questions about after-oath

[QueenofSwords 29]

Hi all, I have my interview coming up in 2.5 weeks. I know that the oath can take place a few weeks to a month or so after, but for some it's on the same day.

Thus, I may be putting the cart before the horse but I have several interrelated questions. 

First, what happens to one's USCIS online account after the oath is completed? does the account close automatically? do they issue any further documents under your documents tab, such as a photocopy/scanned copy of your naturalization certificate?

I am also asking because I hope to travel this summer--barring covid nightmares--and therefore would need a US passport for re-entry, (I will hold dual citizenship b/c my origin country explicitly recognizes it. I do know the US does *not* recognize dual -hence the giving up loyalties question on the civics exam--but also does not require that one relinquish another country's passport). Either way, I would need a US passport for re-entry given as we all relinquish our greencards after the oath is complete, or so I am told.

I further read that one needs to send the original copy of the naturalization certificate on the passport application. I worry that it'd get lost. I can create a scanned copy but that won't be the original. So, aren't we issued a digital copy of the certificate? (because we are issued all documents from USCIS such as the interview letter that are also accepted as official). 

 

Sorry for this bombardment. I hope that these questions are not confusing or constitute a barrage but any help here would be quite welcome. 

Edited December 25, 2020 by QueenofSwords

[Dashinka 24,157]

My wife’s USCIS account is still active even though she has not used it for years, but now we are submitting an I130 for her adult son.  She did not receive any further documents after the oath, and she did not receive a digital copy of the certificate.  She did get several emails after her oath stating something like there was action taken on her case or something like that, but those ended about two months after her oath.  As to the passport, she applied the next day at the passport office in Detroit.  In her case, since she was applying within 30 days of her oath, the passport office only made a copy of the certificate and did not keep it.  I am not sure if this is still the case, but if you apply for a passport at the post office, you will need to submit the original certificate, so I would suggest making a few copies, and taking a picture of it.  All ceremonies are a little different, but in my wife’s case a representative from the passport office came to the ceremony and explained everything, and since we had pending travel, we expedited the passport and my wife had it in about three days.

 

Good Luck!

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

Your account remains available even after the case is closed. No they do not issue a copy of the naturalization certificate, they only upload copies of generic bio, interview notices etc they send you.  The naturalization certificate is a totally different type of document. Yes you send in the original with your passport application. 

Edited December 25, 2020 by SusieQQQ

[BBlueB 35]

The account stays active.

For me it says "Certificate of Naturalization was issued"

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

5 hours ago, Dashinka said:

As to the passport, she applied the next day at the passport office in Detroit.  In her case, since she was applying within 30 days of her oath, the passport office only made a copy of the certificate and did not keep it.

Wow, I’ve never heard of this happening before. At our oath ceremony (old days when they packed a couple thousand people in) you could apply at the ceremony, but the certificate had to be handed in even though it was right there (obviously within 30 days), and yes the post offices definitely require it. (All documents have to have originals submitted for a first passport application.) The actual reason I didn’t do mine at the ceremony was I wanted to be able to make a copy first before handing it in. 

[Dashinka 24,157]

17 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

Wow, I’ve never heard of this happening before. At our oath ceremony (old days when they packed a couple thousand people in) you could apply at the ceremony, but the certificate had to be handed in even though it was right there (obviously within 30 days), and yes the post offices definitely require it. (All documents have to have originals submitted for a first passport application.) The actual reason I didn’t do mine at the ceremony was I wanted to be able to make a copy first before handing it in. 

Yeah, I am not sure if that was something just with the Detroit Passport Office, or something that was in place back in 2018.  When my wife applied for the passport the day after her oath ceremony (only about 90 participants at the oath), the clerk reviewed the application, and the naturalization certificate, made a copy of it, and had a supervisor approve the copy and handed the original back to my wife.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

28 minutes ago, Dashinka said:

Yeah, I am not sure if that was something just with the Detroit Passport Office, or something that was in place back in 2018.  When my wife applied for the passport the day after her oath ceremony (only about 90 participants at the oath), the clerk reviewed the application, and the naturalization certificate, made a copy of it, and had a supervisor approve the copy and handed the original back to my wife.

Possibly they could make a certified copy there, I presume the passport office is part of DoS (unlike the post office?). But I have also heard of people who had certified copies made at USCIS, and not being successful in trying to use those in place of the original. 

[NEW CITIZEN 151]

5 hours ago, SusieQQQ said:

Wow, I’ve never heard of this happening before. At our oath ceremony (old days when they packed a couple thousand people in) you could apply at the ceremony, but the certificate had to be handed in even though it was right there (obviously within 30 days), and yes the post offices definitely require it. (All documents have to have originals submitted for a first passport application.) The actual reason I didn’t do mine at the ceremony was I wanted to be able to make a copy first before handing it in. 

If you're applying "in person" at a Passport Office, they don't keep your NC, as they are THE people that verify.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

3 minutes ago, NEW CITIZEN said:

If you're applying "in person" at a Passport Office, they don't keep your NC, as they are THE people that verify.

Because they are part of Dept of State passport agency? That makes perfect sense then, so that is usually a good option for someone worried about getting their nat cert back. 
 

 

[Disteny 38]

19 hours ago, QueenofSwords said:

Hi all, I have my interview coming up in 2.5 weeks. I know that the oath can take place a few weeks to a month or so after, but for some it's on the same day.

Thus, I may be putting the cart before the horse but I have several interrelated questions. 

First, what happens to one's USCIS online account after the oath is completed? does the account close automatically? do they issue any further documents under your documents tab, such as a photocopy/scanned copy of your naturalization certificate?

I am also asking because I hope to travel this summer--barring covid nightmares--and therefore would need a US passport for re-entry, (I will hold dual citizenship b/c my origin country explicitly recognizes it. I do know the US does *not* recognize dual -hence the giving up loyalties question on the civics exam--but also does not require that one relinquish another country's passport). Either way, I would need a US passport for re-entry given as we all relinquish our greencards after the oath is complete, or so I am told.

I further read that one needs to send the original copy of the naturalization certificate on the passport application. I worry that it'd get lost. I can create a scanned copy but that won't be the original. So, aren't we issued a digital copy of the certificate? (because we are issued all documents from USCIS such as the interview letter that are also accepted as official). 

 

Sorry for this bombardment. I hope that these questions are not confusing or constitute a barrage but any help here would be quite welcome. 

My account still open ,  as everybody said here no digital certificate. Now for issuing a apssport for the first time you have to go to the post office and submit the original certificate, they don't accept photocopies. Now I receievd my passport two weeks ago but no news about my certificate, I am scared to death that it might get lost, I have to wait till after this holiday and see, because I need the certificate to update my social security and they aslo need the original and has to be mailed to them plus the social security card

[QueenofSwords 29]

Thank you everyone who has responded.

Sadly, there's no passport office where I live. When I look that up, the website just pulls the local post office.

I'd apply almost immediately after. I guess that if the document gets lost in the mail and I'm waiting forever for it, I'd apply to USCIS for a reissue.