What happens at a naturalization oath ceremony and what to bring

When the ceremony is scheduled

Passing the interview is not the last step. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services says you may be able to take part in a naturalization ceremony on the same day as your interview. If a ceremony is not available, USCIS mails Form N-445, Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony, with the date, time and location.

There are two kinds of ceremony. In an administrative ceremony, USCIS administers the Oath of Allegiance. In a judicial ceremony, a court does. The USCIS Policy Manual says an applicant may choose to have the oath administered by a court, and that in some places the court has exclusive authority to administer it.

If you cannot attend, USCIS asks you to return the N-445 to your local USCIS office with a letter asking for a new date and explaining why you cannot attend. USCIS warns that failing to appear more than once may lead to a denial, and the Policy Manual says an application is presumed abandoned when an applicant fails to appear for more than one ceremony.

What to bring

Form N-445 lists what to bring: the notice itself with the questionnaire on the back completed, your Permanent Resident Card, all reentry permits or refugee travel documents you have, valid or expired, and any other documents USCIS issued to you.

The questionnaire is answered on the day of the ceremony, not before, and its questions cover only the time since your interview. They ask, for example, if you have married, divorced, separated or been widowed since then, if you have traveled outside the United States, and if you have been arrested, cited or charged, including for traffic violations. If you answer yes to any of them, the notice asks you to bring supporting documents, such as a marriage certificate, a divorce decree, or arrest records and court dispositions.

The notice also asks you to dress in proper attire out of respect for the event, and to contact USCIS at least 10 days ahead if you need an accommodation, such as a sign language interpreter.

Check-in and the green card

Check-in is where the paperwork happens. According to the USCIS Policy Manual, an officer reviews your N-445 answers and updates them if needed, confirms your eligibility, and collects your Permanent Resident Card and any USCIS-issued travel documents.

Handing over the green card can feel strange, but USCIS explains that you will no longer need it because you receive a Certificate of Naturalization after taking the oath. The requirement is waived only in limited cases: if you showed at your interview that the card was lost and you tried to recover it, or if, because of military service, you were never granted permanent residence.

The ceremony and the oath

The USCIS Policy Manual sets out the usual program for an administrative ceremony: a short film called Faces of America, the national anthem, welcoming remarks, the call of countries (a roll call of the countries the new citizens come from), the Oath of Allegiance, keynote remarks, recorded congratulatory remarks, the Pledge of Allegiance, closing remarks, and finally the presentation of each Certificate of Naturalization, Form N-550.

The oath is the moment that counts. USCIS is clear that you are not a U.S. citizen until you take the Oath of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony. In the oath you renounce allegiance to any foreign state, promise to support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States, and agree to bear arms, perform noncombatant service or do work of national importance under civilian direction when required by law.

The oath ends with the words 'so help me God'. The Policy Manual allows a modified oath on request: you may say 'solemnly affirm' in place of 'on oath' and leave out 'so help me God', and USCIS grants this on your request alone, with no documentation. Changes to the clauses about bearing arms or noncombatant service, based on religious training and belief or a deeply held moral or ethical code, follow a separate standard that USCIS reviews.

Before you leave and in the weeks after

Read your certificate before you walk out. USCIS asks new citizens to review the Certificate of Naturalization carefully and to tell USCIS about any errors before leaving the ceremony, which is the moment to raise a misspelled name or a wrong date.

At administrative ceremonies, the Policy Manual says new citizens must be given the chance to register to vote at the end. USCIS also gives information on applying for a U.S. passport and updating your Social Security record.

If you need the ceremony sooner because of a serious illness, a disability that prevents you from attending a scheduled ceremony, advanced age, or urgent circumstances related to travel or work, the Policy Manual describes an expedited ceremony that you can request.

Common mistakes on ceremony day

Filling in the questionnaire early. The N-445 asks for answers on the day of the ceremony, covering the time since the interview. Leaving behind a document USCIS issued you is the other common slip; the notice asks for reentry permits and refugee travel documents, valid or expired, as well as the green card.

Leaving without checking the certificate. Errors are to be reported before you leave the ceremony. OathTrail, an independent app, keeps oath ceremony preparation and the original English text of the Oath of Allegiance in the same flow as its interview checklist, so the steps after the interview are laid out in one place.

This guide summarizes public information published by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. It is not legal advice, and neither this guide nor OathTrail is affiliated with, endorsed by or acting on behalf of USCIS or any other government agency. Your own Form N-445 notice and the current details on the USCIS website are the reference for your ceremony, and procedures can change.

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