What to Expect at the Naturalization Oath Ceremony

[br9k 23]

Any experience with missing oath invitation letter? We have a copy in the uscis online account, but the physical letter did not arrive yet (a bit past expected time), so it's possible usps lost it. Will they admit to the oath with a printed copy of invitation?

[jefferyd 12]

2 hours ago, br9k said:

Any experience with missing oath invitation letter? We have a copy in the uscis online account, but the physical letter did not arrive yet (a bit past expected time), so it's possible usps lost it. Will they admit to the oath with a printed copy of invitation?

They did for me. They were more concerned with the form with the questions that had to be filled out and signed the day of the ceremony than they were with the letter. They will have your naturalization certificate with your picture on it so it’s not terribly important to prove to them that you are, in fact, supposed to be there at that date and time.

[Moonski 23]

On 5/2/2019 at 9:38 AM, jefferyd said:

They did for me. They were more concerned with the form with the questions that had to be filled out and signed the day of the ceremony than they were with the letter. They will have your naturalization certificate with your picture on it so it’s not terribly important to prove to them that you are, in fact, supposed to be there at that date and time.

Hi! I wanted to thank you for your post about a successful n400 interview rescheduling! I had to reschedule my interview, and your post was the only positive one. I have followed your instructions and got my interview successfully rescheduled a week after my original notice. 

[HiThisIsCoco 0]

Does anyone have any experience with the ceremony at the Charleston SC location? Just wondering how big the crowd usually is.

[praizee 10]

So on the notice for oath ceremony, it says if you answer yes to any of the questions you need to bring documentation.

 

So if you travelled outside the country and it was not more than 90days, what documentation do you need to bring?

 

Any experiences?

[afrocraft 313]

On 8/19/2019 at 7:26 PM, praizee said:

So if you travelled outside the country and it was not more than 90days, what documentation do you need to bring?

 

Any experiences?

No experience, but I imagine your passport with entry/exit stamps (and perhaps boarding pass) should suffice.

[Dianna. 5]

I was sworn in yesterday. There were 97 people at the Charlotte, NC office from 42 different countries :)

[Dod 0]

On 1/13/2015 at 11:57 AM, JimmyHou said:

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

thanks.. is there is anywhere i can find Oath ceremony scheduling processing time, after interview.  thanks

[Nayda 28]

Hello! Anybody here who has traveled abroad between interview and Oath, Labour 2-3 traveling  (I waited a long time for the oath)? 

[LMK74 1]

On 9/13/2019 at 11:36 AM, Dianna. said:

I was sworn in yesterday. There were 97 people at the Charlotte, NC office from 42 different countries

Did you have the chance to apply for passport after the ceremony? Or did they just give you the form to fill out and send yourself?

 

Congratulations on the ceremony too!! I have mine tomorrow!!! 

[Ido 16]

This is my experience at the Durham USCIS office on December 20, 2019.

 

The letter stated to be there at 08:30 AM. I arrived 07:50 AM, had to wait until 08:00 AM for the office to open to the public. By 08:05 AM there was already a line of about 20 people outside the door trying to get in . . .

 

You will have to go through security, take jacket and belt off, contents of pockets, etc. Think boarding a plane, but you get to keep your shoes on. 😁

 

We were reminded multiple times that no weapons of any kind were allowed - guns, knives (folding, pocket, utility, etc. - they were all explicitly mentioned), MACE, etc. I understand some people might find it funny - but in states like North Carolina, a significant percentage of residents have concealed carry permits, so there's always the chance of someone forgetting there's no carrying of a gun by a non-LEO into a federal building, as USCIS offices are . . .

 

You are also told no food or drinks allowed, no exceptions, and no photography other than during or immediately after the ceremony, and restricted to the room where the ceremony takes place.

 

After going through security you are directed to the waiting room. A USCIS employee came and checked each one of us had its N-445 and green card. She would also verbally confirm the answers to some (not all) of the questions on the oath letter - she asked questions #1, #2, #3, #4 and #7. She scolded a couple of people that had clearly filled the form in advance of the oath day (she knew because the written-in city was not Durham), and made them update the form to "Durham", from whichever city they had previously written in.

 

After that we went into the room where the ceremony would take place. Room was split in two parts - the front for those taking the oath, back for guests/family. I would say there were chairs for approx. 120 people. As you are going in, a USCIS officer is taking your green card and any other documents you might be returning (EAD, etc.). The order on which you enter this room and surrender your green card is the same order on which you will seat and the order on which they will hand out the naturalization certificates after the oath. So if you are going with your wife/husband (which is also taking the oath) or a friend (also taking the oath), you need to stick together. After you have surrendered your green card and sat down, there is no reseating/shuffling around possible. So if you went in, and your significant other comes 10 people behind you, he will be seating 10 people behind you during the ceremony.

 

IMPORTANT TIPS:

* you will NOT be sitting with your family/guests - you will be sitting at the front with the other candidates, family sits in the back.
* while there IS seating for guests, it is first come/first served basis. If your guests show up late they may end standing outside the room. They will NOT let people stand in the door, nor around the chairs, due to security and fire code concerns

 

From 08:30 to 09:05 we were sitting down waiting for the ceremony to begin - more people kept arriving. We were informed of what I assume to be office-specific procedures, like which way to walk after the ceremony was done to get the certificate, which way to walk back to our seats, etc.

 

On each chair there were the following items :

* a white envelope with the DHS seal and the words "US Citizenship and Immigration Services" (bottom right corner reads "M-771 (10/09)")
* a small American flag
* a printed agenda

 

Inside the white envelope :

* a manila envelope with "THE WHITE HOUSE" and "A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES" printed outside. Inside, a preprinted letter from the president with some words welcoming you to the USA, your rights and responsibilities, etc.

* a pamphlet from the "US Election Assistance Commission" entitled "14 facts about voting on federal elections"

* a one-page pamphlet entitled "Congratulations on becoming a US Citizen" - form M-767 (08/17)

* a one-page pamphlet - on one side, the Oath of Allegiance, on the other the Star Spangled Banner and the Pledge of Allegiance - form M-789 (07/14)

* a passport application - form DS-11 (06-2016)

* a booklet - The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States - form M-654 (rev 07/08)

 

PLEASE NOTE: while the USCIS manual lists the contents of this packet as to also include a copy of the Citizen's Almanac and a Certificate Holder, I got neither. Not sure if they were missing from my packet only, or if they had run out and nobody got either.

 

The agenda for the ceremony was as follows :

1) National Anthem (stand)
2) Introduction and Welcome by an USCIS officer
3) Video - "Faces of America"
4) Remarks - by same USCIS officer
5) Video - "Call of Nations"
6) Oath of Allegiance - led by the USCIS officer (stand)
7) Pledge of Allegiance - led by a volunteer, just minted US Citizen (stand)

😎 Video - message from the President of the United States
9) Video - "God Bless the USA"
10) Closing Remarks - by same USCIS officer

 

The Naturalization Certificates are picked up after step #7, then back to your seats for the rest of the ceremony. For our ceremony there were 58 people from 38 countries - some I had honestly never ever heard from before. Before step #6 above, the USCIS officer would call out the country of origin of the candidates, and those coming from that country would stand. Once all are standing up, the Oath of Allegiance takes place. The USCIS officer will at this time let guests or family come to the front to take pictures of the oath ceremony - after that, they're back to where they were before.

 

The whole ceremony from beginning to end lasts approximately 20 minutes - I was back in my car by 09:30 AM. 

 

After everyone has their Naturalization Certificate on their hands and are back on their seats, the USCIS officer asked us all to very carefully review all of the information on the certificate and make sure it was all correct. She stated "any issues you find NOW, we can fix NOW for FREE - but if you find an issue tomorrow, or next week, or next month, you will need to apply for a new one, will have to pay the $555 fee, and will have to wait six months or more for a replacement" 😭

 

I specially liked the fact all USCIS officers involved in the ceremony looked genuinely happy and welcoming. And the USCIS officer leading the ceremony seemed genuinely happy for us - I didn't get at any time the feeling it was "just something I have to go through as part of my duties" for her.

 

Some notes :

* there was NO applying for a passport right then and there
* there was NO registering to vote right then and there
* they ask you to sign the Certificate of Naturalization as soon as you can (they don't make you do it right then and there) with black or blue ink. The signature should be the same as the signature electronically printed on the certificate next to your picture - no "fancy signature", but the same signature you used/provided during the naturalization interview

 

Passport notes: 

I had made an appointment in advance with an USPS office near my home for same day - and in preparation, I had prepared a folder with all required paperwork (DS-11 filled but not signed, USPS money orders for passport and execution fee, passport pictures, copy of my driver's license, etc.). So as soon as I was back home I used my multifunction printer to make a copy of the Naturalization Certificate, added original and copy to my folder, and I was ready to apply. 

I used the Passport Wizard at https://pptform.state.gov/passportwizardmain.aspx - this is a US government site, and they don't save any of the information you enter (you need to save the complete form at the end). So it is safe to use.

 

When you apply for the passport, the USPS employee will staple all the paperwork together, including the Naturalization Certificate. Try your best not to faint at this time - I asked, and was told "that's the way we do it".

 

Might make sense to scan the certificate, or make some extra copies "just in case". Funnily enough - as you have surrendered your green card before the oath, and just mailed your certificate of naturalization to the US Dept of State, you actually have no document showing your legal status in the country . . .

 

[Stevo1979 71]

So the guests have a different sitting area or they sit with the oath takers?

[Ido 16]

At least at my local office - different.

[lucardo3 220]

On 1/13/2015 at 11:57 AM, JimmyHou said:

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

Original pdf on the link is dead.

[Cécy 44]

I wanted to add a little Covid update.

for Charlotte, NC in June it was: no guests, mandatory face covering, bring your own pen. The whole thing took 15 minutes including getting through security. 4 people at a time repeating the oath after getting the certificate and then on to the next people in line (6ft appart). No one allowed in more than 15 minutes prior to your appointment.

It’s a quick in and out.