U.S. Citizenship Interview – What happens after you pass it?

After you pass your U.S. citizenship interview (also called U.S.citizenship test), USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) will schedule you to take the Oath of Allegiance at a citizenship ceremony (also called naturalization ceremony). This is the last step before becoming a U.S. citizen.

After the U.S. citizenship interview – when and where will the citizenship ceremony take place?

If a citizenship ceremony is available, you might be able to attend it on the same day as your U.S. citizenship interview.

If not, USCIS will mail you a notice (Form N-445, Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony) stating where and when you have to present yourself for your ceremony. You might have to wait a few months to take the oath.

You must attend your citizenship ceremony. If you cannot attend your ceremony, you must notify USCIS by returning the form N-445 to your local USCIS office with a letter explaining why you cannot attend your ceremony. In this case, you will be mailed another notice at a later date. If you fail to appear at your ceremony more than once, you may be denied citizenship.

After the U.S. citizenship interview – what to bring to the ceremony?

You need to bring your N-445 form to the ceremony and all documents that this form tells you to bring. This form will be given to you either following your U.S. citizenship test or later, in the mail.

If there is more than one day between your test and your ceremony date, you will be asked to answer the questions included in your form N-445. These questions refer to actions since your test, not before your test. You must answer these questions before you arrive at the ceremony, but you must also answer them on the day of your ceremony. An example of questions being asked: “Have you traveled outside the United States?”

After the U.S. citizenship interview – what happens when you arrive at your ceremony?

When you arrive, you must check-in with a USCIS officer. It is best to arrive in advance of your ceremony time. The officer will review your answers to the N-445 questionnaire, collect all your paperwork, and determine you eligibility to attend the ceremony that day.

When you check-in, you must return your Permanent Resident Card as you will no longer need it after taking the Oath. The only exceptions are:

● You lost it and you have provided proof, during your U.S. citizenship interview, that you did your best to recover it

● You were never given Permanent Residence because of your military service.

After the U.S. citizenship interview – what happens during the ceremony?

During the ceremony, you will take the Oath of Allegiance. You are not a citizen until you take this Oath. An officer will read out each portion of the Oath and you will have to repeat the officer’s words. Taking the Oath means you swear that you will do what is pledged in the Oath.

The Oath of Allegiance is as follow: 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 non-combatant 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

What happens after the Oath of Allegiance?

You will become a U.S. citizen after you take the Oath of Allegiance. You will then be given your Certificate of Naturalization.

Make sure all the information on this Certificate is correct. You must inform an officer if there are any mistakes before leaving the ceremony.

Your Certificate of Naturalization is now your proof that you are a U.S. citizen.

Congratulations!

U.S. citizenship interview – Very Important

You only have two chances to pass your interview. If you fail any portion of the test in your second attempt your citizenship application will be denied. As a result, you must be well prepared for this test. We offer a FREE U.S. Citizenship Test complete online training program to help you pass your test. Good luck on your U.S. citizenship interview!