You are not considered a US citizen until you have attended your naturalization ceremony and have taken the Oath of Allegiance. To do this, you will need to do a few things during this time as well including:
- Complete the questionnaire on Form N-445, Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony
- Report for the ceremony and check with the USCIS. An officer will be able to review the responses that you put on Form N-445.
- Turn in your green card
- Take the Oath of Allegiance
- Receive the Certificate of Naturalization. Make sure to review it and then let USCIS know if you see any errors on it. Do this before you leave the ceremony site so you can get the problem fixed quickly.
And that is all there is to the process. It does take some time, especially if the USCIS has a large caseload that they are trying to handle at the time. But once you complete the steps, you will be considered a US citizen.
Understanding your US Citizenship
Citizenship is a common thing that is going to help connect all of the people who call America home. There are a number of rights and responsibilities that you will be required to follow now that you are considered a citizen. Some of the rights you can now enjoy include:
- Freedom to express yourself
- Right to a prompt, fair trial with a jury
- Freedom to worship how you wish
- The right to run for office
- Right to vote in the elections for the city and the state.
- Freedom to pursue life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
- The right to apply for employment with the federal government
Of course, there are some responsibilities you are required to meet if you do become a US citizen. You will need to follow all of the state, federal, and local laws, participate in your local community, stay informed of some of the issues affecting your community, and pay income and other taxes as necessary. These are just a few of the rights and responsibilities you get as a citizen, so read up on those before you get started.
Choosing to Become a US Citizen
Becoming a US citizen is not a decision that you should take lightly. It does take some time to accomplish, whether you go from a green card to a citizenship, marry into it, or follow one of the other steps. Preparing yourself for the process and reading through everything so that you can submit the right documents will make all the difference. By following some of the steps above, you will be able to get your citizenship in no time and can start enjoying some of the rights and responsibilities of living in this country.