Certificado de Ciudadanía Puertorriqueña
For Puerto Ricans and their descendants living outside the island, obtaining a Certificate of Puerto Rican Citizenship (Certificado de Ciudadanía Puertorriqueña) can be an important way of officially documenting your connection to Puerto Rico.
The certificate is issued by the Departamento de Estado de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Department of State).
Important: Requirements, fees, forms, office procedures, and processing times can change. Contact the Department of State before traveling to Puerto Rico or mailing original documents.
Where to Apply
The main Puerto Rico Department of State office is located in the historic Real Intendencia Building in Old San Juan.
Physical Address
Departamento de Estado de Puerto Rico
Edificio Real Intendencia
Calle San José, esquina Calle San Francisco
Viejo San Juan, Puerto Rico
Mailing Address
Departamento de Estado de Puerto Rico
PO Box 9023271
San Juan, PR 00902-3271
Telephone
(787) 722-2121
(787) 722-2122
For questions concerning certifications, you may ask for the Certificaciones y Reglamentos office. The Department’s current telephone directory lists extension 1201.
Regular Office Hours
The Department of State has published regular hours of:
Monday through Friday
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Applicants should verify the hours before visiting, particularly around holidays or government closures.
Before You Go: Check Whether You Need an Appointment
The Department of State currently operates an online appointment system that includes “Apostillas y Certificaciones.”
Because procedures can change, it is a good idea to check the appointment system before going to Old San Juan.
Even if someone you know was able to walk in without an appointment, do not assume that the same procedure will apply on the day of your visit.
Documents to Bring
Based on a client’s firsthand application experience, an applicant applying through a Puerto Rican parent should be prepared to bring the following:
1. Application for Certificate of Puerto Rican Citizenship
Complete the Solicitud de Certificado de Ciudadanía Puertorriqueña.
The application should be:
- Completely filled out
- Dated
- Signed by the applicant
Because forms can be updated, contact the Department of State and request the current version before applying.
2. Your Original Birth Certificate
Bring your original birth certificate, not simply a photocopy.
For someone born outside Puerto Rico who is applying based upon a Puerto Rican parent, the birth certificate is important because it establishes the relationship between the applicant and the Puerto Rican parent.
Make sure the certificate contains the information identifying your parents.
3. Puerto Rico Birth Certificate of Your Parent
Bring the original Puerto Rico birth certificate of the parent through whom you are establishing Puerto Rican citizenship.
Puerto Rico birth certificates should be from the current system. Puerto Rico government guidance for other Department of State transactions confirms that Puerto Rico birth certificates issued after July 2010 are the certificates currently accepted for those services.
These are commonly recognized as the newer blue Puerto Rico birth certificates.
If both parents were born in Puerto Rico, consider bringing both certificates if available.
4. Original Government-Issued Identification
Bring an original, valid government-issued photo ID.
Examples include:
- U.S. driver’s license
- Puerto Rico driver’s license
- U.S. passport
Do not rely solely upon a photocopy of your identification.
Fees and Colecturía Digital Stamps
According to the applicant who completed the process in person on August 27, 2026, the citizenship certificate transaction required digital stamps purchased through Colecturía Digital.
The applicant reported purchasing:
R5131 — $26.75
Certificate service
R5120 — $3.25
Additional/internal fee
The applicant reported that these were combined when selecting the certificate service through Colecturía Digital.
Reported Citizenship Certificate Cost: $30.00
The applicant also purchased:
R5120 — $3.00
Apostille
Total With Apostille: $33.00
The Department of State currently confirms that its apostille service requires a $3.00 R5120 stamp per document.
However, an apostille is a separate service. You should not assume that everyone applying for a Puerto Rican Citizenship Certificate needs an apostille.
How to Buy the Sellos Using the Colecturía Digital App
Before going to the Department of State, you can purchase the required sellos (digital revenue stamps) through the Colecturía Digital app.
- Download the Colecturía Digital app.
- Create an account or sign in to your existing account.
- Go to the Departamento de Estado section and look for “Ciudadanía Puertorriqueña.”
- For the Puerto Rican Citizenship Certificate transaction, purchase the required sellos:
- Code 5131 — $26.75
- Code 5120 — $3.25
- If you also need an apostille, remain under the Departamento de Estado section and select “Apostilla de Documento.”
- For the apostille, purchase:
- Code 5120 — $3.00
- Your total will be:
- $30.00 — Puerto Rican Citizenship Certificate
- $3.00 — Apostille, if requested
- $33.00 total with apostille
- After completing your purchase, print the receipt/digital sellos and bring them with your application.
Important
The $3.00 apostille is an additional service and is not necessarily required for every applicant. If you only need the Puerto Rican Citizenship Certificate and do not require an apostille, your reported sello cost would be $30.00 rather than $33.00.
Do You Need an Apostille?
Not necessarily.
An apostille authenticates a public document for use outside Puerto Rico in countries participating in the Hague Apostille Convention. The Puerto Rico Department of State explains that apostilles and certifications are used to authenticate the signatures of public officials on documents that will be used outside Puerto Rico.
Therefore:
Puerto Rican Citizenship Certificate: the document you are requesting.
Apostille: an additional authentication attached to the document when needed for use outside Puerto Rico.
Before paying the additional apostille fee, determine whether the country, agency, consulate, or organization where you intend to present the certificate requires one.
PRINT Your Digital Stamps Before You Go
This is an excellent practical tip from my client.
Although the applicant had the stamps stored electronically, the Department of State needed printed copies to include with the application package.
An employee allowed the applicant to email the digital stamps to him and printed them at the office.
Don’t depend upon someone at the office being able to do this for you.
Print your Colecturía Digital receipts/stamps before arriving.
This advice is also consistent with the Department of State’s current instructions for apostilles, which instruct applicants to print their digital stamp.
What Happens When You Apply in Person?
One of the biggest advantages of applying in person is what happens to your original documents.
According to the client, the Department of State employee:
- Reviewed the application and documents.
- Accepted the required materials.
- Made copies of the original documents.
- Returned the original birth certificates and identification to the applicant.
This means the applicant did not have to leave valuable original birth certificates behind or send them through the mail.
Procedures can change, so verify this when submitting your application.
Picking Up Your Certificate
After accepting the application, the applicant was asked whether the completed certificate would be:
Picked up in person or
Returned by mail.
The applicant was advised that picking up the certificate locally could be faster, possibly within a few weeks.
That was an estimate provided to one applicant and should not be considered a guaranteed processing time.
Having Your Certificate Mailed to You
The client was told that receiving the certificate by mail could take approximately one to three months because mailed certificates were handled separately.
The applicant brought a prepaid USPS Priority Mail envelope with tracking.
If you plan to have your certificate returned by mail, prepare your return envelope before going to the Department of State.
Important USPS Tip
The applicant specifically warned against using a Priority Mail shipping label that could expire before the Department of State is ready to return the certificate.
Instead, the applicant obtained the appropriate postage for the prepaid Priority Mail envelope.
Because postal products and requirements can change, ask USPS for a return-mail option that will remain valid while your application is being processed.
DON’T LEAVE WITHOUT PROOF OF YOUR APPLICATION
This may be one of the most important tips in this guide.
After accepting the application, the Department of State gave the August 2026 applicant a:
Copy of the signed application bearing a red stamp and the signature of the employee who received the documents.
The applicant was advised to retain this as proof that the application had been submitted.
If you are not given a receipt or stamped copy of your application:
ASK FOR ONE BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
Keep it until your Puerto Rican Citizenship Certificate has been received.
Tips for Applying in Person
A Firsthand Experience
One of my clients recently shared their experience applying in person for a Puerto Rican Citizenship Certificate at the Department of State in Old San Juan.
They arrived at approximately 7:30 a.m., about 30 minutes before the office officially opened at 8:00 a.m. Because they had completed the application in advance and arrived with all the required documents, identification, and sellos prepared, the process went very quickly.
According to the client, they were finished and leaving the office with their stamped receipt by approximately 8:30 a.m.
Their experience demonstrates how helpful it can be to arrive early and have everything organized before your visit. Keep in mind, however, that processing times and individual experiences may vary depending on staffing, appointments, the number of applicants, government closures, and other circumstances.
Tip: Before leaving the office, make sure you receive a stamped or signed copy of your application as proof that your documents were submitted.
Before Leaving Home — Checklist
- Completed and signed Solicitud de Certificado de Ciudadanía Puertorriqueña
- Your original birth certificate
- Original Puerto Rico birth certificate of your Puerto Rican parent
- Additional parent’s Puerto Rico birth certificate, if applicable
- Valid original government-issued photo identification
- Required Colecturía Digital stamps
- PRINTED copies of your digital stamps
- Apostille stamp, only if you need an apostille
- Prepaid self-addressed return envelope if requesting delivery by mail
- Tracking information for your return envelope
- Copies of important documents for your personal records
- Appointment confirmation, if an appointment is required or you made one
- A safe place to keep your stamped submission receipt
Official Contact Information and Resources
Puerto Rico Department of State
The Department of State is the government agency responsible for this process.
Physical Address:
Calle San José, esquina Calle San Francisco
Viejo San Juan, Puerto Rico
Mailing Address:
PO Box 9023271
San Juan, PR 00902-3271
Telephone:
(787) 722-2121 / (787) 722-2122
Certificaciones y Reglamentos:
Extension 1201
Before applying, use the official Department of State website to verify current procedures.
Colecturía Digital
Use Puerto Rico’s official Colecturía Digital system to obtain the required digital stamps. Purchase and print the appropriate stamps before your appointment.
Appointments
Check the Puerto Rico Department of State’s online appointment system before visiting. The system currently includes an Apostillas y Certificaciones service category.
Important Note for Genealogists and Puerto Ricans Living Outside the Island
For descendants of Puerto Ricans who live in the continental United States or elsewhere, applying in person can have one particularly attractive advantage: according to the experience described above, the Department of State copied the applicant’s original vital records and returned the originals immediately.
That can eliminate the worry of placing irreplaceable or difficult-to-replace documents in the mail.
If you’re already planning a trip to Puerto Rico, it may be worth investigating whether an in-person application fits your circumstances.
Are You Pursuing Spanish Citizenship?
If you are obtaining a Puerto Rican Citizenship Certificate as part of documenting your Puerto Rican or Spanish ancestry, you may also find our How to Obtain Spanish Citizenship guide helpful. It explains the documentation and genealogical research that may be involved in establishing your Spanish ancestry.
Sources and Disclaimer
This guide combines information from official Puerto Rico government resources with the firsthand experience of an applicant who submitted an application in person at the Puerto Rico Department of State on August 27, 2026.
Firsthand experiences are included as practical guidance and should not be interpreted as official Department of State policy.
Always verify current requirements, fees, forms, appointments, office hours, and processing procedures with the Puerto Rico Department of State before applying.
Puerto Rico Department of State — official site. The government directory confirms the physical address at Calle San José at Calle San Francisco, the PO Box, and (787) 722-2121. PR.gov
Department of State Appointments — currently offers Apostillas y Certificaciones as a selectable service. Citas Estado
Official Apostille Information — explains when an apostille/certification is used. Department of State
The Department’s current directory also confirms Certificaciones y Reglamentos, extension 1201.