After the oath ceremony....

[hudons 0]

Now, I am waaaaay ahead of myself here - I still have another 2years before I can file N400 - but I would like to know as much about the process as I can ahead of time.

I am interested to know whether there are steps to take after taking the oath and becoming a citizen. I have noticed that on some people's stories they mention filing papers with their home countries. I fully appreciate that this is on a country by country basis but since I am clearly not the only british person here, does anybody know if there are papers I must file in the UK to maintain my citizenship there, or are there parties that should be informed out side the US?

Thanks for helping out a curious Brit. Who knows? I might not even be the only one wondering this!

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Now, I am waaaaay ahead of myself here - I still have another 2years before I can file N400 - but I would like to know as much about the process as I can ahead of time.

I am interested to know whether there are steps to take after taking the oath and becoming a citizen. I have noticed that on some people's stories they mention filing papers with their home countries. I fully appreciate that this is on a country by country basis but since I am clearly not the only british person here, does anybody know if there are papers I must file in the UK to maintain my citizenship there, or are there parties that should be informed out side the US?

Thanks for helping out a curious Brit. Who knows? I might not even be the only one wondering this!

I've never known anyone to mention it to their home country. I'm a UK cit and didn't need to mention to Aus when I claimed my UK passport. It's not really their business (unless it's a country that doesn't allow dual (or multi) citizenship.. which the UK and Australia do).

The only thing I've mentioned to my country so far is that I live in the US (to remove myself from electoral roll), and change my name. The rest is irrelevant to Australia and to the UK. When (and if) I naturalise I won't bother with anything then either. The UK doesn't know where I live, or that I'm married (yet.. I can't afford the new passport just yet :S)

Edited November 18, 2010 by Vanessa&Tony

[JoannaV 174]

hudons: the UK is a lovely country and you need do nothing :-)

I've never known anyone to mention it to their home country. I'm a UK cit and didn't need to mention to Aus when I claimed my UK passport. It's not really their business (unless it's a country that doesn't allow dual (or multi) citizenship.. which the UK and Australia do). Some countries, such as Germany, do require paperwork to be filed prior to obtaining a second citizenship, if one wants to keep the original citizenship as well. They've actually imprisoned someone who visited Germany using their German passport...

The only thing I've mentioned to my country so far is that I live in the US (to remove myself from electoral roll), and change my name. The rest is irrelevant to Australia and to the UK. When (and if) I naturalise I won't bother with anything then either. The UK doesn't know where I live, or that I'm married (yet.. I can't afford the new passport just yet :S) Tsk, you're not voting in the UK any more? Just to say, the UK might know that you now live in America. If, since living in the US, you have entered the US with your UK passport then your residency is associated with your passport.

[CVB 18]

hudons: the UK is a lovely country and you need do nothing :-)

Each country has its own citizenship laws and some bar the retention of their citizenship if a person becomes a naturalized U.S. citizen. Before 1948, a Briton could lose his British citizenship by becoming a naturalized citizen of another country. The British Nationality Act of 1948 eliminated restrictions on holding dual citizenship. So there is absolutely no problem.

[NickD 203]

Each country has its own citizenship laws and some bar the retention of their citizenship if a person becomes a naturalized U.S. citizen. Before 1948, a Briton could lose his British citizenship by becoming a naturalized citizen of another country. The British Nationality Act of 1948 eliminated restrictions on holding dual citizenship. So there is absolutely no problem.

Other countries won't even let you enter if they see your place of birth is that country as listed by our Department of State. You find this out the hard way when you try to enter. Venezuela, Colombia, and I believe China is this way. Have to reapply for that countries ID and get a passport from that country. Not easy to do that here as most countries only have 2 or 3 consulates in the entire USA.

Now if your place of birth was not shown, would not be a problem.

[NickD 203]

Another thing you quickly learn after getting your US citizenship certificate, you are no longer free to travel until you get your US passport, they take away your green card. Not bad today, taking less than two weeks, but when the law was passed requiring passports for Mexico and Canada, wait was anywhere from 4-6 months.

What's next? Anticipating a passport from going from state to state, so you have to declare purchases from out of state. So your state can collect sales tax. That would really cause a major delay.

[warlord 73]

Things to do: Change your status at the Social Security Office. Tell your HR at your work (if you work) so they can change your I-9 tax status and other status they may have that determines your citizenship. Passport, register to vote and tell anyone else that may have needed your valid status. Can't think off the top of my head, but there may be a few other places you'll want to change your status to citizen for...

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Things to do: Change your status at the Social Security Office. Tell your HR at your work (if you work) so they can change your I-9 tax status and other status they may have that determines your citizenship. Passport, register to vote and tell anyone else that may have needed your valid status. Can't think off the top of my head, but there may be a few other places you'll want to change your status to citizen for...

Update your Driver's License or state ID - tell them you are a citizen - they will probably want to see your certificate in person

[CVB 18]

Update your Driver's License or state ID - tell them you are a citizen - they will probably want to see your certificate in person

I would say, go for your passport first. After that you can use your passport for all other things you need to do and put the certificate in a safe place. No need to use that for anything else. Losing the certificate would cost you $400+, not worth it the trouble.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I would say, go for your passport first. After that you can use your passport for all other things you need to do and put the certificate in a safe place. No need to use that for anything else. Losing the certificate would cost you $400+, not worth it the trouble.

Although you could go and do your SSN right away - they just take a photocopy of the document and return the original to you - which you then would send off for your passport. I agree with getting your passport as soon as possible, though and use that as proof of citizenship instead of the certificate when you need to do so. I actually got the passport card as well as the passport and carry that with me. I know that I don't have to prove citizenship upon demand, but still, as someone who had to carry the green card all the time, I feel a sense of reassurance that I have something available to prove I am now a citizen. The passport card fits in my wallet and my passport can remain safely at home until needed.