Can you refuse the oath?

Yes, an applicant may refuse to take the Oath of Allegiance, but doing so means the applicant cannot become a U.S. citizen and the application for naturalization fails. Section 337 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and 8 CFR section 337 require the oath as the final, indispensable step of naturalization, and the law provides no path to citizenship without it.

If an approved applicant decides not to attend the ceremony or refuses the oath at the ceremony itself, USCIS will not issue a Certificate of Naturalization, and the applicant remains a lawful permanent resident with the same rights and obligations as before applying. The applicant does not lose lawful permanent resident status by refusing to naturalize. In rare cases USCIS may treat repeated refusals as withdrawal of the application or as a ground for denial; the regulations at 8 CFR section 335.5 allow USCIS to administratively close cases where the applicant has not appeared for the oath after reasonable opportunities.

Two situations are different from outright refusal. First, an applicant whose religious training and belief prohibits bearing arms may take a modified oath under 8 CFR section 337.1(b), which is not a refusal but a conscientious-objector accommodation. Second, an applicant who has scheduling or medical reasons cannot attend may request a continuance using Form N-445 to reschedule. Outright refusal at the oath ceremony is rare, and applicants who later change their mind can refile a new Form N-400 with the same eligibility and timing requirements as any other applicant.