Do I have to bring my passport for the oath?
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I've received oath invitation letter recently and they specifically asked for all valid & expired passports for all family members. So the answer is NO; you can's go to the oath without the passport.
Did you have it at the time of your interview? If so, why don't you have it now? (Just thinking what they may ask...)
My oath invite asked me to bring the invite itself, two IDs, COPR, PR card, and all passports.
At the oath ceremony they checked the invite and one ID at checkin. Then they checked the invite again and the PR card, and then took the PR card.
No one asked for or checked passport or COPR.
At the oath ceremony they checked the invite and one ID at checkin. Then they checked the invite again and the PR card, and then took the PR card.
No one asked for or checked passport or COPR.
If you had to do it over again, would you still take the passport? I'm guessing you would and this is just giving your experience, which is great. Hopefully people would still bring what is requested, regardless of other's experiences. I'm guessing you'd agree?
Of course, I would follow the instructions. When dealing with the government bureaucracy do what they asked for. Especially in the cases when you are asking the government to do something for you.
This, so far as I have observed, is the typical way it goes.
And that was how it went for me. Indeed, I had my passport in hand along with my PR card, and the individual who took my PR card said that was all they needed.
BUT as others have astutely observed, it is best to follow the instructions, and the instructions (at least usually) state that the individual scheduled for the oath needs to bring essentially the same documents as applicants are instructed to bring to the test and interview, at the least to bring the applicant's current passport and PR card.
It warrants noting that how it TYPICALLY goes is not how it necessarily always go. It warrants noting that it is quite possible for the personnel doing the check-in at the oath ceremony to perceive a reason to verify the citizenship-candidate's identity, in which case the presentation of a passport can be important and perhaps necessary.
If the candidate is asked to present a passport, the candidate has NO excuse based on others saying they did not need their passport, when the candidate received written instructions to bring the passport.
The tendency to infer what is OK, what the rules are, based on other people's personal experience, is one fraught with risks. If in doubt, follow the instructions, and otherwise, yep, follow the instructions. Those who elect to overlook the instructions do so at their peril.
Yes, that's what I was referring to. If you read some of the previous posts, there are actual experiences as to what was checked.