-249 provides for the granting of U.S. citizenship to an alien or noncitizen national whose death resulted from injury or disease incurred on active duty with the U.S. armed services during specified periods of military hostilities. Posthumous citizenship is an honorary status commemorating the bravery and sacrifices of these persons; it does not convey any benefits under the Immigration and Nationality Act to any relative of the decedent. If your application is approved, you will be issued a Certificate of Citizenship (N-645) in the name of the decedent. The certificate establishes only that the person is considered to be a citizen of the United States as of the date of his/her death, and is invalid for all other purposes. Note that the current Form N-644 edition has updated instructions regarding eligibility to apply for a Certificate of Posthumous Citizenship. One important change is that persons who die as a result of active-duty service in the U.S. armed services on or after September 11, 2001, have become eligible for U.S. citizenship. For veterans who died several years ago, another important change is the extension of the filing deadline to November 2, 2005. Until further notice, Form N-644 applications submitted on the previous (5/30/91) edition will also be accepted.
What This Form Can Help You Do
Form Details
Dates are listed in mm/dd/yy format.
Submit your completed N-644 application to the California Service Center.
Please do not submit this checklist with your Form N-644. It is an optional tool to use as you prepare your form, but does not replace statutory, regulatory, and form instruction requirements. We recommend that you review these requirements before completing and submitting your form. Do not send original documents unless specifically requested in the form instructions or applicable regulations.
If you submit any documents (copies or original documents, if requested) in a foreign language, you must include a full English translation along with a certification from the translator verifying that the translation is complete and accurate, and that they are competent to translate from the foreign language to English.
Did you provide the following?
- Authorization documents from all living next-of-kin above you in order of succession (required unless you are the spouse of a deceased service member, or are the executor or administrator of their estate). For more information or examples, please refer to form instructions.
- A certified copy of your letter of appointment as the executor or administrator of the decedent’s estate, or as the guardian, conservator, or committee of the decedent’s next-of-kin (if applicable)
- Evidence that the Department of Veteran’s Affairs recognizes your organization (if applicable)