CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED// 
ROUTINE 
R 021540Z NOV 23 MID120000591803U 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC 
TO NAVADMIN 
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC 
BT 
UNCLAS 
 
NAVADMIN 260/23 
 
PASS TO OFFICE CODES: 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// 
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// 
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/NOV// 
 
SUBJ/AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE AND CERTIFY HONORABLE SERVICE FOR PURPOSES OF 
NATURALIZATION APPLICATIONS// 
 
REF/A/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/191107ZAPR18// 
REF/B/DOC/OUSD(PR)/24APR20// 
REF/C/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/131534ZJUL20// 
REF/D/LTR/OUSD(P&R)/13OCT17// 
REF/E/LTR/SECNAV/18JAN18// 
REF/F/DOC/COMNAVPERSCOM/25JUN21// 
 
NARR/REF A IS NAVADMIN 099/18, CERTIFICATION OF HONORABLE SERVICE FOR 
PURPOSES OF NATURALIZATION APPLICATIONS. 
REF B IS OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR PERSONNEL AND 
READINESS MEMORANDUM, CERTIFICATION OF HONORABLE SERVICE FOR PURPOSES OF 
NATURALIZATION. 
REF C IS NAVADMIN 199/20, PROCESSING TIME FOR CERTIFICATION OF HONORABLE 
SERVICE FOR PURPOSES OF NATURALIZATION. 
REF D IS A MEMORANDUM FOR SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS, 
CERTIFICATION OF HONORABLE SERVICE FOR MEMBERS OF THE SELECTED RESERVE OF THE 
READY RESERVE AND MEMBERS OF THE ACTIVE COMPONENTS OF THE MILITARY OR NAVAL 
FORCES FOR PURPOSES OF NATURALIZATION. 
REF E IS A MEMORANDUM FOR CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS, HONORABLE SERVICE 
CERTIFICATION AUTHORITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE SELECTED RESERVE OF THE READY 
RESERVE AND ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS OF NAVAL FORCES FOR PURPOSES OF 
NATURALIZATION. 
REF F IS MILPERSMAN 5352-01, NATURALIZATION AND DERIVED CITIZENSHIP OF 
MILITARY PERSONNEL. 
 
RMKS/1.  This NAVADMIN revokes and supersedes reference (a) to expand 
authority for who can determine and certify honorable service on United 
States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) (Form N-426), Request for 
Certification of Military or Naval Service (Form N-426).  This change is 
intended to improve the ability of Navy units to meet the processing 
timelines in references (b) and (c). 
 
2.  References (d) through (f) established new standards and procedures to 
certify honorable service for Active Duty members and members of the selected 
reserve of the ready reserve for citizenship naturalization. 
 
3.  In line with references (d) and (e), effective immediately, the authority 
to determine if a Sailor is serving or has served honorably, and as 
applicable, if separation from such service was under honorable conditions, 
for purposes of naturalization, and record this determination on USCIS Form 
N-426, is delegated to commissioned officers serving in the paygrade of O-6 
or higher. 
 
4.  Certifying officials should process and return any USCIS Form N-426 to 
qualified applicants for naturalization within 30 days of receipt, as 
directed in references (b) and (c).  In line with reference (d), certifying 
officials may certify honorable service only if the Sailor is not the subject 
of pending disciplinary action or pending adverse administrative action or 
proceeding, and is not the subject of a law enforcement or command 
investigation; the Sailor has completed applicable screening and suitability 
requirements; and the Sailor has satisfied military training and other 
service requirements.  The responsibility of the certifying official to 
verify satisfaction of these requirements remains unchanged. 
 
5.  If the certifying official is not in the Sailor's chain of command, an 
endorsement in the form of a memo from the Sailor's parent command is 
required to validate satisfaction of the honorable service requirements. 
 
6.  Commands shall ensure members who are not U.S. citizens are aware of the 
requirement to obtain honorable service certification via USCIS Form N-426.   
Direct questions concerning honorable certification requirements to the 
command legal officer or nearest Region Legal Service Office Region 
Citizenship Program Manager. 
 
7.  References are located at 
https://www.jag.navy.mil/about/organization/ojag/code-01/code-
16/immigration/.  Updates to reference (f) shall include these changes. 
 
8.  The Legal Assistance Division, Office of the Judge Advocate General (Code 
16) retains oversight responsibility for the U.S. Navy Naturalization 
Program.  Advice and assistance regarding naturalization laws, regulations, 
and procedures are available at (202) 685-4639/DSN 325 or 
kathlene.j.somerville.civ@us.navy.mil. 
 
9.  Released by Vice Admiral Richard J. Cheeseman, Jr., N1.// 
 
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