Oath ceremony and afterward

After your N-400 is approved, the final step to becoming a U.S. citizen is the Oath of Allegiance. You do not become a citizen until you take the oath. This page explains the ceremony day, the oath text, your first U.S. passport, voter registration, updating your Social Security record, and other tasks to complete after becoming a citizen. For notification on the Türkiye side, see 4.5 Dual citizenship: What to do on the Türkiye side.

• The ceremony may take place on the same day as your interview. If it cannot, USCIS will notify you by mail of the ceremony date, time, and location using Form N-445. If you applied online, the notice will also appear in your account.
• If you cannot attend the ceremony: Send the N-445 to your local USCIS office together with a letter requesting a new date and explaining the reason.
• Failing to attend the ceremony more than once may result in denial of your application.
• There are two types of ceremonies:
  • Judicial ceremony: the court administers the oath.
  • Administrative ceremony: USCIS administers the oath.
• Name change: If you requested a name change on your N-400, the change becomes final only at a ceremony conducted by a court.

1. Complete the questions on the back of the N-445 before the ceremony.
2. When you arrive at the ceremony, check in with USCIS. An officer will review your answers on the N-445.
3. Surrender your green card. This is not required if you documented at the interview that the card was lost.
4. Take the Oath of Allegiance. From this moment, you are a U.S. citizen.
5. Receive your Certificate of Naturalization. Check information such as your name and date of birth before leaving the ceremony location; immediately notify USCIS if there is an error.
6. You may be given a U.S. passport application form and a voter registration form at the ceremony.
7. Do not bring items prohibited in federal buildings, such as weapons, knives, or pepper spray.

• In the oath, you generally promise to:
  • renounce allegiance to foreign states to which you were previously bound;
  • support and defend the U.S. Constitution and laws;
  • when required by law, bear arms on behalf of the United States, perform noncombatant military service, or perform work of national importance under civilian direction.
• “On oath” instead of “solemnly affirm”: For any reason, without showing documentation, you may say “I solemnly affirm” instead of “I swear” and omit the phrase “so help me God.”
• Religious or conscientious objection: You may request that the section on bearing arms or performing noncombatant military service be removed. The section on performing work of national importance under civilian direction cannot be removed.
• Exemption due to disability: An exemption from the oath may be possible for people who cannot understand or express its meaning; a legal guardian or authorized representative handles the procedures.

• For your first passport, apply in person using Form DS-11: at a passport acceptance facility or by appointment at a passport agency. The mail-in renewal form (DS-82) cannot be used for a first passport.
• What to bring:
  • the original and a photocopy of your citizenship document; the original will be returned to you after review;
  • photo ID, such as a driver's license, and a photocopy of both sides;
  • one color photo taken within the last 6 months, 2x2 inches, with a white background and without glasses;
  • a completed but unsigned DS-11. You will sign the form in front of the acceptance agent.
• Fees (federal fee schedule, 22 CFR 22.1):
  • adult passport book: $130 ($50 application fee + $80 security surcharge);
  • adult passport card: $30;
  • in-person application (execution) fee: $35; paid separately to the acceptance facility;
  • expedited processing: $60.
• Book or card? The passport book is valid for all types of international travel. The passport card is valid only for entry by land and sea from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean; it is not valid for international air travel.
• You can track your application on the passport status page.
• Until your passport arrives, your citizenship document is official proof of your citizenship.

• After taking the oath, you may vote in federal, state, and local elections. You must register to vote first.
• How to register:
  • Select your state at vote.gov; depending on your state, you will be shown how to register online, by mail, or in person;
  • Complete the National Mail Voter Registration Form and mail it according to your state's instructions;
  • You may also register at the DMV when obtaining or renewing your driver's license.
• Required documents and registration deadlines vary by state. Most states require driver's license or state ID information.
• You will be given a voter registration form after the oath. Since August 31, 2026, at administrative ceremonies, when no state or local election office is available, nonpartisan nonprofit organizations may also register voters.
• If you live outside the United States, use the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) website for registration and voting by mail.

• If you gave permission in the Social Security section of the N-400 (Part 2, Question 12), USCIS sends your information to the Social Security Administration (SSA) after the oath. SSA updates your record to “U.S. citizen” and can issue a new card if you want one.
• If you did not give permission, update your record yourself: complete Form SS-5 and submit or mail it to an SSA office in person. You generally need to wait at least 10 days after the ceremony.
• If your employer uses E-Verify, an outdated record may affect employment authorization verification.
• SSA phone: +1 800 772 1213.
• For details, see 5.3 How to obtain a Social Security number (SSN).

• Your children: Children under 18 on the day of the oath who have green cards and live with you may have automatically become citizens. See 4.6 Children.
• Bringing family members: According to USCIS, petitions filed by U.S. citizens for family members are generally prioritized, and citizens may petition for a broader group of relatives. See 3.2 Green card through family.
• Driver's license: If your name has changed or you have moved, update your state's DMV record.
• Jury duty: Only citizens serve on federal juries; if summoned, participating is a citizenship responsibility.
• Military registration: Men between 18 and 25 must be registered with Selective Service even if they are citizens.
• Protect your citizenship document: If the document is lost or stolen, request a replacement using Form N-565. The fee is $555 (paper) or $505 (online). No fee is charged if the error was caused by USCIS. Until the replacement arrives, you can use your U.S. passport as proof of citizenship.
• Your records in Türkiye: Your Turkish citizenship does not end automatically, but you must notify the authorities. See 4.5 Dual citizenship: What to do on the Türkiye side.

• Citizenship may be revoked by court order if it was obtained through illegal means or by knowingly concealing important information or making a false statement.
• On September 14, 2026, USCIS published a new policy on the circumstances and priority under which it will refer cases for denaturalization proceedings.
• When you file a new petition as a citizen, such as for your family, USCIS also reviews whether you properly obtained citizenship.
• For this reason, it is important to answer every question completely and truthfully on the N-400 and at the interview. If you have concerns, consult an immigration attorney.

• USCIS Contact Center — ceremony date, citizenship document, N-565
  • Phone: +1 800 375 5283 (TTY +1 800 767 1833); from outside the United States +1 212 620 3418
  • Live assistance: Monday–Friday, 08:00–20:00 (U.S. Eastern Time)
• National Passport Information Center (NPIC) — passport applications and status
  • Phone: +1 877 487 2778 (TDD/TTY +1 888 874 7793)
  • Email: NPIC@state.gov
  • Web: travel.state.gov – Passports
• Social Security Administration (SSA) — record updates
  • Phone: +1 800 772 1213
  • Web: ssa.gov
• Voter registration — vote.gov; for people abroad, fvap.gov

• Buying an international ticket for immediately after the ceremony date.
• Failing to notice an error in the citizenship document at the ceremony and later having to pay for a correction.
• Not bringing the original citizenship document to the passport application or signing the DS-11 in advance.
• Using a photo in which you are wearing glasses.
• Registering to vote before taking the oath.
• Forgetting to update your SSA record.
• Failing to notify the Turkish authorities of multiple citizenship.

• When exactly do I become a citizen? The moment you take the oath. An approval decision or ceremony notice does not make you a citizen.
• Can I keep my green card? No. You surrender it to USCIS at the ceremony.
• Can I travel to Türkiye before my passport arrives? U.S. citizens must use a U.S. passport when departing from and entering the United States. Do not plan travel before your passport is issued.
• Can I get both the passport book and card? Yes. You can apply for both together using DS-11; the book and card fees are paid separately.
• Is voter registration mandatory? No. However, registration is required to vote. Registration rules vary by state.
• I lost my citizenship document. Request a replacement using Form N-565. In the meantime, your U.S. passport is proof of citizenship.
• Can I change my name at the ceremony? If you requested it on the N-400, the name change becomes final at a judicial ceremony.

• Form DS-11 passport application and instructions (PDF)
• Passport status
• National Mail Voter Registration Form (PDF)
• vote.gov · FVAP – voting from abroad
• Form SS-5 Social Security card application (PDF)
• Form N-565 (PDF) · Instructions (PDF)
• The Citizen's Almanac M-76 (PDF)
• USCIS – New U.S. citizens
• USCIS fee schedule G-1055 (PDF)
• Related: 4.5 Dual citizenship: What to do on the Türkiye side · 4.6 Children · 10.7 Departure from and return to the United States