# Proof of citizenship
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-citizenship/228527
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 10, 2004, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-citizenship/228527 "2004-02-10T22:36:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@7\_up\_yours](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/7_up_yours)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2004, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-citizenship/228527/1 "2004-02-10T22:36:07Z")
Aside from a passport and birth certifcate, are there anything else that can prove someone’s citizenship?
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### Author:  [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2004, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-citizenship/228527/2 "2004-02-10T23:06:14Z")
Poking around various government websites, it looks like there are a few for the USA, but none which apply to natural-born US citizens: Naturalization Certificate, Certificate of Citizenship, Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a US Citizen (FS-240), Certificate of Birth (FS-545), and US Citizen ID Card (INS form I-197). I’m thinking, however, that there’s no universal list, so for these more obscure documents, it would depend on whom you’re proving citizenship _to_.
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### Author:  [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2004, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-citizenship/228527/3 "2004-02-10T23:11:25Z")
For certain things, you can sometimes get someone to vouch for you who has proof of their citizenship and has known you for a certain amount of time. Like to get a passport, you can do this if you don’t have a birth certificate handy.
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### Author:  [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2004, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-citizenship/228527/4 "2004-02-10T23:14:58Z")
Oops, I’m wrong. That’s to prove your identity. You still need supporting documentation for proving citizenship.
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### Author:  [@Aitara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aitara)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2004, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-citizenship/228527/5 "2004-02-10T23:34:14Z")
The two most common are original social security cards and drivers licenses (or state issued ID cards). If this is for an I-9 form (Employment eligibility verification), there is a list on the back of the form which can be found at: [http://uscis.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/i-9.htm](http://uscis.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/i-9.htm)
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### Author:  [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2004, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-citizenship/228527/6 "2004-02-11T07:18:47Z")
Social security cards and driver’s licences are NOT proof of citizenship, as you don’t need to be a citizen to obtain either.
I think voter registration cards used to be acceptable proof for Americans at the Canadian border. Not sure if that’s still the case, though.
In the European Union, there are also EU identity cards.