Modified Oath - Experiences - please help

[pp279]

Hi there,

I was just wondering if anyone has had any experience with citizenship based on requesting to take the modified Oath?

I applied for Citizenship in March 07 and I wrote a letter explaining my religious believes and requested to take the modified oath. I also had a letter from my church stating that my believes are longstanding and that as a member of the church we don't believe in bearing arms.

I was wondering what my chances are of my application being accepted.

Please could anyone let me know what experiences they have had with the modifed oath, and what they took with them to the interview assuming they received an interview.

Thanks

Paul

 

[McMahon]

Hi there,

I was just wondering if anyone has had any experience with citizenship based on requesting to take the modified Oath?

I applied for Citizenship in March 07 and I wrote a letter explaining my religious believes and requested to take the modified oath. I also had a letter from my church stating that my believes are longstanding and that as a member of the church we don't believe in bearing arms.

I was wondering what my chances are of my application being accepted.

Please could anyone let me know what experiences they have had with the modifed oath, and what they took with them to the interview assuming they received an interview.

Thanks

Paul

I believe your application stands on its merit, i.e. for just any other application the burden of proof is on the applicant, which means that you have to make you case for eligibility:
- contiruous residence
- physical presence
- good moral character
- attachment to the Constitution
- knowledge of English
- knowledge of history/civics

The matter of the modified oath is, from this point, only relevant if you are found to be eligible.

Since you indicated that you would like to take the modified oath, the IO will during the course of the interview determine whether this request is relevant. A good first step was for you to explain:
- that you personally want to take the modified oath
- that your church teches the beliefs you adhere to

Given this, someone would would really like to set to test your case (remember, it is your duty to make your point during the interview) would legitimately question whether this belief is sincere - by contrast to someone who would just ask for the modified oath but without the cincere belief. From this point of view, the IO is likely to wonder whether you regularly attend to this church.

This being said, the best way for you to make the point that it is a sincere belief would be to collect somoe evidence that you regularly attend this church, for example by:
- gathering week after week the leaflet they distribute
- getting various testimonies from members of this church (preferably elders) where they declare that you regularly attend this church and that you sincerely share the beliefs of the church
- if possible provide financial statements showing that you made regular contributions to this church.

This is not legal advice but moslty based on what I have read about the burden of prrf requirement.

 

[juergenor]

I also applied for the modified oath last year and can report that I had no problem with it. I supplied a one-page personal statement (religious beliefs) together with a letter from my pastor. I have also been a conscientious objector in my former country and provided some documentation.

The whole interview took about 10 minutes; the officer was aware of my request and instructed me to leave out the passage about bearing arms during the oath. He had no specific questions regarding my request.

Based on my experience I can only encourage others to stand for their personal beliefs. The US is a great country in this regard, there are clear rules regarding the modified oath.

Good luck – don’t worry, your are well prepared. Let us know how it went.