what are the documents required for the Oath Ceremony?

[madgu-gc2005]

Hi folks,

Today I received the Oath letter and it is on June 27, 2012. The oath letter says bring the following with you

GC, Oath letter and Any immigration document you man have

What does it mean by 'Any immigration document you may have'?

I appreciate your input.

 

[baikal3]

Hi folks,

Today I received the Oath letter and it is on June 27, 2012. The oath letter says bring the following with you

GC, Oath letter and Any immigration document you man have

What does it mean by 'Any immigration document you may have'?

I appreciate your input.

Basically, you can ignore the "Any immigration document you may have" part. If you have something like old reentry permits, old EADs etc, bring those (but even if you don't bring them, it's not a big deal). The main thing is to bring your green card (which will be taken away before the oath ceremony) and the oath letter.

 

[madgu-gc2005]

Basically, you can ignore the "Any immigration document you may have" part. If you have something like old reentry permits, old EADs etc, bring those (but even if you don't bring them, it's not a big deal). The main thing is to bring your green card (which will be taken away before the oath ceremony) and the oath letter.

Thanks Baikal. Do I need to carry my passport too?

 

[rjackal]

How about old expired greencards? I have one that expired in 2006 and was replaced with my current one. Will USCIS want that back too, or can I keep it as a souvenir?

 

[Marusia_GC]

How about old expired greencards? I have one that expired in 2006 and was replaced with my current one. Will USCIS want that back too, or can I keep it as a souvenir?

When I had my interview, the IO has taken away my three EAD cards and corresponding APs, which I never used while being in AOS. She said I would not need them anyway, and I saw she put them in my file. I guess the same would have been with old GCs, though mine is the first and only. I would have taken copies of all of these documents and keep them in secure place - just in case.

 

[baikal3]

How about old expired greencards? I have one that expired in 2006 and was replaced with my current one. Will USCIS want that back too, or can I keep it as a souvenir?

If you bring your old expired greencards to the oath and give them to the IO doing the check-in, he/she will take them.
But if you don't bring them, they won't be specifically asked for - only your current green card will be asked for.

 

[baikal3]

Thanks Baikal. Do I need to carry my passport too?

Generally, no, you don't need to bring your passport (and it certainly won't be taken away if you do bring it).

If you had some foreign travel between the interview date and the oath date, you might want to bring the passport anyway, in case the IO may want to look at the passport stamps related to that trip. But if the time period between the interview and the oath is pretty short, I would not bother with the passport anyway.

 

[Vorpal]

How about old expired greencards? I have one that expired in 2006 and was replaced with my current one. Will USCIS want that back too, or can I keep it as a souvenir?

I had an old GC (the laminated one) that I kept as a souvenir. The main concern of USCIS is the current GC. I also handed in an expired re-entry permit, but could have kept that as well, if I wanted to.

 

[madgu-gc2005]

Generally, no, you don't need to bring your passport (and it certainly won't be taken away if you do bring it).

If you had some foreign travel between the interview date and the oath date, you might want to bring the passport anyway, in case the IO may want to look at the passport stamps related to that trip. But if the time period between the interview and the oath is pretty short, I would not bother with the passport anyway.

Thank you Baikal for your feedback.

 

[IPC302]

i 94

Thank you Baikal for your feedback.

Since we are on this topic ..what about I -94 .

My last entry to US was in 2004 on H1B .. I never left US after that .. applied N400 in April end .. just finished my FP .
So I still have my I -94 from 2004 ... I thought I will return it at airline counter when I go out of US next time .. but after reading this
thread I'm wondering whether to carry it when I go for my oath ceremony

any feedback will be really appreciated !!!

 

[-me-]

Since we are on this topic ..what about I -94 .

My last entry to US was in 2004 on H1B .. I never left US after that .. applied N400 in April end .. just finished my FP .
So I still have my I -94 from 2004 ... I thought I will return it at airline counter when I go out of US next time .. but after reading this
thread I'm wondering whether to carry it when I go for my oath ceremony

any feedback will be really appreciated !!!

Don't bother about I-94. It became obsolete at the moment you got your GC. Trying to return it now would be like pulling your H1-b visa at CBP. Next time you fly out, show the GC at the counter. Or a passport, if you get your citizenship by then. As an option, you can bring all your old immigration documents at the oath, but... don't overcomplicate the situation.

P.S. I still keep my old I-94... sort of souvenir from old good days

 

[madgu-gc2005]

Generally, no, you don't need to bring your passport (and it certainly won't be taken away if you do bring it).

If you had some foreign travel between the interview date and the oath date, you might want to bring the passport anyway, in case the IO may want to look at the passport stamps related to that trip. But if the time period between the interview and the oath is pretty short, I would not bother with the passport anyway.

Will there be a booth for updating SSN card? I never updated even after I got my GC. Is there any procedure to do that?

 

[rjackal]

Will there be a booth for updating SSN card? I never updated even after I got my GC. Is there any procedure to do that?

I don't think they have SS services at the oath, only Passport.
You will need to fill out a form and visit your local Social Security office after you get your Certificate of Naturalization or Passport.
http://ssa.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm

Click on Adult - Replacement - Foreign Born US Citizen boxes along the top (assuming you are updating an existing SS number to remove employment restrictions)

 

[madgu-gc2005]

I don't think they have SS services at the oath, only Passport.
You will need to fill out a form and visit your local Social Security office after you get your Certificate of Naturalization or Passport.
http://ssa.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm

Click on Adult - Replacement - Foreign Born US Citizen boxes along the top (assuming you are updating an existing SS number to remove employment restrictions)

Thanks rjackal for the link. Once you submit the application along with the naturalization certificate and the current SSN card at the local SSA office, will SSA send a new card or they will make correction in the existing card.

Thanks

 

[rjackal]

Will SSA send a new card or they will make correction in the existing card?

They will send a new card. For example, my current card says "Valid for work only with INS authorization." The new card will not say that. If you changed your name during naturalization, the new card would have your new name, also.

 

[dcmetro22042]

They will send a new card. For example, my current card says "Valid for work only with INS authorization." The new card will not say that. If you changed your name during naturalization, the new card would have your new name, also.

What is the benefit for getting the new (updated) card. I've never changed my SSN card since I was a student, when it must've had these restrictions as well. Any benefit in changing after citizenship? No one ever asks to see it. Just wondering if I am missing something.

 

[rjackal]

What is the benefit for getting the new (updated) card. I've never changed my SSN card since I was a student, when it must've had these restrictions as well. Any benefit in changing after citizenship? No one ever asks to see it. Just wondering if I am missing something.

If you are applying for a job that requires US citizenship, they may want to see your SSN card, and they would not want to see that "INS/UCSIS authorization required" on there. It's just another form of identification to prove you are USC. Plus, it's free.
Not sure if there are other reasons.

 

[dcmetro22042]

If you are applying for a job that requires US citizenship, they may want to see your SSN card, and they would not want to see that "INS/UCSIS authorization required" on there. It's just another form of identification to prove you are USC. Plus, it's free.
Not sure if there are other reasons.

Got it, thanks.

 

[baikal3]

What is the benefit for getting the new (updated) card. I've never changed my SSN card since I was a student, when it must've had these restrictions as well. Any benefit in changing after citizenship? No one ever asks to see it. Just wondering if I am missing something.

The benefit is not so much in getting an updated card (although if your current card has a notation "employment authorization required", then getting a new card is certainly a plus), but in getting your info updated in the Social Security computer system, so that your U.S. citizen status is reflected there. Most local Social Security offices will send you a new card when you update your status to a U.S. citizen, even if you do not request a new card.

Also, after getting a U.S. passport, you should file a new I-9 form with your employer, updating your status there to that of a U.S. citizen as well.

Employers periodically get audited by ICE for I-9 compliance and if they find a discrepancy between I-9 data and the ICE/USCIS/Social Security data regarding your status, both you and your employer will get into some trouble.

Moreover, more and more states require various categories of employers (and sometimes all employers) in that state to use the E-Verify system to check if a person is authorized to work in the U.S. The use of E-Verify will likely become more and more widespread in the next few years.

When E-Verify discovers ANY kind of a mismatch (even between the status of a person listed as a green card holder vs U.S. citizen in various databases), the employer and the employee get a "no match" letter, and the employee is then requires to fix the discrepancy within a certain period of time. If the discrepancy is not fixed, the employer may be mandated by law to fire the employee in question.

Basically, you do not want to take these kind of chances. So update your status with the Social Security Administration after the naturalization oath, as you are supposed to, then apply for a U.S. passport and after getting it update your I-9 form, again as you are supposed to.

 

[rjackal]

Great info! Should be a forum sticky!