From passing the test to the decision on your N-400
In the US the civics and English tests are not separate exams: they are part of your Form N-400 naturalization interview, so you have already applied and paid the fee ($760 on paper, $710 online, $380 reduced fee; 2026, subject to change). At the end of the interview the officer gives you Form N-652 (Notice of Examination Results). If you failed the English or civics part, you are retested on that part 60 to 90 days later; if USCIS needs more documents, the decision is postponed. A second failure leads to denial.
Passing does not yet make you a citizen: USCIS still reviews your eligibility and background. Once the N-400 is approved, USCIS schedules the ceremony; no separate application is needed.
Decision and oath ceremony
- Some offices hold a same-day ceremony after the interview. Otherwise USCIS mails Form N-445 (Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony) with the date and place. How long this takes depends on the office; check USCIS processing times.
- The oath is taken either before a federal court (judicial ceremony) or before USCIS (administrative ceremony).
- Answer the questionnaire on the N-445 before you arrive, check in, and hand back your green card.
- You become a citizen only when you take the Oath of Allegiance. You then receive your Certificate of Naturalization; check it for errors before leaving.
- If you cannot attend, return the N-445 with a letter asking for a new date. Missing the ceremony more than once can lead to denial.
USCIS holds on applications from nationals of 39 travel-ban countries (since December 2025) were stopped by a federal court on 24 August 2026; check USCIS news for updates.
ID card and passport
- Passport: apply in person with Form DS-11 at an acceptance facility (many post offices, libraries, county clerks). Fees: $130 for an adult passport book plus a $35 acceptance fee (2026, subject to change). Routine processing takes about 4–6 weeks and expedited service (+$60) about 2–3 weeks, plus mailing time. You send the original certificate; it is returned separately.
- Social Security: update your record to show citizenship, generally at least 10 days after the ceremony, with Form SS-5 at an SSA office or by mail.
- There is no national ID card. Your state driver's licence or ID stays valid; show proof of citizenship when you next renew if your state asks for it.
Your previous citizenship
US law does not require you to choose one citizenship, even though the oath contains a renunciation clause. Your home country's law decides whether you keep it: some countries withdraw their nationality automatically when you naturalize elsewhere, others require permission or a declaration. Check with your country's authorities or consulate before the ceremony.
Tax and social security
You were already taxed on your worldwide income as a green-card holder. As a citizen you must keep filing US returns (Form 1040) even if you move abroad, plus FBAR and Form 8938 above the thresholds. Giving up citizenship later can trigger an exit tax (Form 8854).
Your Social Security credits stay the same, but you can now generally receive your pension anywhere, and the 5-year waiting periods for Medicaid, SNAP and similar programs no longer apply.
Voting and other rights
- You can vote in federal, state and local elections, but you must register first. You may receive a voter registration form at the ceremony; otherwise use vote.gov. Never register or vote before taking the oath.
- You can be called for jury duty, and you can apply for most federal jobs, which are generally open only to citizens.
- You can sponsor parents and siblings (if you are 21 or older) and married children; for your spouse and unmarried children under 21, visas become available immediately.
Effect on children
A child gets citizenship automatically under the Child Citizenship Act (INA 320) when all of these are true at the same time: the child is under 18, is a green-card holder, and lives in the US in the legal and physical custody of the citizen parent. Proof can be a US passport or a Certificate of Citizenship (Form N-600, $1,385 on paper, $1,335 online; 2026).
Children born in the US are citizens by birth. For a child born abroad after you naturalize, apply to the US embassy for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad; if only one parent is a citizen, that parent usually needs 5 years of physical presence in the US, 2 of them after age 14, before the birth.
Frequently asked questions
What if I lose my Certificate of Naturalization? File Form N-565 ($555 on paper, $505 online; 2026). It takes time, so keep the original safe and use copies.
Do my children have to attend the ceremony? No. Children who meet the Child Citizenship Act conditions become citizens automatically, without an oath.
Can I still lose US citizenship? Only in limited cases, such as voluntary renunciation or revocation for fraud in the naturalization process.
Do I still owe US taxes if I live abroad? Yes. You file every year; foreign tax credits and the foreign earned income exclusion often reduce what you pay.