Federal · Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure

18 U.S.C. § 1424: Personation or misuse of papers in naturalization proceedings

Felony

What this law says, in plain English

Federal law prohibits personating another person or falsely using naturalization/citizenship documents in immigration proceedings. Violations carry penalties up to five years imprisonment and/or fines.

Read the full statutory text
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.

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.