Do I give up my passport at the oath ceremony?

[jonandrachel 2]

So I hadn't really considered this until recently. I have my naturalization interview next month, and I'm assuming if all goes well that my oath ceremony will follow in the month after, but my question is: do you have to surrender your current passport during that process? I have a UK passport filled with stamps and visas from the last 10 years that is almost expired, that I would hate to give up and not get back. I plan on renewing it with my own government in the next few days anyway. If you give up your passport at the oath ceremony do you get it back, with a corner cut off - much like you do when you renew with your home country?

 

Thanks for the help!

[Dee elle 1,368]

3 minutes ago, jonandrachel said:

So I hadn't really considered this until recently. I have my naturalization interview next month, and I'm assuming if all goes well that my oath ceremony will follow in the month after, but my question is: do you have to surrender your current passport during that process? I have a UK passport filled with stamps and visas from the last 10 years that is almost expired, that I would hate to give up and not get back. I plan on renewing it with my own government in the next few days anyway. If you give up your passport at the oath ceremony do you get it back, with a corner cut off - much like you do when you renew with your home country?

 

Thanks for the help!

US does not have any right to another country’s passport do , No 

[AshMarty 359]

5 minutes ago, jonandrachel said:

So I hadn't really considered this until recently. I have my naturalization interview next month, and I'm assuming if all goes well that my oath ceremony will follow in the month after, but my question is: do you have to surrender your current passport during that process? I have a UK passport filled with stamps and visas from the last 10 years that is almost expired, that I would hate to give up and not get back. I plan on renewing it with my own government in the next few days anyway. If you give up your passport at the oath ceremony do you get it back, with a corner cut off - much like you do when you renew with your home country?

 

Thanks for the help!

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/travel-legal-considerations/Advice-about-Possible-Loss-of-US-Nationality-Dual-Nationality/Dual-Nationality.html

 

"U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one nationality or another. A U.S. citizen may naturalize in a foreign state without any risk to his or her U.S. citizenship."

 

The US doesn't care if you keep your UK passport, but you will have to check with the UK to see if you can maintain dual citizenship. 

 

Edited August 15, 2018 by AshMarty

[jonandrachel 2]

21 minutes ago, AshMarty said:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/travel-legal-considerations/Advice-about-Possible-Loss-of-US-Nationality-Dual-Nationality/Dual-Nationality.html

 

"U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one nationality or another. A U.S. citizen may naturalize in a foreign state without any risk to his or her U.S. citizenship."

 

The US doesn't care if you keep your UK passport, but you will have to check with the UK to see if you can maintain dual citizenship. 

 

Thank you! The UK doesn't care either! I presume that means then that I am not required to bring my passport to the oath ceremony.

[WeGuyGal 1,052]

43 minutes ago, jonandrachel said:

Thank you! The UK doesn't care either! I presume that means then that I am not required to bring my passport to the oath ceremony.

Correct. 

 

The only thing you bring to the oath ceremony is your soon-to-be-invalid green card (to be taken away). 

[Wuozopo 4,285]

22 hours ago, jonandrachel said:

Thank you! The UK doesn't care either! I presume that means then that I am not required to bring my passport to the oath ceremony.

 

I am both a UK citizen and naturalized US citizen (originally K1 like yourself). I hold two passports and use both. You will only surrender your greencard at your ceremony. 

 

When you renew your UK passport, you will send it off to the UK, but it will be returned after the new one is issued.  It takes several weeks. You will need to show all passports at your interview, so don't mail it off to the UK if you aren't positive you will have both old and new back (they come separately) for your interview.

 

With that said, it will be easier to renew your UK passport before you take the oath. Once you are dual nationality, you can't renew the UK passport and submit photo online so a little more cumbersome to submit by mail. Seems like your best window to renew is between Interview and oath. After you are a USC (oath day), you will need to submit a photocopy of your US passport when renewing UK. The US passport takes some time to apply for and get back after the oath.

[LauraDP 10]

I am also from the UK.  I did not have to surrender my passport and technically/legally didn't have to give up my UK citizenship either.  I am now - like my husband and kids - a dual national.  The only thing I had to return was my Green Card.  That leaves me in a bit of a travel limbo for now since I no longer have the GC to match the Visa that is in my UK passport but I don't yet have a US passport but that is a short term complication and really no big deal.