U.S. District Court - Eastern District of New York — Local services in New York

I attended my oath ceremony here in July 2024 and wanted to share my experience to help others navigate the process. While the ceremony itself was very moving, the initial processing took a long time.

Here's a breakdown of my experience:

Arrival: My appointment was for 8:00 AM, but the entire process took 3.5 hours.

Security and Check-In: Upon arrival, you'll leave your phone at the entrance. If you come with family, they will wait on the third floor, while you proceed to the second floor.

Document Verification: They will ensure you have the completed form sent with the ceremony notice. They will provide you a proof of name change (if applicable). They will collect all your USCIS-issued documents (green card, work permits, etc.). They will also verify the information on your certificate of naturalization. Additionally, they will provide paperwork to register for voting.

Waiting: Due to the large number of people, the first part of the process can take more than 2 hours.

Ceremony: Once processing is complete, your family/friends are brought in to witness the ceremony. There will be a speech by the judge, followed by the oath-taking ceremony recited together.

Certificate and Departure: After collecting your certificate, you are free to go.

The ceremony itself was great, but the initial processing could be more streamlined to reduce wait times. The judge's speech was particularly...

I went there for jury duty. The notice said that they check your phones at the lobby, so I was thinking about leaving my phone home. But the process turned out to be smooth. You hand them your phone when you enter, and they give you a wooden object with a number on it. When you leave, you give them the wooden object back, and they return your phone. They were very organized and fast with this process, so don’t stress about it if you have to go in this courthouse. They don’t bother with Bluetooth headphones (I had a pair in my backpack), and I even saw one guy in the jury room with a handheld gaming device, which he presumably got through security

The courthouse is beautiful, both inside and outside. They have a spacious and comfortable room for jurors. There’s a decent concession store at the lobby. The jury manager (I don’t remember her name, but she mentioned she has worked there for 35 years) was quite charming.

they could do more to make the process less agonizing though. again, they take away our phones, so you have to find other ways to pass the time. I did bring a book. But I still got so bored just sitting there in that room for like 6-7 hours.. They had 3 nice TVs set up in the jury waiting room, so I don’t see why they couldn’t show some content that wouldn’t affect juror biases (eg Animal Channel, Discovery Network, or even the Weather Channel … just give...

My oath ceremony for citizenship was on May 22nd 2025. 8AM. Your relatives can attend the ceremony if you wish. They take away phones, so there are no pictures inside the building. The relatives or interpreters who come with you will wait separately on the 3rd floor cafeteria. They can watch the courtroom in live television so they can see what's happening inside. I found it very nice !!! In the courtroom, they are checking documents one by one, so that takes the most time (about 2 hours). After that, when everything is ready for the actual ceremony, they let your relatives join. Gives you a little bathroom brake before, but you can go and use the bathroom anytime. The ceremony is about 30-45 minutes. The judge makes a speech and reads all the countries present loudly and you have to make some noise when you hear yours! It was 116 new citizens from 53 countries that day. In the end, they read your name lloud and handed your new certificate. They are asking and taking away for good your green cards and work permits, but if you forget one ( i had multiple expired ones), no big deal. You keep it as souvenir:) The whole process took about 3-3:30 hours . If you late still let you in. Someone was one week early for the naturalization ??? And they sent that person back home...