I 929 Instructions: Fill & Download for Free

Yes, it is illegal in the US to photocopy a Certificate of Naturalization, Certificate of Citizenship, or green card “without lawful authority”. This means that it’s okay to make a copy when a copy is required for some government application, but it’s not okay to make a copy for other purposes. The law is 18 USC 1426(h):Whoever, without lawful authority, prints, photographs, makes or executes any print or impression in the likeness of a certificate of arrival, declaration of intention to become a citizen, or certificate of naturalization or citizenship, or any part thereof—Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 25 years (if the offense was committed to facilitate an act of international terrorism (as defined in section 2331 of this title)), 20 years (if the offense was committed to facilitate a drug trafficking crime (as defined in section 929(a) of this title)), 10 years (in the case of the first or second such offense, if the offense was not committed to facilitate such an act of international terrorism or a drug trafficking crime), or 15 years (in the case of any other offense), or both.There was even a line of text on some versions of the certificate that explicitly says it is illegal to copy, print, or photograph it without lawful authority (see this Certificate of Naturalization and this Certificate of Citizenship, which, ironically, may be examples of being photographed without lawful authority).However, there are some applications where you need to provide a photocopy of a Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship. For example, the instructions for form I-130, to petition a relative to immigrate to the US, list “A copy of your naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship” as evidence of US citizenship on page 6. This USCIS page confirms that it is illegal to photocopy the certificate generally, but it is legal when doing it for a USCIS application:NOTE: Although the law prohibits duplication of naturalization certificates, certificates of citizenship, and Permanent Resident Cards (formerly known as Alien Registration Cards and commonly called “Green Cards”) for some purposes, that prohibition does not apply to making a photocopy for submission to the USCIS in conjunction with an application or petition.Also, when applying for a US passport, you will need to provide a photocopy of the US citizenship evidence you are using (in addition to showing the original document). USCIS also confirms that you are allowed to copy the certificate in this case:You will need to submit your original certificate of naturalization or citizenship AND a photocopy when applying for your U.S. passport. USCIS does not prohibit photocopies of certificates when providing proof of U.S. citizenship to the Department of State.