Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-102
§1423 Misuse of Evidence of Citizenship or Naturalization
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 69 — NATIONALITY AND CITIZENSHIP › § 1423
Summary
Knowingly using unlawfully issued or copied citizenship documents to claim citizenship risks a fine, up to five years imprisonment, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §1423
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever knowingly uses for any purpose any order, certificate, certificate of naturalization, certificate of citizenship, judgment, decree, or exemplification, unlawfully issued or made, or copies or duplicates thereof, showing any person to be naturalized or admitted to be a citizen, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on subsections (a)(14), (b), (d) of section 746 of title 8, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Aliens and Nationality (Oct. 14, 1940, ch. 876, § 346(a)(14), (b), (d), 54 Stat. 1165, 1167). Section consolidates subsections (a) paragraph (14), (b), (d), and the general punishment provision of section 746 of title 8, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Aliens and Nationality. The reference “for the purpose of voting” was omitted as surplusage being embraced in the all-inclusive phrase “for any purpose.” Changes in phraseology were made.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 1423
Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102