Delaying the Oath Taking after Interview

[Alexmat1 9]

Once the Citizenship interview is completed successfully, how long after that can one take the Oath, as in is there a deadline within which one needs to take the Oath , else you lose the opportunity and you have to start over again with the Citizenship process ?  I am asking, since I might need many more months to settle some matters back in my country which needs me to be a citizen of that country till its accomplished. It could be easily 10 months to 2 years given the delays in government offices and what I am trying to achieve needs many approvals from the government offices. So I am trying to see if its ok that I can take an Oath after 2 years though I completed my Citizenship interview.
Thanks

 

[igoyougoduke 1,656]

you are not a citizen until you take the oath 

[Alexmat1 9]

I understand that. But my question is can I delay the Oath taking for 2 years (still remaining a Green card holder) ? Or is there a certain number of months or years within which one has to take oath after the interview, else you have to re do the whole  Citizenship application again ? 
 

[geowrian 22,337]

I'm unaware of a hard time limit, but USCIS works at USCIS timelines. If they assign a date for the Oath, you need to provide a valid reason to delay it. Miss the ceremony and they may deny the N-400. Really it's supposed to be missing 2 ceremonies, though (https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-12-part-j-chapter-4).

 

Delaying it for several months to 2 years is likely impractical. Just because you passed the interview doesn't mean you couldn't later become ineligible (i.e. via a criminal offense or violation of GMC).

If you are unable or unwilling to naturalize on their schedule, honestly the best thing is to not start the process until you are ready.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

So you are now a citizen of somewhere that does not allow dual citizenship I presume, or this wouldn’t  be an issue?

 

You don’t get to schedule the oath ceremony. They do it for you. As above, if you miss 2 you can be deemed to have abandoned the case.  There is no way they will take 10 months or more to do that. The smarter move would seem to be to delay applying for citizenship until you are ready. 

[Valor 131]

Delay it by two years? Even my Sephora points expire after 12 months. 

[JeanneAdil 6,491]

Begs the question  "hasn't the person abandoned his LPR status if he/she stays for 2 years  out of the country?"

Edited September 27, 2020 by JeanneAdil

[Alexmat1 9]

4 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

Begs the question  "hasn't the person abandoned his LPR status if he/she stays for 2 years  out of the country?"

I didnt mean I would stay out of the country, thats an assumption. I meant I would need to the keep the citizenship of the other country while staying in US.

8 hours ago, geowrian said:

I'm unaware of a hard time limit, but USCIS works at USCIS timelines. If they assign a date for the Oath, you need to provide a valid reason to delay it. Miss the ceremony and they may deny the N-400. Really it's supposed to be missing 2 ceremonies, though (https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-12-part-j-chapter-4).

 

Delaying it for several months to 2 years is likely impractical. Just because you passed the interview doesn't mean you couldn't later become ineligible (i.e. via a criminal offense or violation of GMC).

If you are unable or unwilling to naturalize on their schedule, honestly the best thing is to not start the process until you are ready.

Thanks. This was helpful, the reference to USCIS information pointing to missing ceremony. 

[JeanneAdil 6,491]

19 minutes ago, Alexmat1 said:

I didnt mean I would stay out of the country, thats an assumption. I meant I would need to the keep the citizenship of the other country while staying in US.

Thanks. This was helpful, the reference to USCIS information pointing to missing ceremony. 

 I am asking, since I might need many more months to settle some matters back in my country which needs me to be a citizen of that country till its accomplished. It could be easily   10 months to 2 years given the delays in government offices and what I am trying to achieve needs many approvals from the government offices.   

 

that statement implies you intend to stay 10 months to possible 2 years 

 

Please state exactly what you may need to do to get good replies here 

including the other country involved as the individuals from that country can best assist you

 

you may want to consider the following:

A reentry permit establishes that you did not intend to abandon status, and it allows you to apply for admission to the United States after traveling abroad for up to 2 years without having to obtain a returning resident visa. Reentry permits are normally valid for 2 years from the date of issuance.

 

As for the oath ceremony part that has been answered above 

Your document to take the oath has questions on the reverse side about "new possible " criminal activity which you sign at the oath itself so immigration covers that issue with those questions and the oath you will take

Good luck 

[Thunderbolt 172]

Do you have to renounce citizenship in your country before becoming USC? 

Even that your country doesn't recognize dual citizenship (which country?) it doesn't mean that you can't have two.

 

[cosmonauts 125]

58 minutes ago, Thunderbolt said:

Do you have to renounce citizenship in your country before becoming USC? 

Even that your country doesn't recognize dual citizenship (which country?) it doesn't mean that you can't have two.

 

Yes, this! It's worth finding out. Chile for example doesn't allow dual citizenship with the US but they don't ask you to renounce anything. You're just American in the US and Chilean in Chile but never both at the same time for legal purposes.

[MaleAlpha 314]

54 minutes ago, cosmonauts said:

Yes, this! It's worth finding out. Chile for example doesn't allow dual citizenship with the US but they don't ask you to renounce anything. You're just American in the US and Chilean in Chile but never both at the same time for legal purposes.

Similar to the US actually. U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one nationality or another. You are only a US citizen as far as the US is concerned. Your citizenship with another country has nothing to do with the US government unless of course you work for that foreign government. Honestly I don't see what the OP is worried about hence why it may make sense for them to disclose more e.g. the reason? which country? etc. Difficult giving vague information in a question and expecting to receive targeted answers.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

Well this is an “official” - if not legal - position on dual nationality insofar as it is published on the Dept of State website:

 

U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one nationality or another. A U.S. citizen may naturalize in a foreign state without any risk to his or her U.S. citizenship. However, persons who acquire a foreign nationality after age 18 by applying for it may relinquish their U.S. nationality if they wish to do so. In order to relinquish U.S. nationality by virtue of naturalization as a citizen of a foreign state, the law requires that the person must apply for the foreign nationality voluntarily and with the intention to relinquish U.S. nationality. Intent may be shown by the person’s statements and conduct.

Dual nationals owe allegiance to both the United States and the foreign country. They are required to obey the laws of both countries, and either country has the right to enforce its laws. It is important to note the problems attendant to dual nationality. Claims of other countries upon U.S. dual-nationals often place them in situations where their obligations to one country are in conflict with the laws of the other. In addition, their dual nationality may hamper efforts of the U.S. Government to provide consular protection to them when they are abroad, especially when they are in the country of their second nationality.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/travel-legal-considerations/Advice-about-Possible-Loss-of-US-Nationality-Dual-Nationality/Dual-Nationality.html

 

[Zaidba 39]

17 hours ago, Alexmat1 said:

Once the Citizenship interview is completed successfully, how long after that can one take the Oath, as in is there a deadline within which one needs to take the Oath , else you lose the opportunity and you have to start over again with the Citizenship process ?  I am asking, since I might need many more months to settle some matters back in my country which needs me to be a citizen of that country till its accomplished. It could be easily 10 months to 2 years given the delays in government offices and what I am trying to achieve needs many approvals from the government offices. So I am trying to see if its ok that I can take an Oath after 2 years though I completed my Citizenship interview.
Thanks

 

Assuming the possibility of delaying Oath for 2 years, when you come back you will be asked if you have travelled after your interview and how long did you stay outside the US. Here you will be outside US for more than six months and loose your eligibility for citizenship. I suggest that you consult an immigration lawyer before you take a decision.

[Ryan H 3,812]

***Post advocating deception by omission removed along with post quoting.***