US Announces Group of Foreigners Who Can Become Citizens Without an Oath Ceremony

• The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services confirmed that certain citizenship applicants are not required to take the Oath of Allegiance
• The Immigration and Nationality Act grants USCIS authority to waive the oath for individuals deemed unable to understand its meaning
• Children under 14 are among those who may automatically qualify for the waiver under current US immigration policy

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed that not every applicant seeking US citizenship is required to swear the Oath of Allegiance before receiving a Certificate of Citizenship, according to the agency's official policy guidance.

Under standard procedure, a USCIS officer who approves a Form N-600 application must administer the oath before the certificate can be issued.

However, that requirement is not absolute.

Who qualifies for the oath waiver?

The authority to waive the oath stems from the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which permits USCIS to exempt individuals it determines cannot comprehend the meaning of the pledge.

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The agency has specifically determined that children under the age of 14 generally lack the capacity to understand the oath's significance, making the waiver automatic for that age group.

Once an officer approves the application, USCIS issues the Certificate of Citizenship directly, without administering the oath.

This policy remains in effect in 2026 and applies to all qualifying applicants who meet the established threshold.

What happens without an oath or waiver

USCIS has made clear that the oath cannot be bypassed simply by choice.

Any applicant who neither takes the Oath of Allegiance nor qualifies for a waiver will not receive a Certificate of Citizenship, as the agency has no legal basis to issue the document under those circumstances.

Eligibility for the waiver is, therefore, the only recognised pathway to obtaining citizenship without completing the oath. Applicants who fall outside the waiver criteria must fulfil the oath requirement as a condition of the process.

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The clarification underscores the distinction between standard naturalisation procedures and the specific conditions under which exceptions are legally permitted.

US lists African countries for arrest notifications

In a related development, YEN.com.gh reported that the United States has released an official document listing countries whose consular authorities must be automatically informed whenever one of their citizens is arrested or detained.

With this, the countries named in the document are subject to a stricter, automatic notification obligation.

Source: YEN.com.gh