What to Expect at the Naturalization Oath Ceremony

[JimmyHou 611]

I found this document that explains what you can expect at your oath ceremony.

I think it's well-written and easy to read, so I hope some of you will find it helpful.

I haven't found any information on it that is currently out-of-date, but note that it is old and check it for yourselves.

https://cliniclegal.org/sites/default/files/231718_clinic_09.pdf

Please note that this is not an official USCIS document.

It covers several topics including:

- receiving the oath letter

- maintaining eligibility before the oath

- completing the questionnaire

- dressing for the ceremony

- what to bring to the ceremony

- checking in at the ceremony

- ceremony agenda

- what to do after the ceremony

- possible de-naturalization

- sample oath letter

- sample naturalization certificate

[TBoneTX 45,273]

This is very helpful, Jimmy -- good find.

[ChristinaG 91]

Great resource

Thanks!!

just wanted to add: https://cliniclegal.org/resources/publications-guides-and-reports/citizenship-us-handbook-naturalization-citizenship-6this the link to each of the chapter of the book... one of the notes in the margin said to refer back to another chapter on something I was curious about so did some digging....

[KASH2011 382]

Great info! Thank you for this!

[JimmyHou 611]

Is it worth pinning this topic? I'll let the moderators decide; they know what's most useful... while I've seen a lot of good information posted (and pinned) related to the application and the interview, I haven't seen much on the oath itself, which is why I went looking.

[MayoKy 10]

This was great Info, thank you for sharing!

[JimmyHou 611]

More oath info... this doesn't come up very often, but I've read a few posts about people being uncomfortable with the wording of the Oath of Allegiance.

USCIS allows you to take a modified oath based on two objections.

1- If you object to word "swear" and the phrase "so help me god" because of religious beliefs or lack thereof, you can ask to "affirm" instead of "swear" and you can drop the "so help me god" phrase at the end. This only requires you to tell your interviewer that you want a modified oath. In many jurisdictions, they don't schedule a separate ceremony for you, they just ask you to leave out the parts in question when you repeat the oath.

2- If you object to performing military-related services on behalf of the US, you are required to explain your religious objection to doing so and to get a letter from your religious organization stating that this is their position. A few years ago, an English atheist applicant asked for this modification, but was unable to provide a religious document. USCIS refused to naturalize her and she sued them. Two years later, the courts ordered USCIS to naturalize her and she became a citizen.

Here is the USCIS information on modified oaths:

http://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume12-PartJ-Chapter3.html

[JimmyHou 611]

Here are a few videos I found of naturalization ceremonies around the country:

Houston

New York City

Miami

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrTRj8mi-P8

San Diego

[JimmyHou 611]

I hope others will add to this thread if they find any interesting information on naturalization ceremonies.

Also, feel free to share any unusual personal experiences at your own ceremonies.

For those of you in LA and Houston, here are two articles with videos covering ceremonies in 2014.

LA

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/story/25997296/naturalization-ceremony-welcomes-over-4000-new-us-citizens

Houston

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/story/24779851/2014/02/20/naturalization-ceremony

[ChristinaG 91]

More oath info... this doesn't come up very often, but I've read a few posts about people being uncomfortable with the wording of the Oath of Allegiance.

USCIS allows you to take a modified oath based on two objections.

1- If you object to word "swear" and the phrase "so help me god" because of religious beliefs or lack thereof, you can ask to "affirm" instead of "swear" and you can drop the "so help me god" phrase at the end. This only requires you to tell your interviewer that you want a modified oath. In many jurisdictions, they don't schedule a separate ceremony for you, they just ask you to leave out the parts in question when you repeat the oath.

2- If you object to performing military-related services on behalf of the US, you are required to explain your religious objection to doing so and to get a letter from your religious organization stating that this is their position. A few years ago, an English atheist applicant asked for this modification, but was unable to provide a religious document. USCIS refused to naturalize her and she sued them. Two years later, the courts ordered USCIS to naturalize her and she became a citizen.

Here is the USCIS information on modified oaths:

http://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume12-PartJ-Chapter3.html

Thanks.... the modified oath was what I had looked for as well.... I am obviously no where near this process yet, but I've wondered if I would apply for citizenship when the time came..... With the availability of the modified oath, I may go for it...

[JimmyHou 611]

Something I observed from watching a few oath ceremony videos:

In most ceremonies, the person administering the oath asks the applicants to repeat the oath after him/her. He/she will say a few words at a time and then pause to allow the applicants to repeat.

Ceremonies in Houston, Texas (at least some of them) appear to be different; the judge recites the entire oath and then asks the applicants to say "I do" if they agree with the oath. Everyone then says "I do" together. I thought this was because of the large number of attendees at Houston ceremonies, but even larger ceremonies in Los Angles follow the "repeat after me" process.

It isn't important, but I thought it was curious... what did others do at their ceremonies?

[JimmyHou 611]

A great reminder that we are all following in the footsteps of some very famous immigrants; this is a photo of Albert Einstein taking his oath of citizenship in New York on October 1st, 1940.

[minae 5]

Thank you JimmyHou! I appreciate you putting this information up. I will also like to opt for the modified oath. I don't really know what it entails to do so.

[JimmyHou 611]

Thank you JimmyHou! I appreciate you putting this information up. I will also like to opt for the modified oath. I don't really know what it entails to do so.

It depends on which modification you're asking for If all you want to do is remove the "so help me God" part at the end or to change the word "swear" to "affirm", then that's pretty easy and you can ask for the interview. No other changes will be made, except that when you're at your oath ceremony you'll be asked to change or drop the appropriate words as you repeat after the person administering the oath.

If you want to object to the part about military service or noncombatant service in the Armed Forces, then that's a little bit more complicated and you may be required to demonstrate your moral objection through some sort of evidence.

Edited February 5, 2015 by JimmyHou

[minae 5]

It depends on which modification you're asking for If all you want to do is remove the "so help me God" part at the end or to change the word "swear" to "affirm", then that's pretty easy and you can ask for the interview. No other changes will be made, except that when you're at your oath ceremony you'll be asked to change or drop the appropriate words as you repeat after the person administering the oath.

If you want to object to the part about military service or noncombatant service in the Armed Forces, then that's a little bit more complicated and you may be required to demonstrate your moral objection through some sort of evidence.

I will like to use "affirm" and not "swear". Can there be a modification of such?