You are a citizen now: how to get a passport and register to vote

This page covers the first steps after you take the oath. It is general information, not legal advice. For what happens on the day itself, see What happens at your citizenship interview and oath ceremony. For the whole road to citizenship, see Becoming a U.S. citizen: the complete guide.

Congratulations. You earned this. Now make it count.

Why get a passport now?

A U.S. passport is official proof of your citizenship, just like your certificate (USCIS, New U.S. Citizens). It is much easier to carry and replace than your certificate.

It also matters for travel. U.S. citizens, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to leave and enter the United States (U.S. Department of State, Dual Nationality; 8 USC 1185(b)). Your green card was turned in at the ceremony, so it no longer works for travel. If you also hold another country's passport, see Can I keep my other citizenship?

How do I apply for my first passport?

Your first adult passport must be done in person with Form DS-11 (State Department, Apply in Person). You cannot renew by mail because you never had one.

Step 1. Fill out Form DS-11. Follow the form's instructions, including when and where to sign.

Step 2. Gather your papers.

• Proof of citizenship: your original Certificate of Naturalization, with its seal, plus a photocopy. The State Department does not accept digital copies of citizenship evidence.
• Photo ID: a physical government photo ID, such as a California driver's license or ID card, plus a photocopy of the front and back. If your ID is from another state, bring a second photo ID.
• One passport photo that meets State Department rules.
• Payment: two payments. The application fee goes to "U.S. Department of State" by check or money order. The $35 acceptance fee goes to the facility.

Step 3. Go to an acceptance facility. Many post offices, libraries and county clerk offices accept passport applications. Some need an appointment. The State Department has a locator for acceptance facilities.

Step 4. Track it, then watch your mail. The State Department mails your original certificate back by First Class Mail, usually within 4 weeks after your passport is mailed. The passport and the certificate may come in separate envelopes (State Department, Apply in Person).

Book or card, and what does it cost?

Fees for applicants 16 and older, as posted on the State Department's Apply in Person page (updated May 4, 2026; checked October 21, 2026). Expedited service adds $60. One to three day delivery of the finished passport adds $26.87.

The card is a smaller, cheaper option. It works for coming back into the U.S. by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and some Caribbean places, and for flights inside the U.S. It does not work for international flights (State Department, Passport Card). If you might fly abroad, get the book.

How fast can I get a passport?

Routine service takes 4 to 6 weeks. Expedited takes 2 to 3 weeks for $60 more. Those times don't include mailing. Allow about 2 weeks for your application to reach the State Department and about 2 weeks for the passport to reach you (State Department, Apply in Person).

Family emergency abroad? If a parent, child, spouse, sibling or grandparent outside the U.S. has died, is dying or has a life threatening illness or injury, and you must travel within 2 weeks, you can ask for an emergency appointment. Book at passportappointment.travel.state.gov or call 877-487-2778 on weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern (202-647-4000 after hours and weekends). Bring proof of the emergency, such as a death certificate or a signed hospital letter, proof of travel, your DS-11, a photo and ID (State Department, Life or Death Emergencies). Aunts, uncles and cousins do not count.

Don't book travel until you have the passport in hand, unless you can afford to lose the ticket.

Who can register to vote in California?

You can register if you are a U.S. citizen, a California resident, and will be 18 or older on Election Day. You cannot register while serving a state or federal prison term for a felony, or if a court has found you mentally incompetent to vote (California Secretary of State, Voter Registration).

You became a citizen at the oath, so you can register right away. Not in California? Use vote.gov to find your state's rules. USCIS points new citizens there too (USCIS, New U.S. Citizens).

How do I register?

Online is fastest: registertovote.ca.gov. The form is offered in English, Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Tagalog, Thai and Vietnamese. It asks for your California driver's license or ID number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you have neither, you can still register (California Secretary of State).

On paper: pick up a form at your county elections office, a public library, a DMV office or a post office.

At the DMV: when you get or renew a license or ID, or change your address, the DMV registers eligible people unless they opt out (Secretary of State, Motor Voter FAQ).

At your ceremony: since August 31, 2026, USCIS again allows nonprofit, nonpartisan groups to offer voter registration at administrative ceremonies when election officials are not there (USCIS Policy Manual updates). If someone offered you a form at the ceremony and you filled it out, check your status online.

The form asks you to check a box saying you are a U.S. citizen. Now you can check it truthfully.

What if an election is coming soon?

The regular deadline is 15 days before Election Day. For the November 3, 2026 election, that deadline was October 19, 2026 (Secretary of State).

Missed it? You can still vote. Within 14 days of an election, California lets you register and vote the same day at your county elections office, a polling place or a vote center. This is called conditional voter registration. Your ballot is counted once the county confirms your registration (Secretary of State, Same Day Voter Registration).

Once you are registered, California mails a ballot to every active registered voter. You can mail it back, drop it in an official drop box, or vote in person (Secretary of State, Vote by Mail). More on how voting works, and how family members who can't vote can still take part, is in Who can vote, and how the whole family can take part. Worried about police or immigration agents at the polls? On Election Day, California law limits arrests within 200 feet of an open polling place, with exceptions. What the law covers.

Voting for the first time in a federal election? If you registered by mail or online without a California ID number or Social Security number, you may be asked for ID the first time you vote. A utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or government mail with your name and address works (Secretary of State).

What other records should I update?

• Social Security. Contact the Social Security Administration to update your record to show you are a citizen. Employers who use E-Verify check that record, so an old record can cause problems when you start a new job. Call 1-800-772-1213 or visit ssa.gov (USCIS, New U.S. Citizens).
• DMV. If your name or address changed, update your license or ID record.
• Your children. See below.
• Family petitions. As a citizen you can petition for more relatives, and some wait less. See Can my U.S. citizen son or daughter sponsor me? for one example.

What about my children?

Children under 18 with green cards who live with you in your legal and physical custody may have become citizens automatically the day you took the oath (USCIS, New U.S. Citizens). You can apply for a U.S. passport for an eligible child, or file Form N-600 for a Certificate of Citizenship. For a child under 16, both parents usually need to appear, or the absent parent signs Form DS-3053 before a notary (State Department, Children Under 16).

The details are in Did my child become a citizen when I did?

What mistakes should I avoid?

• Mailing your certificate without a copy. Make a photocopy first and keep it at home.
• Losing the certificate. Keep it flat, dry and safe. Lost it? Use Form N-565. A U.S. passport can stand in as proof of citizenship while you wait (USCIS, New U.S. Citizens).
• Traveling on your old country's passport alone. You need a U.S. passport to leave and come back.
• Booking a trip before the passport arrives.
• Assuming you were registered at the ceremony. Check online.

Questions people ask

Can I use my certificate for a job or a REAL ID instead of a passport? Your certificate is proof of citizenship. A passport is too. Bring whichever the office asks for.

Do I have to vote? No. Voting is your right, not a requirement. Registering just keeps the door open.

Will registering get me called for jury duty? The Secretary of State says registering does not necessarily increase your chances, because the DMV list also goes to jury officials (Motor Voter FAQ).

Can my parents, who are not citizens, help me fill out my ballot? If you are unable to mark your ballot, up to two people of your choice can help you, but not your employer or a union officer (Elections Code 14282).

Who can help?

Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service. Details checked October 19, 2026.

County elections offices

• San Mateo County Elections: 40 Tower Road, San Mateo 94402, (650) 312-5222.
• Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters: 1555 Berger Drive, Building 2, San Jose 95112, (408) 299-8683 or (866) 430-8683.
• San Francisco Department of Elections: City Hall, Room 48, (415) 558-6100.
• Every California county: county elections offices list.

Statewide

• California Secretary of State voter hotline: (800) 345-8683.

Passports

• State Department acceptance facility locator.

Is there a checklist I can print?

Your voice counts now in a new way. Use it.