What happens when you take the oath?

When the applicant takes the Oath of Allegiance, the applicant becomes a U.S. citizen at that very moment, and the change of legal status is immediate. The legal mechanism is set out in section 337(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which provides that a person becomes a U.S. citizen "in such public ceremony as the Secretary of Homeland Security may by regulation prescribe." Citizenship vests at the completion of the oath, not at the issuance of the certificate or any later step.

The practical consequences are immediate. The new citizen surrenders the Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) at the ceremony, because lawful permanent resident status terminates upon naturalization. The new citizen receives a Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550) on the same day, which is the legal proof of citizenship and is required to apply for a U.S. passport.

The new citizen gains the rights of citizens from that moment, including the right to vote in federal elections (subject to state voter registration deadlines), the right to a U.S. passport, the right to file Form I-130 petitions for foreign relatives with priority over those filed by lawful permanent residents, the right to run for federal office (except the presidency, reserved for natural-born citizens), the right to serve on a federal jury, and protection from deportation. The new citizen also assumes the duties of citizenship: obeying federal, state, and local laws, paying taxes, registering for Selective Service if a male aged 18 to 25, and serving on a jury when called. Many new citizens proceed directly from the ceremony to register to vote and to apply for a passport at the post office or passport office.