AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE AND CERTIFY HONORABLE SERVICE FOR PURPOSES OF NATURALIZATION APPLICATIONS:
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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CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED//