CFR

337.2—Oath administered by the Immigration and Naturalization Service or an Immigration Judge.

(a) Public ceremony. An applicant for naturalization who has elected to have his or her oath of allegiance administered by the Service or an Immigration Judge and is not subject to the exclusive oath administration authority of an eligible court pursuant to section 310(b) of the Act shall appear in person in a public ceremony, unless such appearance is specifically excused under the terms and conditions set forth in this part. Such ceremony shall be held at a time and place designated by the Service or the Executive Office for Immigration Review within the United States and within the jurisdiction where the application for naturalization was filed, or into which the application for naturalization was transferred pursuant to § 335.9 of this chapter. Such ceremonies shall be conducted at regular intervals as frequently as necessary to ensure timely naturalization, but in all events at least once monthly where it is required to minimize unreasonable delays. Such ceremonies shall be presented in such a manner as to preserve the dignity and significance of the occasion. District directors shall ensure that ceremonies conducted by the Service in their districts, inclusive of those held by suboffice managers, are in keeping with the Model Plan for Naturalization Ceremonies. Organizations traditionally involved in activities surrounding the ceremony should be encouraged to participate in Service-administered ceremonies by local arrangement.

(b) Authority to administer oath of allegiance. The authority of the Attorney General to administer the oath of allegiance shall be delegated to Immigration Judges and to the following officers of the Service: The Commissioner; district directors; deputy district directors; officers-in-charge; assistant officers-in-charge; or persons acting in behalf of such officers due to their absence or because their positions are vacant. In exceptional cases where the district director or officer-in-charge determines that it is appropriate for employees of a different rank to conduct ceremonies, the district director or officer-in-charge may make a request through the Commissioner to the Assistant Commissioner, Adjudications, for permission to delegate such authority. The request shall furnish the reasons for seeking exemption from the requirements of this paragraph. The Commissioner may delegate such authority to such other officers of the Service or the Department of Justice as he or she may deem appropriate.

(c) Execution of questionnaire. Immediately prior to being administered the oath of allegiance, each applicant shall complete the questionnaire on Form N-445. Each completed Form N-445 shall be reviewed by an officer of the Service who may question the applicant regarding the information thereon. If derogatory information is revealed, the applicant's name shall be removed from the list of eligible persons as provided in § 335.5 of this chapter and he or she shall not be administered the oath.

Code of Federal Regulations

[60 FR 37803, July 24, 1995]

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