The U.S. Citizenship ceremony, also sometimes known as the oath ceremony, is the final stage of the U.S. citizenship process. In fact, it is at the US citizenship oath ceremony that you will become a citizen of the United States.
The oath ceremony will only happen once you have applied with the right USCIS US citizenship application forms and have completed the citizenship test and interview. If you succeed in your application, you will be informed of the date or time of your oath ceremony. When planning for your US citizenship oath ceremony, it is a good idea to prepare by doing the following:
1) Schedule the time for your oath ceremony. An oath ceremony itself will take about two hours and after the ceremony, there is usually a reception as well. In addition, you may want to go out to celebrate with friends and family afterward, so be sure to set aside enough time to really savor the experience. You have likely worked very hard to get to this stage of the US citizenship ceremony, so plan to enjoy it.
2) Invite friends and family to your US citizenship oath ceremony. An oath ceremony is generally open to the public, so feel free to invite friends, family, your employer, your sponsor for citizenship (if you had one) and anyone else who has supported you on your journey.
3) Prepare to dress well. Dress nicely for your oath ceremony. The ceremony itself will take place in a courtroom, and in order to show your respect to the court, judge, and others present yourself well. You do not need to dress formally, but be prepared to look well and to be dressed business casual or better. Keep in mind, too, that you may want to take photos after your US citizenship oath ceremony, so keep this in mind when deciding on your clothing.
4) Read about the oath ceremony. Get a good sense of the oath ceremony by reading about it or by watching videos of past ceremonies online. Your ceremony will include live entertainment, speeches, an oath administered to you and other applicants, and a reception. Knowing what to expect will make you more comfortable with the process.
5) Be prepared to take your citizenship package home. At a US citizenship oath ceremony, new citizens are given a citizenship package, which includes documentation about citizenship, a US flag, and other items.
