U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is updating guidance in our Policy Manual to provide
clarification on voter registration access at our administrative naturalization ceremonies.
The updated guidance:
- Affirms that USCIS provides access to voter registration services at each administrative
naturalization ceremony, including information regarding points-of-contact for voting and voter
registration; - Provides that USCIS offices request that election officials from state or local government election
offices attend ceremonies to distribute, collect, and review voter registration applications, and to
officially register new citizens to vote; - Affirms that USCIS offices coordinate with non-partisan, non-governmental organizations for voter
registration services when state and local government election officials are not available; and - Provides that, to the extent feasible, USCIS offices invite governmental or non-governmental
organizations offering on-site voter registration services the opportunity to introduce themselves
and address the naturalization candidates before the ceremony.
For consistency and efficiency, USCIS also created the Form N-401, Voter Registration Services
Attestation (PDF, 273.71 KB), for non-governmental agencies to submit a one-time request per field
office to participate in administrative naturalization ceremonies.
This guidance is immediately effective.
This update demonstrates USCIS’ commitment to support Executive Order 14019, Promoting Access to
Voting, by promoting and encouraging the exercise of the right to vote, removing any agency obstacles
that may prevent new citizens from registering to vote at naturalization ceremonies, and expanding
access to voter registration.
For more information, please see the policy alert (PDF, 318.85 KB).