Things to do after naturalization

[sciencenerd 56]

I know I've seen posts that go over this before, but I can't seem to locate any of them. I'm wondering what things need to happen (or should happen) after naturalization. The 3 main things I'm aware of are getting a passport, registering to vote, and updating social security. If my memory serves me correctly, applying for a passport requires you to send in your citizenship documentation - is it therefore better to do social security first or should you just wait until you get the passport before going to social security.

Our situation is slightly complicated by doing a concurrent name change. In addition to updating citizenship status, we'll need to update my wife's name pretty much everywhere. We only want to have to go to social security once to update both the name and citizenship status and many other places require the social security name to be updated prior to updating their own records (employer, health insurance, etc). It's kind of a big maze of who needs what documentation to update their records.

Any advice on how to update things after the oath ceremony would be appreciated!

Thanks.

[BigDaddy28 228]

When you apply for your passport you won't need your social security card, as long as you have your naturalization certificate with your application you should be fine to get your passport. Then you can go to social security office and update the social. I've heard it's better to wait 10 days after oath so USCIS can update their system. Then you can update the rest one by one. But the passport is kind of important because it's your citizenship proof beside the certificate. One more thing when you take your passport with you to the social security office it's a better proof, I've seen some people who had a hard time updating their social with just naturalization certificate. You can take naturalization certificate to prove that your name has been changed and if they give you trouble about the citizenship you can show a passport. Good luck,

[lubnajavid 20]

Certainly for me in Houston - i was able to register to vote at the ceremony...

The next day, i went to the local Post Office that handles passports and applied for the passport - i expedited it (had my reasons ) and gave them my much treasured naturalization certificate... also applied for the extended page passport (as it costs the same as a standard passport if you are the first time applicant)

I got the passport in a little under 1 week - this was in early April 2013.

Got the naturalization certificate in a separate envelope a couple days after passport.

I have yet to go to SS office - as i am waiting to do that trip with my wife after she POE's

Edited July 1, 2013 by lubnajavid

[Autumnal 25]

Consider a passport authority office if you have one in your region. The expedited fee may be well worth having your certificate back in your hands and the passport as well. It may be an additional cost that's frustrating to bear.

[HeatDeath 430]

The big five tasks I had identified to do, once I'd gotten my Naturalization Certificate, were:

• Notify my employer (in case I had to do an updated I-9).
• Notify the DMV.
• Update my SSA records.
• Register to vote.
• Order my passport and passport card.

This in addition to some minor incidentals like get photocopies of the NatzCert, passport photos for the passport application, etc. It turns out they no longer put a stamp on the NatzCert saying it's illegal to photocopy. So I made several full sized copies for backup and also (on the advice of one of my wife's relatives who did this with a federal firearms authorization) made a little laminated miniature wallet-sized copy, just for kicks. (It's so cute, like a widdle bittie baby NatzCert. But I digress.)

Between my interview (March 28th) and oath ceremony (June 15th) I called my employer's HR department. They looked into it and said that no, they difinitely don't need a redone I-9 or any formal notification of a shift from PR status to citizenship status. I also called the DMV and found out that, in Utah at least, they don't need immediate notification of a change from PR status to citizenship status, though they will need to see proof of legal status/citizenship when I go to renew my DL in the next few years.

My oath was on a Wednesday. On the following Monday, I went to register to vote. The next day, even though it was fewer than the 10 days after that USCIS recommend, I went to the SSA office and updated my SSA records. They needed to see the NatzCert, obviously (so do this before you order the passport) but had no problems whatsoever, and I got my new SS card (exactly the same as the older unqualified SS card I got with my two-year GC) within a week. So don't worry too much about the "10 days" rule you hear.

That left only ordering my passport and passport and card, which I'd left to last because there literally now wasn't anything else left to do with my NatzCert. I sent it off a week ago tomorrow. I think it was Thursday or Friday before my application showed on the tracking page on travel.state.gov/passport. The acceptance agent at City Hall that I handed the application to (I'd have gone to a Passport Agency except my nearest one is in Denver and I don't have proof of imminent travel plans anyways) said they're currently seeing passports come back in 3-6 weeks. So we'll see how long that takes.

TL:DR The three things you list are the big ones to do after citizenship. Do the passport last so that that way, if G-d forbid your NatzCert disappears on the way to or back from the State Department, you've used the NatzCert for everything else you can possibly use it for.

My understanding on name changes is that you update the primary identity documents - SS card and state-issued DL - first, and then you can use that combination for everything else (magazine subscriptions, car/health insurance, employer, bank, conceal-carry permits or other state-level docs, etc). That was what I'd figured out for my USC wife after we got married. For a new citizen it should be mostly the same - I assume that USCIS updates their own contact records for you with your new name based on the N-400 and NatzCert. I'd hope so, anyways!

Edited July 2, 2013 by HeatDeath

[Indomex 10]

• Notify the DMV.

I thought that DMVs don't store immigration data. They just need to see proof of legal status when you apply for or renew a DL. So, contacting DMV should not be necessary. Am I wrong?

[HeatDeath 430]

In the last few years a lot of states changed their driver license rules to make their drivers licenses de facto proofs of legal presence [This may have something to do with adopting compliance or at least equivalence with the Real-ID Act]. I obtained my Utah DL in December 2009, so I got a full-term 5-year DL. The only proof of legal presence I showed was my one-year EAD.

Starting January 1, 2010, they changed the rules so that your DL would only be good for the term of whatever legal presence document you showed them. If I'd have applied in January with my EAD, I'd have gotten a DL good only for one year. I actually got my two-year GC in early December, shortly after the DL. If I'd have applied in January with my two-year GC, I'd have gotten a two-year DL - which would have made things very interesting [and not in a good way] when RoC came around, trying to renew a DL on the strength of the RoC NOA1 extension letter.

I suspect that if you had a shorter term DL, and then became a citizen, you could notify the DMV and have your DL expiry date extended out to the full fiver-year term (the longest they'll do). That's why I wanted to clarify with them whether they needed to update my immigration status once I'd become a citizen.

Of course all of this can vary wildly from state to state, so it's best to check with your own state's DMV for whether they care about your naturalization or not prior to your next DL renewal.

[Hedi 24]

Here in San Diego, on the day of the naturalization ceremony, my husband registered to vote right after the ceremony. There was a long line to make an appointment for applying for a passport, so instead, we made an appointment at our local post office for the following week. We didn't have any travel plans this summer, so we didn't ask for expedited service. The passport arrived exactly 4 weeks from the day my husband applied for it. Once the passport and the naturalization certificate came in the mail (in different envelopes and on different days), my husband went to our local Social Security office (30 minutes away) and updated his status.

[Steve D. 22]

First thing I did was went out and drink till I can't feel feelings anymore.

[John9981 9]

In the last few years a lot of states changed their driver license rules to make their drivers licenses de facto proofs of legal presence [This may have something to do with adopting compliance or at least equivalence with the Real-ID Act]. I obtained my Utah DL in December 2009, so I got a full-term 5-year DL. The only proof of legal presence I showed was my one-year EAD.

Starting January 1, 2010, they changed the rules so that your DL would only be good for the term of whatever legal presence document you showed them. If I'd have applied in January with my EAD, I'd have gotten a DL good only for one year. I actually got my two-year GC in early December, shortly after the DL. If I'd have applied in January with my two-year GC, I'd have gotten a two-year DL - which would have made things very interesting [and not in a good way] when RoC came around, trying to renew a DL on the strength of the RoC NOA1 extension letter.

I suspect that if you had a shorter term DL, and then became a citizen, you could notify the DMV and have your DL expiry date extended out to the full fiver-year term (the longest they'll do). That's why I wanted to clarify with them whether they needed to update my immigration status once I'd become a citizen.

Of course all of this can vary wildly from state to state, so it's best to check with your own state's DMV for whether they care about your naturalization or not prior to your next DL renewal.

To add to this, some DMVs (eg. Wisconsin) will renew your ID (10-yr) for free next time if you received shorter term DL previously.

Edited July 2, 2013 by chox99

[Cloudy9 11]

I thought that DMVs don't store immigration data. They just need to see proof of legal status when you apply for or renew a DL. So, contacting DMV should not be necessary. Am I wrong?

DMV has it recorded that you are a greencard holder. Hense if you are ever pulled over for any other in infraction and the cops run your licence, you come back as a GC holder. Now how do you prove you are a citizen to them? Do you keep your passport with you 24/7?? No, so you will want to get that updated as well.

[lesta09 0]

Certainly for me in Houston - i was able to register to vote at the ceremony...

The next day, i went to the local Post Office that handles passports and applied for the passport - i expedited it (had my reasons ) and gave them my much treasured naturalization certificate... also applied for the extended page passport (as it costs the same as a standard passport if you are the first time applicant)

I got the passport in a little under 1 week - this was in early April 2013.

Got the naturalization certificate in a separate envelope a couple days after passport.

I have yet to go to SS office - as i am waiting to do that trip with my wife after she POE's

If you don't mind my asking, how much did cost to have your passport expedited?

[HeatDeath 430]

http://travel.state.gov/passport/fees/fees_837.html

$60 to expedite a passport application.

[immibie 23]

First thing I did was went out and drink till I can't feel feelings anymore.

I hope I would be doing this too :-)

Edited July 12, 2013 by immibie

[lubnajavid 20]

@lesta09 - sorry out of the country right now - so my response is a littel delayed, but: from memory 60USD sounds right - like i said - getting the extra pages doesnt cost anything extra and if you plan on travelling is worth the time to get it tather than the standard 40 page book.

i didnt opt to get the passport card - just the regular passport. Note, this appears only to be the case for first time applicants.

My understanding is that the passport card is sent separately too - not with with the passport or your naturalization certificate.