A naturalization certificate is a document issued by the United States government as proof that a person has obtained US citizenship through the process of naturalization. This is the legal process by which an individual obtains a new nationality and therefore the naturalization certificate shows proof that an individual has followed this process and is in fact a legal citizen. Naturalization entitles a person to citizenship within a given country and allows them to share in all the rights associated with that status. Therefore an individual may not apply for or obtain their naturalization certificate until they have gone through the full process and thus received their citizenship status. Having proof of citizenship is important for a variety of things and the naturalization certificate helps to demonstrate that.