What Is One Promise You Make When Becoming a U.S. Citizen?

When you take the Oath of Allegiance at your naturalization ceremony, you make six promises: give up loyalty to other countries, defend the U.S. Constitution, obey the laws of the United States, serve in the military if required, perform civilian service of national importance if required, and be loyal to the United States.¹ These are the promises you make when becoming a U.S. citizen, and each one comes from the text of the oath set out in federal law.²

The USCIS civics test asks applicants to name two of them, and any two of the six above are accepted. What follows is what each promise actually commits you to.

Giving Up Loyalty to Other Countries

The oath opens with a formal renunciation of political allegiance to any foreign government or ruler.² It is the most dramatic-sounding line in the ceremony, and it worries people who still have family, property, or citizenship elsewhere.

In practice, the renunciation is about political allegiance, not cultural identity or foreign legal status. You are not asked to surrender a foreign passport at the ceremony. The State Department recognizes that dual nationality exists and takes no position for or against it.³ One rule does apply if you keep another citizenship: federal regulations require you to use your U.S. passport when entering and leaving the United States.⁴

Defending the Constitution

You promise to support the Constitution and to defend the Constitution and the laws of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.² This is not a promise to memorize any specific provision. It is a commitment to the framework of American government: the rule of law, democratic institutions, and the rights the Constitution protects.

Obeying the Laws of the United States

The same clause that binds you to defend the Constitution also binds you to be loyal to it and to the laws that flow from it. On the civics test, “defend the Constitution” and “obey the laws” count as two separate acceptable answers, even though they come from related language in the oath.

Serving the Country if Required

The oath closes with three forms of service: bearing arms on behalf of the United States, performing noncombatant service in the armed forces, and performing work of national importance under civilian direction. All three apply only “when required by the law.”² You are not volunteering for anything by taking the oath. You are agreeing to answer if the government ever legally calls on you.

The United States has not run a military draft since 1973, but the legal machinery for one still exists through the Selective Service System. Male citizens and immigrants between 18 and 25 must register, and immigrants in that age range must register within 30 days of entering the country.⁵

For the civics test, this section of the oath gives you two of the six acceptable answers: serving in the military if needed, and doing important work for the nation if needed.

Being Loyal to the United States

Wrapped through the oath is a general promise of loyalty to the United States. This is the sixth acceptable answer on the civics test and functions as the through-line for everything else you agree to: renouncing competing allegiances, defending the Constitution, following the laws, and answering a lawful call to serve.

Modifications for Religious or Moral Objections

If bearing arms or performing any military service conflicts with deeply held religious or moral beliefs, you can request a modified oath. The modification removes the clause about bearing arms, the clause about noncombatant military service, or both. There is no exemption from the promise to perform civilian work of national importance if the law requires it.⁶

To qualify, you have to show by clear and convincing evidence that your objection rests on religious training, a belief system similar to traditional religion, or a deeply held moral or ethical code. Objecting to a specific war does not qualify, and purely political or philosophical views do not either. You do not need to belong to any particular religious group, your own written or oral statement can be enough, and a USCIS officer cannot challenge the truth of your underlying beliefs.⁶

Waivers for Disability

Federal law allows the oath to be waived entirely for applicants who cannot understand or communicate an understanding of its meaning because of a physical or developmental disability or a mental impairment. The oath may also be waived for children naturalizing under certain provisions. In both cases, the applicant is still treated as having met the attachment and loyalty requirements for citizenship.²

When the Promises Take Effect

You do not become a U.S. citizen when you pass the interview or the civics test. You become a citizen when you recite the Oath of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony, which may be administered by a court or by USCIS. The Certificate of Naturalization you receive at the ceremony is your primary proof of citizenship.⁷ Until you take the oath, the promises are not yet made, and you are still a permanent resident.

1
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 128 Civics Questions and Answers (2025 Version)
2
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 U.S. Code 1448 – Oath of Renunciation and Allegiance
3
U.S. Department of State. Dual Nationality
4
eCFR. 22 CFR Part 53 – Passport Requirement and Exceptions
5
Selective Service System. Who Needs to Register
6
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Oath of Allegiance Modifications and Waivers
7
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Naturalization Ceremonies