U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will welcome 153 new U.S. citizens Friday at 11 a.m. at Wichita State University. U.S. District Court Judge J. Thomas Marten will preside, and a clerk of the court will administer the Oath of Allegiance.

The citizenship candidates originate from 36 countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, Congo (Kinshasa), Cuba, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Iraq, Ireland, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, United Kingdom and Vietnam.

The citizenship candidates live in Andover, Augusta, Bel Aire, Coffeyville, Colby, Derby, Dodge City, Garden City, Great Bend, Hays, Hesston, Hugoton, Independence, Kinsley, Liberal, Macksville, Newton, Plains, Quinter, Salina, Satanta, Syracuse, Ulysses and Wichita.

The ceremony is open to the public.