Citizenship: The Oath of Allegiance
As part of the naturalization ceremony, you are required
to take the Oath of Allegiance. Here it is:
"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce
and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate,
state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or
citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the
United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that
I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law;
that I will perform noncombatant service in the armed forces of the United
States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national
importance under civilian direction when required by law; and that I
take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of
evasion; so help me God."
In some cases, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) allows
the oath to be taken without the clauses:
". . .that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law;
that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States
when required by law. . ."