The naturalization oath ceremony: what to expect and what to do next

Many people walk out of their citizenship interview saying “I’m a citizen!” They are almost there, but not yet. Under U.S. law, a person becomes a citizen through naturalization only by taking the Oath of Allegiance in a public ceremony. Until that moment you are still a permanent resident, with all the same rules about travel and documents. This guide explains the last step so it goes smoothly.

When the ceremony happens

There are two ways the oath can be scheduled:

Type	How it works
Same-day oath	If the officer approves your case at the interview and the office has a ceremony that day, you may be asked to leave and come back a few hours later to take the oath.
Scheduled ceremony	USCIS mails you Form N-445, Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony, with a date, time and place. This can be a few weeks or a few months after the interview, depending on your area.

Most ceremonies are held at the USCIS field office where you had your interview. Some are larger events in a courthouse, a school or a public venue, especially around holidays like Independence Day and Constitution Day (September 17). If you asked for a legal name change on your N-400, your ceremony may be in a federal court, because in many places only a judge can approve the change.

Form N-445 and its questionnaire

The N-445 notice is more than an invitation. The back of the form has a short questionnaire about what has happened since your interview. It asks, for example, whether you have:

• travelled outside the United States,
• been arrested, cited or detained by any law enforcement officer,
• married, divorced or become widowed,
• joined any organisation, or
• claimed exemption from military service.

Answer every question honestly and sign it on the day of the ceremony, not before. A “yes” answer does not automatically stop your ceremony, but the officer will ask about it. Hiding something is far more serious than explaining it.

If your oath is on the same day as your interview, you usually will not get a separate N-445 in advance. The officer handles the questions at check-in.

What to bring

1. Your N-445 notice with the questionnaire completed and signed.
2. Your green card (Permanent Resident Card). You hand it in at check-in and do not get it back. If it was lost or stolen, bring a police report or the documents the officer asked for at your interview.
3. Any reentry permits or refugee travel documents, valid or expired. These are also collected.
4. A government photo ID, such as a state ID or driver’s licence.
5. Any other documents listed on your notice.

Dress respectfully. The ceremony is a formal event, and officials usually ask applicants to avoid jeans, shorts and flip-flops. Arrive at the check-in time on your notice, not the ceremony time; check-in can take a while.

What happens on the day

1. Check-in. An officer reviews your N-445 answers, may ask a few questions, and collects your green card and travel documents.
2. Waiting and seating. New citizens sit together; guests usually sit separately. Most ceremonies welcome family and friends, but some locations limit the number of guests, so check first.
3. The ceremony. It typically includes welcome remarks, a call of the countries represented, a video message, and the Oath of Allegiance, which everyone says together, repeating it phrase by phrase after the officer or judge. Many ceremonies end with the Pledge of Allegiance and the national anthem.
4. Certificates. You receive your Certificate of Naturalization, often by name, one by one.

The whole event usually takes one to three hours, including check-in. Phones are usually allowed for photos at the end; follow the instructions at your location.

The Oath of Allegiance

You do not need to memorise the oath. The officer or judge reads it in short parts and you repeat them. The text, from federal regulations (8 CFR 337.1), is:

I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.

Some applicants may take a modified oath. People with religious objections can leave out “so help me God” or the parts about bearing arms, if USCIS approved this at the interview. You can ask for this during your interview.

The oath is also on the test. Question 67 on the 2025 civics test asks you to name two promises new citizens make in the Oath of Allegiance, such as giving up loyalty to other countries or defending the Constitution.

Your Certificate of Naturalization

The Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550) is proof that you are a citizen. Check it before you leave the building: your name, date of birth, country of birth and other details. If USCIS made a mistake, tell the staff right away. Corrections for USCIS errors are free, but they take longer once you have left.

Keep the certificate somewhere safe and dry, and do not laminate, fold or write on it. Replacing a lost or damaged certificate requires Form N-565 and a fee, and takes months. You will need the original for your first passport application, so keep it flat until then.

If you cannot attend

If you cannot go on the scheduled date, return the N-445 notice to your local USCIS office with a letter explaining why you cannot attend and asking for a new date. Do not simply stay home. Under the regulations, if you fail to appear for more than two scheduled ceremonies without good cause, USCIS can treat your application as abandoned and deny it.

Also remember: until you take the oath you are still a permanent resident. If you travel abroad before the ceremony, you still travel with your green card, and you must report the trip on the N-445 questionnaire.

Your first week as a citizen

• Register to vote. Many ceremonies have volunteers or officials ready to help you register on the spot. You can also register through vote.gov or your state election office. Note that registration deadlines apply before each election.
• Apply for a U.S. passport. It is the best everyday proof of citizenship and is needed for international travel as a citizen. You send your original certificate with the application; it is returned to you.
• Update your Social Security record. Your record should show that you are a citizen. Contact the Social Security Administration to update it.
• Your children may already be citizens. Children under 18 who hold green cards and live with you in your legal and physical custody may become citizens automatically when you naturalize. They can document this with a U.S. passport or Form N-600.

Citizenship also brings responsibilities you learned about while studying: voting, serving on a jury when called and staying informed. For a reminder of how you got here, see our guides to how to pass the citizenship test and what happens at the interview. Congratulations in advance.