Right on the certificate its says “It is punishable by U.S. Law to copy, print or photograph this certificate without lawful authority”
Can say a college then request a photocopy of it as proof of citizenship to be used for finantial aid ? What is mean by lawful authority there does a college have any or making a photocopy is not covered ?
I think that since it’s your certificate, you are the one with the lawful authority to copy it and provide that copy to whomever you choose. It’s other people who aren’t supposed to copy it without your consent.
I wonder if there is a time-limit on that prohibition. The National Archives gave me a copy of my great-great grandfather’s (different last name) citizenship papers (he bacame a citizen in 1890). I didn’t have to submit any proof of relationship at all, nor did I have to prove that he was deceased.
Zev Steinhardt
Well, probably they figured it won’t be too hazardous to assume he was. 
Records over 75 years old, have no restrictions placed on them.
NARA Reg 36 CFR, Part 1256 - Restriction On The Use Of Records
After September 11, the Federal Gov’t changed almost all its policies on this…I do not know the answer to the OP but I know all the citizenship policies, especially for College students from abroad have changed drastically, and their respective websites may not display the change yet, do to national security…
Would it not be in national security interest that copies of peoples important document do not float around colleges and places were they are not secured. With say your certificate of birth a terrorist can come to US and claim to be a US citizen same as with a certificate of citizenship. The school can have the certificate number and let the government do the policing.