§1424 — Title 18 Crimes and Criminal Procedure | U.S. Code

Summary

During the naturalization or citizenship process, anyone who knowingly pretends to be someone else, uses a dead person’s or fake name, or uses another person’s or fake naturalization/citizenship papers as proof of citizenship commits a crime. Penalty: a fine, up to five years in prison, or both.

Title 18, §1424

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Whoever, whether as applicant, declarant, petitioner, witness or otherwise, in any naturalization or citizenship proceeding, knowingly personates another or appears falsely in the name of a deceased person or in an assumed or fictitious name; or Whoever knowingly and unlawfully uses or attempts to use, as showing naturalization or citizenship of any person, any order, certificate, certificate of naturalization, certificate of citizenship, judgment, decree, or exemplification, or copies or duplicates thereof, issued to another person, or in a fictitious name or in the name of a deceased person— Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on subsection (a) pars. (6)(a), (b), (15), (b), (d) of section 746 of title 8, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Aliens and Nationality (Oct. 14, 1940, ch. 876, § 346(a), pars. (6), (15), (b), (d), 54 Stat. 1164, 1165, 1167). Section consolidates, with minor verbal changes, subsections (a), pars. (6)(a), (b), (15), (b), (d), and the general punishment provision of section 746 of title 8, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Aliens and Nationality.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000” in last par.

§1424 Personation or misuse of papers in naturalization proceedings