N-400 Nautralization without Oath Ceremony...

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

Ok, this is just a hypothetical situation....(though I might seriously consider this)...

Can a person be naturalized without an oath ceremony, if they have met all the requirements of citizenship and have passed the interview?

Has anyone ever attempted such and/or requested for such? How did you go about doing such? And if so, has this been successful?

Frankly, I don't think that I need or want the "pomp and circumstance" with an oath ceremony, as all I just need is the naturalization certificate really. As well, I like things done privately, and too many people would stress me out too much in any instance.

Instead, I would just rather say the oath and sign the certificate one-on-one in front a judge, immigration officer, or whoever else can perform duties legally, without too many others involved here.

Oh and add to the fact that I'll have a very young baby/child at the time (only a few months old), which can be somewhat inconvenient in this instance, so I don't want that to ruin the ceremony for the rest of the people who deserve a children-free quiet ceremony either.

Lol...it doesn't help either, that I will be travelling to my "non-local" office (1-3 hrs away) in the middle of the winter, possibly during a heavy snowstorm here in NYS....

Another way to look at this is that one can get their college/high school/etc. certificate upon graduation, but without attending the ceremony. So if it can be done in that instance, can it be done here for US Citizenship certificates too?

Just a thought...Anyone else have any thoughts, ideas, suggestions, etc. about this as well? Thanks in advance.

Ant (Still waiting for 10yr Card, Still waiting for Citizenship, Still waiting for Baby...)

Edited May 7, 2009 by AntandD

[Anh map 2,098]

Have you contacted your local office to ask your question?

[jsnearline 2]

Some offices allow a same day oath, which would be a smaller ceremony, but others require you to attend one of the bigger ceremonies.

[J&D 0]

Doubt if this would be acceptable, but certainly worth enquiring about.

Personally, I'd prefer to become a citizen without the N-400 application and $675 fee, waiting, NOA1, waiting, biometrics. waiting, and interview, although I would attend the oath ceremony.

[TayRivers 4]

Contact your federal Court and request a private Oath ceremony, there will be you, the federal Judge, someone from USCIS and the clark of the court.

My wife had a private Oath Ceremony, it was arranged though the Federal Court in Boston.

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all your quick and helpful replies! Mentioned below are my responses to your replies:

Anh map- No, I haven't contacted my local office (Buffalo,NY) to ask this question. But do I have to do that in advance? If so, how and when should I do this?

Jsnearline-Hmmm...a same day oath is a good idea, and so is a smaller ceremony. "Kill two birds in one stone", as the old saying goes (lol..and also save driving gas and time this way too). However, one minor problem I see in this is that I, my husband, and more so the baby, would be too tired and overwhelmed doing both the interview and the oath ceremony on same day. But nevertheless, if this is offered to me, then yes, I will consider such, as I see the benefits of that outcome too (especially when a smaller ceremony is an option).

J&D-I agree, it's worth enquiring about too. Worse case scenario, they say no (but at least they can't say that I can't become a citizen, even if it means through a regular larger oath ceremony). Lol...I'm sure we would all rather not go through the whole N-400 process (oh how I envy my husband and baby for not having to go through with this), but alas, do this we must. It would make sense though for most people, that after all of this, to attend the oath ceremony, as a "reward" for going through this process. But for me...well...it's just a bit different in perspective...Besides, I've been through one naturalization ceremony before (as a Canadian), so that's good enough for me in my lifetime. No need for a repeat of "pomp and circumstance"....Lol...you (and anyone else) can have my oath ceremony instead, as all I want is just the naturalization certificate really....

TayRivers-Wow, you've given me hope that having a "private ceremony" can actually be done! Lol...for $670, they better accomodate for such "special requests"! If you don't mind me asking, what was the circumstances surrounding your wife in terms of her getting a private ceremony? Was is hard to request for such? Did the immigration officer, judge, or anyone else give her a hard time for asking for such? What specifically did you have to do beforehand for this request? How long did it take? When did you request for this special ceremony (on your N400 application forms or during the inverview, or before then), Did it cause any delays in her citizenship because of this special request? How was the ceremony like overall? I hope likewise, they will accomodate such a request for me at the Federal Court in Buffalo, NY too. This "private ceremony" scenario sounds great to me, and yes, I will actually consider this, as a "private ceremony" seems the most "perfect" for me and my family!

Thanks again for your replies. Anyone else have any further thoughts, ideas, suggestions, etc. about this topic as well?

Good luck on the rest of your immigration journeys too.

Ant (Still waiting...)

Have you contacted your local office to ask your question?

Some offices allow a same day oath, which would be a smaller ceremony, but others require you to attend one of the bigger ceremonies.

Doubt if this would be acceptable, but certainly worth enquiring about.

Personally, I'd prefer to become a citizen without the N-400 application and $675 fee, waiting, NOA1, waiting, biometrics. waiting, and interview, although I would attend the oath ceremony.

Contact your federal Court and request a private Oath ceremony, there will be you, the federal Judge, someone from USCIS and the clark of the court.

My wife had a private Oath Ceremony, it was arranged though the Federal Court in Boston.

Edited May 8, 2009 by AntandD

[KromiX 1]

Contact your federal Court and request a private Oath ceremony, there will be you, the federal Judge, someone from USCIS and the clark of the court.

My wife had a private Oath Ceremony, it was arranged though the Federal Court in Boston.

Curious, Tay, do you think this request prolonged the final oath ceremony or the opposite?

[TayRivers 4]

Contact your federal Court and request a private Oath ceremony, there will be you, the federal Judge, someone from USCIS and the clark of the court.

My wife had a private Oath Ceremony, it was arranged though the Federal Court in Boston.

Curious, Tay, do you think this request prolonged the final oath ceremony or the opposite?

The public Oath ceremony was set for March 26th and we did the private one on March5th.

[J&D 0]

TayRivers and Ant may start a trend....

USCIS will wonder where all the sudden requests for private Oath ceremonies came from.

[jsnearline 2]

In Colorado, the district court holds ceremonies for those individuals requesting a court ceremony for the purpose of requesting a name change as part of their naturalization process.

[jasminelily 1]

In Colorado, the district court holds ceremonies for those individuals requesting a court ceremony for the purpose of requesting a name change as part of their naturalization process.

No name change. But I'm curious of the result if that's possible or not. We might want to have the judge that married us to do my oath ceremony, that judge is a good friend of my hubby's grandma. Anyone knows if we have to pay a special fee for that?

[Dakine 26]

Doesn't probably apply to most cases but my adopted daughter from the Philippines got her US passport without taking a oath at all. I just applied for it when she was eligible and she got it!

Edited May 9, 2009 by Haole

[TayRivers 4]

In Colorado, the district court holds ceremonies for those individuals requesting a court ceremony for the purpose of requesting a name change as part of their naturalization process.

No name change. But I'm curious of the result if that's possible or not. We might want to have the judge that married us to do my oath ceremony, that judge is a good friend of my hubby's grandma. Anyone knows if we have to pay a special fee for that?

It was the Judge that married my Wife and I that did the Oath Ceremony. They have to be a Federal Judge to do the Oath Ceremony and there was no fee to pay.

[jasminelily 1]

In Colorado, the district court holds ceremonies for those individuals requesting a court ceremony for the purpose of requesting a name change as part of their naturalization process.

No name change. But I'm curious of the result if that's possible or not. We might want to have the judge that married us to do my oath ceremony, that judge is a good friend of my hubby's grandma. Anyone knows if we have to pay a special fee for that?

It was the Judge that married my Wife and I that did the Oath Ceremony. They have to be a Federal Judge to do the Oath Ceremony and there was no fee to pay.

Is a county justice of the peace judge a federal? Sorry if that sounds stupid, I'm not too familiarized of that area of law.

[Sand 5]

Good Luck!