Navy Hosts USCIS Naturalization Ceremony for Nine Sailors Aboard a Ship Underway in the Pacific Ocean

PACIFIC OCEAN – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is known for going to the ends of the earth to ensure members of the military have the opportunity to become naturalized citizens of the United States. Yesterday USCIS added the Pacific Ocean to the list of locations where immigration officers have naturalized members of the military. 

The Navy flew USCIS Bangkok District Deputy Director Stacy Strong and Seoul Field Office Director Kenneth Sherman to the aircraft carrier USS George Washington so that nine sailors could complete the naturalization process. Once on board, the two USCIS officers conducted interviews and administered the naturalization test to the nine sailors, who were originally from China, the Dominican Republic, Guinea, Jamaica, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom. 

After administering the Oath of Allegiance, Deputy Director Strong pointed out that immigrants in uniform help strengthen the United States, and there is no more fitting way for a grateful nation to show its appreciation than by granting citizenship to qualified service members as quickly as possible. She said that promise means USCIS officers follow the military wherever they serve to complete the naturalization process. During fiscal year 2009, immigration officers from USCIS’ Bangkok District naturalized 640 members of the U.S. armed forces during ceremonies in Afghanistan (183), Japan (276), the Philippines (4), and South Korea (177).

For more information about immigration services for members of the military and their families, visit http://www.uscis.gov/military.

Related Files

• News Release: Navy Hosts USCIS Naturalization Ceremony for Nine Sailors Aboard a Ship Underway in the Pacific Ocean (1KB PDF)