PILLAR · OATH CEREMONY
Oath ceremony
After your N-400 interview is approved, USCIS schedules an oath ceremony. At the ceremony, you take the Oath of Allegiance to the United States and receive your Certificate of Naturalization. You become a U.S. citizen at that moment, not before.
Judicial vs. administrative oath
USCIS distinguishes two oath-ceremony formats:
Administrative
USCIS-administered
The default. The oath is administered by a USCIS officer at a field office or external venue. You receive the Certificate of Naturalization the same day.
Judicial
Court-administered
In some jurisdictions, applicants are scheduled before a federal district judge. The oath is administered in court. The substantive effect is the same — you become a citizen on the day of the oath — but the wait may be longer.
What happens between interview pass and oath
You receive Form N-445, Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony
Confirms ceremony date, time, and location. Bring it on the day.
Complete the back of Form N-445 the night before
You confirm that nothing material has changed since your interview (no international travel, no new arrests, no marital changes that affect eligibility).
Surrender your Green Card
At the ceremony, you give back your Permanent Resident Card. You receive your Certificate of Naturalization in exchange.
After the oath
You can apply for a U.S. passport (the most secure proof of citizenship; the Certificate of Naturalization is the legal proof but is awkward to carry). You can register to vote in federal, state, and local elections. You may need to update your Social Security record to reflect citizen status. Bring your Certificate of Naturalization to the SSA office for that update.
Source: USCIS Citizenship Resource Center.