As part of the application process to become a naturalized citizen of the United States, you will need to sign an application form (N-400) that promises certain things. One of these is that you acknowledge your willingness and ability to take an oath of allegiance to the U.S. and accept certain obligations of U.S. citizenship. You will actually take that oath at a formal ceremony after your naturalization application is approved—it’s the last step in becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen. Here, we'll discuss the meaning and implications of taking that oath.
What Does the Citizenship Oath of Allegiance Say?
The words of the citizenship oath are printed on the N-400 naturalization application form, so that you'll know what you must agree to do upon becoming a U.S. citizen. The oath says:
I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.
Reading between the fancy language, the citizenship oath basically requires you to agree to do six things:
- give up past allegiances to other countries
- promise to defend the U.S. Constitution and laws
- pledge allegiance to the U.S. Constitution and laws
- defend the United States, including with weapons if need be
- serve in the noncombatant wing of the armed forces (as an alternative to serving with weapons), and
- do work of national importance if needed.
We'll discuss these further below.
What If Taking Oaths Violates Your Religious Principles?
Because the United States protects religious freedom as well as the freedom not to believe in any religion, you can request to substitute the words “solemnly affirm” for the words “on oath,” and you can request not to recite the words “so help me God” at all.
If you want to make this request, tell the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officer at your citizenship interview. You don’t need to give the officer any reason for your request, and your request cannot be refused for any reason.
New U.S. Citizens Must Give Up Past Country Allegiances
As the oath says, you must, as a new U.S. citizen, “absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which [you] have heretofore been a subject or citizen.” You’re basically joining a new team—Team U.S.A.—and the United States doesn’t want you to work for your old team (country) anymore.
Although this part of the oath makes it sound like you have to give up citizenship in your old country, the United States does not actually require that. (Members of Congress have proposed changing that, but nothing has passed yet.) However, some countries don’t like the fact that you renounce your allegiance to them when you become a U.S. citizen, and will not allow you to maintain citizenship in their country. Canada and most European Union (EU) countries, for example, allow dual citizenship.
Check the laws in your old country to make sure. If they allow you to keep citizenship, you will automatically be a dual citizen of both countries. You will be able to enjoy all the rights of U.S. citizens and vote in U.S. elections.
New U.S. Citizens Must Promise to Defend the U.S. Constitution and Laws
Under the terms of the oath of allegiance, you must “support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
Notice that you’re not swearing to defend the actual president of the United States or any of its leaders—you are swearing to defend U.S. laws. It’s the Constitution and laws that define the United States and its way of life, not any particular politician or political party.
This part of the oath ensures, for example, that if the United States were to be attacked by a “foreign enemy” or if a group inside the country were trying to overthrow the government and violate the U.S. Constitution or laws, you would not join them, even if you didn’t like the U.S. person or party currently in power.
New U.S. Citizens Must Pledge Allegiance to the Constitution and Laws
You must also “bear true faith and allegiance” to the U.S. Constitution and to U.S. laws. Again, notice that your allegiance is not to any particular politician or political party, and you’re not swearing to be loyal to the United States only if you like its current president.
Instead, your priority is the U.S. Constitution and U.S. laws, which define what it fundamentally means to be American.
New U.S. Citizens Must Promise to Defend the U.S. With Weapons If Required
You are expected to willingly “bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law.” This means that if the United States has a military draft (which it currently doesn't, as of this writing), or any other law that would require you to use a weapon in a war or for any other reason, you agree to do it.
If you can convince United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that you are unwilling or unable to bear arms on behalf of the United States based on your religious training and belief or a deeply held moral or ethical code, you do not have to make this part of the oath. You should ask for this exemption at your citizenship interview.
USCIS uses a three-part test to see whether you really are a “conscientious objector.” You must show that:
- you are opposed to bearing arms in the armed forces
- your objection is grounded in your religious principles, other belief system similar to traditional religion, or a deeply held moral or ethical code, and
- your beliefs are sincere, meaningful, and deeply held.
Being opposed to a specific war is not good enough, nor are views that are essentially political, sociological, or philosophical. If your objection to war is based upon opinions or beliefs about public policy and the practicality or desirability of combat, or if your beliefs are not deeply held, USCIS will not recognize you as a conscientious objector (CO).
You don’t have to be a member of a particular religious group, belong to a specific church or religious denomination, follow a particular theology or belief, or have religious training to claim CO status. If you don’t, however, you must have a sincere and meaningful belief that has a place in your life that is the same as a religious belief.
It will help if you can give USCIS an attestation from a religious or similar organization, or a witness statement, or other evidence to establish your eligibility. If you have no other evidence, your word or your written statement might be enough.
A USCIS officer at your citizenship interview might ask you questions about your beliefs. The officer can’t deny you simply for being unconvinced that your beliefs are valid, but be prepared to answer questions about your conduct and experiences, the nature of your objection and the principles on which your objection is based, your religious training at home or elsewhere, your participation in any religious or other similar activities, and how you gained your ethical or moral beliefs.
New U.S. Citizens Must Promise to Serve in the Armed Forces (Without Weapons) If Required
You must promise also to “perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law.”
Noncombatant means without fighting, so you are agreeing—if a law requires it—to perform administrative or other duties in support of the military, even if you’re not carrying a weapon yourself. Like your promise to bear arms, this promise will most likely be relevant only if there is a military draft.
USCIS will allow you to take a modified oath without this promise if you are a conscientious objector. You must prove it in the same way you prove that you object to bearing arms, discussed above.
New U.S. Citizens Must Promise to Perform Work of National Importance If Required
You must be willing to “perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law.” Along with the possibility of military service, U.S. citizenship carries with it the possibility that you might have to do other, nonmilitary work that the government deems important.
Currently there is no law requiring anyone to perform work of national importance, but if there were, you would be agreeing to do it. USCIS does not recognize any type of conscientious objection to performing work of national importance under civilian direction.
Getting Legal Help
If you still have questions about the citizenship oath or other aspects of your eligibility or the application process, an experienced immigration attorney can help.