Question about Passport

[Ladybuggy]

I am about to take my Interview and I have been a member here for quite some time and lurk all the time.
Here is my question ...

I see that people appy right away for a Passport after they take their Oath. Is that something you have to do ?
I know I would have to make some changes like go to the Social Security Office and stuff and is the Certificate good enough or do I need to make all those changes with a Passport ?

 

[warlord]

After you successfully get your Oath Ceremony and finish it, then you can decide what you want to do. You don't even have to get a passport if you don't want to, however you will not be able to travel back into the US without one.

Take your Naturalization Cert after you get your oath and that's all you need to change the social security. Nice to get that out of the way as you just have to hand it over, and they will give it back. Then if you want a passport go do that whenever you wish. They will take your Nat. Cert for that, so this is why it's good to get the Social Security out of the way.

But you are under no obligation to get a passport if you don't want one. It's a good thing, but not required...

 

[Huracan]

I think that was a pretty good answer
Passport is a more common and more easily accepted form of ID and citizenship proof than the naturalization certificate. I believe for example that the naturalization certificate has been dropped from the list A of accepted documents for the I-9 employee immigration form. However, this is not all that important, as you can proof your eligibility for employment through other documents in the list. Definitely there is no obligation or real need to get the passport as long as you don't want to travel outside the U.S., but it is a more compact and convenient citizenship proof, and if you have the urge to travel you don't have to worry about getting the passport in a hurry, they last 10 years, which is nice. That's longer than in many other countries.

 

[McMahon]

While you have your new Naturalization Certificate and show it to the Social Security Administration, you may make a notarized copy (for example you go to the USPS Store or your bank where they have a Notary Public able to make a photocopy and affix their Notary Public raised stamp). This notarized copy is the best evidence that you are a Naturalized citien while your passport is being processed. It can also be useful in the very rare case the Passport Agency misplaces either your whole passport application or just the Naturalization certificate.
I am seriously contemplating making a notarized copy of my Naturalization Certificate on the day I am taking the Oath (10/26 )

If you are not in a hurry to travel, you may just file for normal non-expedited passport processing. With the end of summer vacation, the number of passport applications has significantly decreased and the regular processing time is getting quite OK.
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Detroit DO - NSC
03/19/01 LPR
03/16/07 N-400 sent to NSC
03/20/07 Priority Date
03/23/07 Notice of Action letter received
03/23/07 FP letter received
04/12/07 FP done
07/20/07 Interview Letter Received
09/19/07 Interview passed
10/26/07 Oath Date