U.S. Citizenship Interview and Test Preparation
To become a naturalized U.S. citizen, you must pass the naturalization test. At your naturalization interview, you will be required to answer questions about your application and background. You will also take an English and civics test unless you qualify for an exemption or waiver. All of this information is available at the source at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website.
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How, When, and Where to Schedule the Interview and Test
- Once you have filled out an application, USCIS will send you a letter telling you when and where to have your biometrics taken.
- The letter will tell you to go to an Application Support Center.
- Take your notice, Permanent Resident Card, and another form of identification.
- Your fingerprints, photograph, and signature will be taken.
- Once all the preliminary processes on your case are complete, USCIS will schedule an interview with you to complete the naturalization process.
- You must report to the USCIS office at the date and time on your appointment notice. Please bring the appointment notice with you.
- It is very important not to miss your interview.
- If you have to miss your interview, you should write to the office where your interview is to be conducted as soon as possible and ask to have your interview rescheduled.
- Rescheduling an interview may add several months to the naturalization process, so make all attempts to attend your original interview date.
- You will have to answer questions about your application and background – remember you are under Oath
- Biographical information, to include marital history and military service;
- Admission and length of time as a lawful permanent resident (LPR);
- Absences from the United States after becoming an LPR;
- Places of residence and employment history;
- Knowledge of English and of U.S. history and government (civics);
- Moral character and any criminal history;
- Attachment to the principles of the U.S. Constitution;
- Affiliations or memberships in certain organizations;
- Willingness to take an Oath of Allegiance to the United States; and
- Any other topic pertinent to the eligibility determination.
- If you want a representative to accompany you to your interview, you must first send a “Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Representative” form (G-28)
- An interpreter may be selected either by the applicant or by USCIS in cases where the applicant is permitted to use an interpreter. The interpreter must:
- Translate what the officer and the applicant say word for word to the best of his or her ability without providing the interpreter’s own opinion, commentary, or answer; and
- Complete an interpreter’s oath and privacy release statement and submit a copy of his or her government-issued identification at the naturalization interview.
Naturalization Test
- During the naturalization interview, a USCIS Officer will ask questions about an applicant’s Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, and background. An applicant will also take an English and civics test unless he or she qualifies for an exemption or waiver.
- The English test has three components: reading, writing, and speaking. The civics test covers important U.S. history and government topics. See below to learn more about the test and the free study tools available to help your students prepare.
Speaking Test
- An applicant’s ability to speak English will be determined by a USCIS Officer during the eligibility interview on Form N-400, Application for Naturalization.
- Passing the Reading Test
- An applicant passes the reading test if the applicant reads one of the three sentences without extended pauses in a manner that the applicant is able to convey the meaning of the sentence and the officer is able to understand the sentence. In general, the applicant must read all content words but may omit short words or make pronunciation or intonation errors that do not interfere with the meaning.
- Failing the Reading Test
- An applicant fails the reading test if he or she does not successfully read at least one of the three sentences. An applicant fails to read a sentence successfully when he or she:
- Omits a content word or substitutes another word for a content word;
- Pauses for extended periods of time while reading the sentence; or
- Makes pronunciation or intonation errors to the extent that the applicant is not able to convey the meaning of the sentence and the officer is not able to understand the sentence.
- An applicant fails the reading test if he or she does not successfully read at least one of the three sentences. An applicant fails to read a sentence successfully when he or she:
Reading Test
- An applicant must read aloud one out of three sentences correctly to demonstrate an ability to read in English. The Reading Test Vocabulary List will help your students study for the English reading portion of the naturalization test. The content focuses on civics and history topics.
- Passing the Reading Test
- An applicant passes the reading test if the applicant reads one of the three sentences without extended pauses in a manner that the applicant is able to convey the meaning of the sentence and the officer is able to understand the sentence. In general, the applicant must read all content words but may omit short words or make pronunciation or intonation errors that do not interfere with the meaning.
- Failing the Reading Test
- An applicant fails the reading test if he or she does not successfully read at least one of the three sentences. An applicant fails to read a sentence successfully when he or she:
- Omits a content word or substitutes another word for a content word;
- Pauses for extended periods of time while reading the sentence; or
- Makes pronunciation or intonation errors to the extent that the applicant is not able to convey the meaning of the sentence and the officer is not able to understand the sentence.
- An applicant fails the reading test if he or she does not successfully read at least one of the three sentences. An applicant fails to read a sentence successfully when he or she:
Writing Test
- An applicant must write one out of three sentences correctly to demonstrate an ability to write in English. The Writing Test Vocabulary List will help your students study for the English writing portion of the naturalization test. The content focuses on civics and history topics.
- Passing the Writing Test
- The applicant passes the writing test if the applicant is able to convey the meaning of one of the three sentences to the officer. The applicant’s writing sample may have the following:
- Some grammatical, spelling, or capitalization errors;
- Omitted short words that do not interfere with meaning; or
- Numbers spelled out or written as digits.
- The applicant passes the writing test if the applicant is able to convey the meaning of one of the three sentences to the officer. The applicant’s writing sample may have the following:
- Failing the Writing Test
- An applicant fails the writing test if he or she makes errors to a degree that the applicant does not convey the meaning of the sentence and the officer is not able to understand the sentence.
- An applicant fails the writing test if he or she writes the following:
- A different sentence or words;
- An abbreviation for a dictated word;
- Nothing or only one or two isolated words; or
- A sentence that is completely illegible.
Civics Test
- There are 100 civics questions on the naturalization test. During an applicant’s naturalization interview, he or she will be asked up to 10 questions from the list of 100 questions. An applicant must answer correctly six of the 10 questions to pass the civics test.
- Students have two opportunities to take the English and civics tests per application. If they fail any portion of the test during their first interview, they will be retested on the portion of the test that they failed between 60 and 90 days from the date of their initial interview.
- Passing the Civics Test
- An applicant passes the civics test if he or she provides a correct answer or provides an alternative phrasing of the correct answer for six of the ten questions.
- Failing the Civics Test
- An applicant fails the civics test if he or she provides an incorrect answer or fails to respond to six out of the ten questions from the standardized test form.
Test Preparation Material Resources and Links
Study Materials for the English Test
Study Materials for the Civics Test
- 100 Civics Questions and Answers (English version)
- Civics Flash Cards
- Learn About the United States
- Preparing for the Naturalization Test
- Civics Practice test – https://my.uscis.gov/prep/test/civics
https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-12-part-e-chapter-2