avanutria

DH is taking his citizenship test later this month at the Portland OR USCIS office. He has a morning appointment.

The USCIS website says "The Portland Field Office conducts Judicial Ceremonies once per month and also offers same-day administrative naturalization ceremonies for those candidates who have met all requirements at the morning naturalization interview. The Portland Field Office also hosts a number of special ceremonies every year."

I am guessing that he will get one of the "same-day administrative naturalization ceremonies" and I am wondering if anyone here has gone to one. Specifically, we would like to know:

• Do you remember what time of day it was held?
• Are family members permitted to watch?
• If yes, are young children permitted to watch?

I ask because we have an 18 month old and all three of us are going up to Portland, but I haven't been able to find out if spectators are permitted or if kids would be allowed in. And the time question is because his appointment is at 7:30 in the morning, the hotel we're staying at the night before requires checkout by 11, and kiddo usually is taking a nap at lunchtime so I;m wondering how much kid-wrangling we're going to need to do...the time of the ceremony will make a big difference!

I did find a description page here but there wasn't anything about spectators as far as I saw. And I haven't found a phone number where I can call up and ask.

Thanks!

Nutmegger

It does say this in the footnotes:

"Concluding remarks may include, but are not limited to, expressing appreciation to those family and friends in attendance, acknowledging the achievement of the naturalized citizens, announcing the services of those governmental and non-governmental entities in attendance, and explaining the distribution method for the certificates of naturalization

There were certainly children present at my ceremony, but that may vary.

avanutria

Ah, excellent. (That'll teach me to read the footnotes!) Thanks!

lansbury

I did mine in Portland in 2009. If nothing has changed

Ceremony is at 2pm. Family members including young children are welcome, my grandson was 5 and there were younger children there.

There is a cut off time for the interview, which I recall being at 11am which mine was. If your interview is on or after the cut off you are offered a next day ceremony. You don't have to accept that you can arrange another day and time before you leave. Interview prior to 11am, you get offered same day ceremony, again you don't have to accept you can arrange a day to suit.


You will need to find somewhere to spend the time between interview and ceremony. There is a waiting room for those waiting interview but not comfortable to spend the morning there. I would guess you will have about 5 hours to kill between interview and being back for the ceremony.