What should I bring with me during the ceremony?
You’ll have to bring Form N-445, Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony, which you’ll probably get at the end of your interview or in the mail later. The notice will provide you with a list of items to bring to the oath ceremony, which may include:
- Your identification card as a permanent resident. (If you forget your card, you still can swear an oath, but you must submit this before receiving your naturalization certificate; if your card is lost or stolen, you must fill out a form and may be required to file a police report.)
- Your reentry permit is also known as a Refugee Travel Document. A document allows you to enter the country legally (if you’ve got one).
- Any documents related to immigration that you may have.
- Your children, if they have also been authorized for naturalization in the United States.
- Other papers that USCIS requests.
A questionnaire identical to the one you got with your Form N-400 is included in Form N-445. When you attend the oath ceremony, a USCIS officer will gather your Form N-445. If you respond “yes” to any questions, you may be barred from taking the oath on that given day.
What will the oath require you to swear as a new United States citizen?
Once you swear an oath, you promise to give up any hereditary or aristocratic titles you may have and abandon loyalty to any other countries where you previously held titles, citizenship, or your homeland. You will also state that you will support and defend the United State Constitution. When required by law, you promise to carry firearms on behalf of the State, serve in the armed services as a noncombatant, or do activities of national significance under civilian command.
You must demonstrate that your disagreement is based on your firmly held religious views or a strongly held moral or ethical code to take a modified oath that excludes the part about holding guns and serving in the military services.
What happens after the Naturalization Oath Ceremony?
Congratulations! You have become a citizen of the United States!
Following your ceremony, you will hear a congratulatory statement greeting you as a full-fledged American citizen, with all the privileges and responsibilities it entails. You will also obtain your certificate of naturalization. Make sure all details are correct, then sign and store it safely.
But I already passed the naturalization interview, is it still necessary for me to attend the ceremony?
Even if you pass your naturalization interview, the citizenship process in the United States is far from over. The oath of allegiance to the United States and getting your naturalization certificate are the final steps. And though the majority of the paperwork and interview has been done, and you have been granted permission to proceed, you must ensure that you remain eligible for citizenship till the day of the oath ceremony.
Many have been rejected from the oath ceremony because they did anything in the weeks or months leading up to it to jeopardize their eligibility. For example, once you’ve been convicted or have traveled extensively beyond the United States, you must notify USCIS of these changes. Otherwise, you may not be qualified to naturalize.
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