What happens at the oath ceremony?

When is the oath ceremony?

After U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approves your Form N-400, you take the Oath of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony. You are not a citizen until you take the oath.

• It may be the same day. Some offices hold ceremonies on the day of the interview.
• Otherwise, you get a notice. USCIS mails you Form N-445, Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony, with the date, time, and place. If you filed online, the notice also appears in your account.

Before scheduling you, USCIS does an internal quality review of approved cases. It won't schedule the oath if it finds information that could make you ineligible, until that's resolved.

What kinds of ceremonies are there?

There are two kinds, according to USCIS:

Changing your name. You can ask the court that performs your ceremony to legally change your name, which is why the N-400 has a name change question. The Policy Manual says the change isn't final until you naturalize.

What should I do before the ceremony?

• Fill out the questionnaire. Form N-445 includes questions for you to answer. USCIS asks you to complete them before you arrive. An officer reviews and updates your answers at check-in.
• Bring your green card. You must turn it in at check-in, along with any travel documents USCIS issued you. USCIS waives the card requirement if you proved at your interview that it was lost and you tried to recover it.
• Bring your notice. Follow any extra instructions USCIS sends for your ceremony.
• Check what you can't bring. Federal properties ban some items, and USCIS points to the Federal Protective Service's list.

Keep living by the requirements until the oath. USCIS can reopen an approved case if new information shows you may not be eligible.

What happens at the ceremony?

1. You check in

   An officer reviews your N-445 answers, confirms you're still eligible, and collects your green card.

2. You take the Oath of Allegiance

   The oath is given in English, even if you were exempt from the English test. You may bring an interpreter to interpret it for you.

3. You become a citizen

   You become a U.S. citizen once you take the oath.

4. You receive your Certificate of Naturalization

   This is your official proof of citizenship.

At administrative ceremonies, USCIS may hand out a welcome packet, an American flag, and the booklet Important Information for New Citizens. You'll also get a voter registration application, and the welcome packet includes a passport application.

What does the oath say?

You promise to give up allegiance to any foreign country, to support and defend the Constitution and laws, and to serve the country if the law requires it. You can read the full text in the Policy Manual.

There are a few ways the oath can be changed:

No one can be excused from the promise to do work of national importance under civilian direction. If you hold a title of nobility, you must give it up as part of the oath.

What should I do with my certificate?

Check it before you leave. USCIS asks you to review it carefully and tell USCIS about any errors before leaving the ceremony.

Keep it safe. It's official proof that you're a citizen. USCIS says you need the original, plus a photocopy, to apply for a U.S. passport. See our guide to what to do after becoming a citizen.

If you find a mistake later. If USCIS made a typing or clerical error, you can ask for a corrected certificate with Form N-565, and send the original incorrect certificate. As of November 2026, there's no fee for errors caused by USCIS.

If you lose it, or your name changes later. You can apply for a replacement with Form N-565, which costs $505 online or $555 on paper. For a later legal name change, you send proof of the change. The regulations say USCIS won't correct a name or birth date just because you now say the one you gave when you naturalized was wrong.

What if I can't go to my ceremony?

Return your Form N-445 to your local USCIS office, with a letter asking for a new date and explaining why you can't attend.

Missing more than one ceremony is serious. The Policy Manual says USCIS treats missing at least two without good cause as abandoning your application. It then sends you a notice reopening your case. As of November 2026, you have 15 days to respond with a good reason, or USCIS may deny your application.

If something changes between your interview and the ceremony, such as an arrest or a long trip, talk to a legal professional before the ceremony.