Naturalization Oath Ceremonies
We received a question a while back on The Beacon about naturalization ceremonies, and thought it might be good to clarify a few things. Under the law, U.S. Federal courts have the right to exclusively administer the oath of allegiance. Some courts have waived this right and allow USCIS to administer the oath of allegiance.
If you attend a ceremony in which the court administers the oath of allegiance, this is called a judicial ceremony. An oath administered by USCIS is called an administrative ceremony.
You will have a judicial ceremony if you live in an area that is under the exclusive jurisdiction of the court. Because USCIS field offices often service more than one state or more than one court district, different applicants may have different types of ceremonies, depending on where they live. For example, the Washington Field Office services both the District of Columbia and parts of Virginia. If an applicant lives in DC, he or she will have a judicial ceremony, while applicants from Virginia may have an administrative ceremony.
You will also have a judicial ceremony if you indicate on your Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, that you would like to change your name. Your name change must be approved by a judge; therefore, your name change will be changed at a judicial ceremony.
Offices that conduct administrative ceremonies may have same-day naturalization ceremonies. USCIS will post on its field office web pages which offices have same-day ceremonies when we revise the pages in the coming months.
Finally, you may have a judicial ceremony even if you do not live in an area under the exclusive jurisdiction of the court if it is a special ceremony or if it is convenient for the office to schedule you for a judicial ceremony. Similarly, you may have an administrative ceremony in certain circumstances if you are not changing your name and the court has waived its right to administer the oath as a one-time event or under special circumstances.
Please also note that the court does not have the exclusive right to administer the oath of allegiance in certain military naturalization cases.
Labels: Citizenship
posted by USCIS Blog Team @ 3:59 PM
18 Comments
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18 Comments:
This information is helpful.
However, I have a follow up question:
- My wife will be applying for Naturalization based on being married to a US Citizen (myself) for 3 years. We also have a marraige cert. She intends to change her name during the Nat process.
On the N-400 form if she selects the option to legally change her name during naturalization, will the USCIS or Courts, give you a separate document (apart from the Nat Cert with the new name) that states "the persons name has been changed from "ABC" to "XYZ"? Will we get a separate "court order of name change" document. The reason I ask this is because when changing the name on driver's license and other places, they require this document. I have heard that some times the USCIS just issues the Nat Cert with new name based on Marriage Cert and don't issue the "court order of name change" document.
I would greatly appreciate it if you could provide this answer in this blog. Thank you.
The Blog states: "You will also have a judicial ceremony if you indicate on your Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, that you would like to change your name. Your name change must be approved by a judge; therefore, your name change will be changed at a judicial ceremony." Where the USCIS offers an administrative ceremony in my jurisdiction, may I request and receive a judicial ceremony or do I need to provide a court ordered name change document at the administrative ceremony?
After the naturalization interview on December 12 (in Louisville), I received the form N-652. It said that my application has been recommended for approval. Today is January 31 and I haven't received any document about the date for the naturalization ceremony. Why is taking so long? I know people who hay the ceremony after the interview. On February 7th, will be 5 months since I sent the form N-400.
WHY WE CAN NOT CHECK OUR CERMONY DAY ONLINE?
@ anonymous posting from January 30: The answer is "yes" - a person in that scenario does get a document showing the legal name change along with his/her natz certificate.
I am scheduled to attend my naturalization ceremony at the end of this month. I cannot find any instructions as to how many guests can attend. Any idea where I can find this information. It would be helpful if this was detailed on form N-445?
We were recommended for approval at the interview on January 3 pending name change. The name change was approved on January 13 and we were placed in Que for the ceremony. It's February 9 and we still haven't received anything. I know there were a number of ceremonies since then. Why is it taking so long?
It takes long to be scheduled for a judicial ceremony because they are not held as often as the administrative ceremony. Where I live the judicial ceremonies are held only twice a year. But here is a little thing you guys might not know: You can request a federal judge to perform a ceremony just for you. Federal judged are public officials and is within their power to perform these ceremonies and within your right to request one. This is what I am doing, and I after being interviewed in November and approved for a name change just a week later, I am finally getting my citizenship because I took matters into my own hands and because of the great expertise and help of my lawyer. So, if you cannot wait months, like me since I need to be reunited with my husband working for the US Government overseas, try the route of an individual judicial ceremony. The easiest way is to google the federal courthouse of the district where the USCIS office is or of the district where you live, and call the federal judges chambers one by one and ask politely. Eventually one of them will accept the request.
Good luck fellow future citizen!
I was recommended for approval more than 3 months ago, and still waiting for my oath ceremony. I suggest that USCIS put a maximum wait ler us say 60 days after recommended approval, after that the candidate gets to nearest court for oath ceremony . Please consider that as this will lift the burden on many individual and families. Thank you
"I am scheduled to attend my naturalization ceremony at the end of this month. I cannot find any instructions as to how many guests can attend. Any idea where I can find this information. It would be helpful if this was detailed on form N-445?"
When I atended my ceremony earlier this month, most people bring 2-3 relatives, but there were exceptions, some guy bring like 10 relatives with him. Not sure if you can find this info online, but if I were you I would call the court or USCIS office where you would be attending to double check.
I applied for my citizenship and since my birth certificate was in Spanish due to my grandmothers descent. But my real name was taken from a Belgian heroin. My concern is I have not used that spanish name in my school records,nor citizsenship from Canada nor my 6 passports that I have used to go around the world and upon getting my green card here. How come now I have to be sworn on a judicial way when I believe my real name is what is on my drivers license, green card and original canandian passport. Pls advise Thank you
My application was put in oath scheduling ceremony almost 4 months ago, I called the USCIS customer service and a service request was placed, I was told to call back if I no response in 15 days, so I called back and was told by customer service representative, that my application was approved and I should wait for the scheduling. In my area at least 2 ceremonies are taking place. and of coarse I can not travel in or outside the country for more that one week because I am afraid to miss the oath ceremony in case it was scheduled and i an away. Please advise what to do and if there a way to speed up this important step. Thank you very much.
Dear UCSIS,
I requested a name change on my N-400 application, but I only received my certificate of naturalization after the oath ceremony. I did not get a separate document showing my legal name change. DMV is asking me to show court order of name change in order to update my name on driver license. Should I contact my local field office for not getting the court order of name change? Please advise me on this issue.
Anyone know how long it takes for a judicial ceremony in atlanta georgia, it is almost 4months am in oat schelduling ceremony.
I am married to U.S. citizen and will be submitting form N-400 soon. I would like to change my complete name to something other than my husbands last name. Can this be done during the process of getting U.S. Citizenship.
Anyone knows how long does it take for a judicial ceremony in Dallas, Texas? I have been in the oath scheduling que for almost two months now and I have not received anything. Also, since I am changing my name, do I need to ask for additional documents aside from the certificate? Thanks
The same usual problem with others about changing of name. I also received my certificate of naturalization with my original/old name written during oath taking , prior on that they did not informed me on where and when can I attend the court ceremony so that my change name will approve by judge.
Hello,
After l did my citizenship interview l passed the test and the officer congratulated me and recommended for approval and she said they will mail me letter to report where l will do my oak of ceremony. How long it will take to get feedback? and l am planning to go for trip outside the country in two months time. What can l do? Can l get my citizenship before l go for the trip or not?
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