Table of Changes

Table of Changes

Form N-445, Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony

OMB No. 1615-0054

Expires 4/30/16

Page #	Current Version	Proposed Version
1	N-445, Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony A-Number _______________ Date ___________________ [placeholder for applicant’s name and address] You are hereby notified to appear for a Naturalization Oath Ceremony on: at: Please report promptly at _________. You must bring the following with you: This letter completed in its entirety. Print clearly or type your answers to all questions on page 2 using CAPITAL letters in black ink. Your Permanent Resident Card. All Reentry Permits or Refugee Travel Documents in your possession. Any other Immigration Documents you may have in your possession. If this citizenship application was filed on behalf of a child, bring the child to the ceremony. Other. Proper attire should be worn. The naturalization ceremony is a solemn and meaningful event. Please dress in proper attire to respect the dignity of this event. (please no jeans, shorts or flip flops). If you cannot come to this ceremony, return this notice immediately and state why you cannot appear. In such case, you will be sent another notice of ceremony at a later date. You must appear at an oath ceremony to complete the naturalization process	N-445, Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony A # _______________ Date ______________ For USCIS Sworn Statement _______ Use Only  Other ________________ [XXX] [placeholder for applicant’s name and address] USCIS thanks you for your interest in becoming a United States citizen. You must now appear at a Naturalization Oath Ceremony to complete the naturalization process. You are scheduled to appear for a Naturalization Oath Ceremony on: Date: Location: Time: Please bring the following with you: This notice with the reverse side completed. Please refer to instructions on reverse side. Your Permanent Resident Card (“green card”). All Reentry Permits or Refugee Travel Documents you may have, valid or expired. Any other documents USCIS issued to you. The naturalization ceremony is a solemn and meaningful event. USCIS asks that you dress in proper attire to respect the dignity of this event. If you cannot come to this ceremony, return this notice immediately with a written explanation on why you cannot attend. You will then receive an appointment for a ceremony at a later date. If you require an accommodation such as a sign language interpreter, please contact the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283, at least 10 days prior to your scheduled ceremony. Please answer the questionnaire on the reverse side of this form on the day of your scheduled ceremony. Print clearly in black ink. Please read the instructions before answering the questions, which concern events that may have occurred since your interview. If you answer YES to any of the questions, bring documents to support your answer(s). For example, if you married or divorced after your interview, bring your marriage certificate or divorce decree. If you were arrested after your interview, bring your arrest records and court dispositions. If you were serving in the military and have been discharged, bring your DD214 or other discharge papers.
Page 2	In connection with your application for naturalization, please answer each of the questions by checking "Yes" or "No." You must answer these questions the day you are to appear for your citizenship oath ceremony. These questions refer to actions since the date you were first interviewed on your Application for Naturalization. The questions do not refer to anything that happened before the interview. After you have anwered each question, sign your name and fill in the date and place of signing, and provide your current address. You MUST bring this completed questionnaire with you to the oath ceremony, as well as the documents indicated on the front, and give them to the employee of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at the oath ceremony. You may be questioned further on your answers at that time. Since your interview, have you married, or been widowed, separated or divorced? (If “Yes,” please bring documented proof of marriage, death, separation or divorce.) Since your interview, have you traveled outside the United States? Since your interview, have you knowingly committed any crime or offense, for which you have not been arrested? Since your interview, have you been arrested, cited, charged, indicted, convicted, fined or imprisoned for breaking or violating any law or ordinance, including traffic violations? Since your interview, have you joined any organization, including the Communist Party, or become associated or connected therewith in any way? Since your interview, have you claimed exemption from military service? Since your interview, has there been any change in your willingness to bear arms on behalf of the United States; to perform non-combatant services in the armed forces of the United States; to perform work of national importance under civilian direction, if the law requires it? Since your interview, have you practiced polygamy, received income from illegal gambling, been a prostitute, procured anyone for prostitution or been involved in any other unlawful commercialized vice, encouraged or helped any alien to enter the United States illegally, illicitly trafficked in drugs or marijuana, given any false testimony to obtain immigration benefits, or been a habitual drunkard? I certify that each answer shown above were made by me or at my direction, and that each answer is true and correct as of the date of my naturalization oath ceremony. Signed at _____________, on ____ (City and State) (Date) _____________________________ (Full Signature) (Full Address and Zip Code)	INSTRUCTIONS: You MUST bring this completed questionnaire with you to the Naturalization Oath Ceremony, along with the documents listed on the front side of this notice. You are required to give these items to an employee of USCIS at the oath ceremony. Answer the following questions on the day of your Naturalization Oath Ceremony. Please note that these questions do not refer to any events that happened before your naturalization interview. These questions refer to the time period after your interview at the USCIS office. For example, if you were married at the time of your interview and there has been no change in your marital status since your interview, check NO to question number 1 below. If you traveled outside the United States after your interview, check YES to question number 2 below. After you have answered each question, print the date and the location (city and state) where you completed the questionnaire. Also, sign the questionnaire and print your current address. Since your interview, have you married, or been widowed, separated or divorced? Since your interview, have you traveled outside the United States? Since your interview, have you knowingly committed any crime or offense, for which you have not been arrested? Since your interview, have you been arrested, cited, charged, indicted, convicted, fined or imprisoned for breaking or violating any law or ordinance, including traffic violations? Since your interview, have you joined, become associated, or connected with any organization in any way, including the Communist Party, a totalitarian organization, or terrorist group? Since your interview, have you deserted from, claimed exemption from or been separated or discharged from military service? Since your interview, has there been any change in your willingness to bear arms on behalf of the United States; to perform non-combatant service in the armed forces of the United States; or to perform work of national importance under civilian direction if the law requires it? Since your interview, have you practiced polygamy, received income from illegal gambling, been involved in prostitution, helped anyone enter the United States illegally, trafficked controlled substances, given false testimony to obtain immigration benefits, or been a habitual drunkard? I certify that each answer shown above was made by me or at my direction, and that each answer is true and correct as of the date of my Naturalization Oath Ceremony. Signed at _____________, on ____ (City and State) (Date) _____________________________ (Full Signature) (Full Address and ZIP Code)
	OUR AUTHORITY for collection of the information requested on Form N-445 is contained in Sections 101(f), 313, 316, 332, 335 and 336 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 (f), 1427, 1443, 1446 and 1447). Submission of the information is voluntary. The principal purposes for requesting the information are to enable Adjudications Officers of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to determine an applicant's eligibility for naturalization. The information requested may, as a matter of routine use, be disclosed to naturalization courts and to other federal, state, local or foreign law enforcement and regulatory agencies, the Department of Defense, including any component thereof, Selective Service System, Department of State, Department of Treasury, Department of Transportation, Central Intelligence Agency, Interpol and individuals and organizations in the processing of any application for naturalization, or during the course of investigation, to elicit further information required by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to carry out its functions. Information solicited which indicates a violation or potential violation of law, whether civil, criminal or regulatory in nature, may be referred as a routine use to the appropriate agency, whether federal, state, local or foreign, charged with the responsibility of investigating, enforcing or prosecuting such violations. Failure to provide all or any of the requested information may result in a denial of the application for naturalization. THE PUBLIC REPORTING BURDEN for this collection of information is estimated to average 10 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this information collection, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Regulatory Coordination Division, Office of Policy and Strategy, 20Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20529-2140; OMB No 1615-004. Do not mail your completed Form N-445 to this address.	OUR AUTHORITY for collection of the information requested on Form N-445 is contained in Sections 101(f), 313, 316, 332, 335 and 336 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 (f), 1427, 1443, 1446 and 1447). Submission of the information is voluntary. The principal purposes for requesting the information are to enable Immigration Services Officers of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to determine an applicant's eligibility for naturalization. The information requested may, as a matter of routine use, be disclosed to naturalization courts and to other federal, state, local or foreign law enforcement and regulatory agencies, the Department of Defense, including any component thereof, Selective Service System, Department of State, Department of Treasury, Department of Transportation, Central Intelligence Agency, Interpol and individuals and organizations in the processing of any application for naturalization, or during the course of investigation, to elicit further information required by USCIS to carry out its functions. Information solicited which indicates a violation or potential violation of law, whether civil, criminal or regulatory in nature, may be referred as a routine use to the appropriate agency, whether federal, state, local or foreign, charged with the responsibility of investigating, enforcing or prosecuting such violations. Failure to provide all or any of the requested information may result in a denial of the application for naturalization. THE PUBLIC REPORTING BURDEN for this collection of information is estimated to average 10 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this information collection, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Regulatory Coordination Division, Office of Policy and Strategy, 20 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20529-2140; OMB No 1615-0054. Do not mail your completed Form N-445 to this address.

Justification for Revision:

1. Current version of form contains an outdated, incorrect instruction to bring children to the ceremony. This results in unnecessary confusion during ceremonies.

2. The current version contains stiff, formal, “INS-y” verbiage; we propose a more customer-friendly tone.

3. The current version of the form contains 2 typographical errors and one grammatical error.

4. Current instructions lack clarity. The proposed version contains plain language explanations, to make the form easier for the applicant to understand and fill out correctly.

5. While the current version of the form contains checkboxes for items the applicant should bring to the ceremony, CLAIMS 4 auto checks all of the boxes, which results in confusion to the applicant. The proposed version contains bulleted items that apply to most applicants.

6. FOD received a request from the field to add a new question on military separation or discharge, to help identify applicants who may not be eligible for naturalization under INA 329. The proposed version has incorporated this request for information into existing question 6.

7. In response to requests from the field, the proposed form has added a “For USCIS Use Only” box, to flag various applicants who already provided a sworn statement concerning a lost PRC at interview, to facilitate ease of seating during the ceremony. LOS also requested that the form include the 3-letter code of the office that interviewed the applicant, as ceremonies in Los Angeles include applicants from a number of surrounding field offices. Having the office code on the form will facilitate check in and certificate distribution at these large ceremonies.

8. The proposed form addresses accommodations, the importance of taking the oath, and describes in more detail other documents that the applicant may be required to bring, depending on responses to the questions. This will enable USCIS to better accommodate its customers and ensure that applicants whose information has changed since the interview will bring the needed documentation for USCIS to proceed with their naturalization.