How To Prepare For The Citizenship Interview

What Is The Us Citizenship Interview

The U.S. Citizenship Interview is a very important stage of obtaining your green card in the United States. In this interview, the USCIS officer will determine whether you are eligible for entering the United States on a visa or not, based on the information that you have provided so far.

Based on those documents, during the interview, you will be asked a series of questions. Some may be part of the documentation that you have provided, others are standard trivia questions that may or may not be part of the paperwork that you provided.

These questions are generally made available right away to the average person by simply visiting the USCIS website. While people are advised to not learn them robotically and remain as truthful as possible, they serve as pretty good guidelines for those that wish to get ready for that interview.

How Do I Prepare For The Us Citizenship Interview

As a green card holder, there are two things that you should expect from the U.S citizenship interview. Firstly, prepare to be asked questions regarding your Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, and the supporting documents of the application. Secondly, prepare to take the citizenship test, which comes in two parts: the English and civics tests. The first set of questions that the USCIS official will ask you during the interview derive from the information that you provide on the application. You may keep a copy of your application to help you prepare for that part of the citizenship test.

Read more | U.S. Citizenship Test Questions And Answers

The second set of quizzes will be based on the civics portion of the naturalization test. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, a government agency that oversees immigration issues, provides some study materials for the citizenship test to help you prepare for the second part of the naturalization interview.

This article gives you a step-by-step guide on the preparation for the U.S. citizenship interview.

Keep All Records Of The Uscis Interactions You Have Had In The Past

The immigration officers are always keen on tracking the records of all immigrants and their interactions with the law and the USCIS. It would be wise to always remember such encounters, whether they were interviews or emails. Such records will help you be well-prepared for the interview so that you do not have any inconsistencies in your application.

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Requesting Additional Documents During A Hearing

Citizenship officials will make the effort to gather enough information to make a decision before inviting the applicant to a hearing. The onus is on the applicant to provide information to demonstrate they meet all the requirements of the Citizenship Act. Generally, there should not be a need for citizenship officers to request documents during a hearing unless there is a Residence Questionaire on file and the case is being referred to a judge for decision.

Pi Interview Before The Hearing For Cases Where The Applicant Has Not Previously Been Interviewed

If the applicant has requested a hearing at the time of application or in subsequent communication with IRCC because they do not read English or French, or if the applicant has requested a hearing due to a medical condition , the applicant might not be invited for a citizenship test or interview event. Refer to the instructions on adult testing for more information.

All applicants must have a PI interview with a citizenship official before a decision can be rendered. An interview, prior to the start of the hearing, must occur in cases where the applicant has never been seen by IRCC staff at any point in the citizenship process. For these cases, a CARD will need to be generated. The interview must be conducted prior to the hearing to ensure that all relevant information is on file before a decision can be made. This interview can be conducted by either the same officer conducting the hearing or another delegated official.

Note: When a PI interview is required, additional time should be added to the hearing to allow for the interview to be conducted.

If concerns arise as part of the PI interview, any items of concern must be noted in the box of the Part II Interview section of the CARD . A positive decision should not be made until all identified issues have been addressed.

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Can I Bring Other People To The Interview With Me

Some people choose to bring someone with them to their interview, such as:

• An attorney You should especially consider bringing an attorney if you have a complicating factor with your naturalization application. For instance, if you quickly divorced your spouse after they sponsored you for a Green Card, if you spent more than one year outside the U.S. since receiving your Green Card, or if you have a criminal record or a disability that prevents you from learning English.

• An interpreter Most people must complete their interviews in English, but there are some exceptions. You should bring an interpreter if you qualify for one of those exceptions and do not speak much English.

• A friend or relativeYou cannot bring relatives or friends with you to the interview. However, if you have a disability that requires you to have assistance from someone else, it is advisable to contact the local field office ahead of time to explain why you need someone to attend with you.

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What To Expect During The Interview With The Uscis Officer

Each interview will be conducted in a private office or cubicle. The USCIS officer will begin the interview by asking you to swear that whatever information you will give throughout the interview will be truthful.

At the interview, the officer will also explain to you the purpose of the interview and ask for a government-issued identification document such as a drivers license to verify that they are interviewing the right applicant.

The USCIS officer will ask you general questions during the interview. Some may be based on the following:

• Your background information
• Your place of residence and how long you have lived there
• Your willingness to take the citizenship oath
• Your character

These quizzes derive from your Form N-400 therefore, you have to make sure that the answers you give are accurate based on your application. If your answers to the test interview are different from those provided in the application, the USCIS official will need a valid explanation. Sometimes, the USCIS officer may ask you random questions related to your application, even though the questions may not have been part of the questions provided in the application.

For example, in the application form, if you indicated that you traveled out of the U.S. and provided sufficient evidence of the same, the officer may ask you to talk about your trip abroad and what you did while away.

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Hearings Before Citizenship Officers

The following are scenarios for which a hearing will be held :

• the applicant fails the written citizenship test on a second attempt
• the applicant is caught cheating on the written citizenship test
• an official feels that the applicant cannot understand or express basic information in one of the official languages
• the applicant waives their right to a written test or a re-test and requests a hearing
• where fairness dictates
• the applicant was sent a procedural fairness letter informing them that their application may be refused, and the applicant requested a hearing. For loss of permanent resident status, applications received before June 11, 2015, are referred to a citizenship judge for decision.

What Kind Of Questions Are Asked During A Citizenship Interview

Though the main questions in the interview will be asked during the oral test given from the study guide, the USCIS officer will also ask you about yourself. You will need to be able to interact with the officer formally and give correct answers to their questions outside of the oral exam.

One of the first interactions with the officer will include questions. Greetings such as, How are you today? and How are you feeling? may be exchanged between you. You will also be asked to go under oath. You must be able to respond to these questions:

• Do you understand what the word oath means?
• Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?

Other questions may be about your personal information, some of your physical attributes, and your family history. You may be asked questions at your citizenship interview such as:

• How old are you?

The USCIS officer may also ask questions about immigration, your travel experience, and residency such as:

• Have you taken trips that have lasted six months or longer?
• Where do you currently live and how long have you been living there?
• Does anyone else live with you?
• What is your current citizenship?
• How long have you had your green card?
• When did you last travel outside the United States?
• What was your reason for traveling?
• What dates did you leave and return to the United States?

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Citizenship Classes > The Immigrant Learning Center

• The ILC offers two levels of Citizenship Classes:
• English and Citizenship Class
• Citizenship Preparation Class
• Sign Up For Class

Do you or someone you know want to become a United States citizen? Anyone who is eligible to apply can get free help preparing for the citizenship exam and interview from The Immigrant Learning Center. We will stick with you until you reach your goal. Students can continue taking the class until they pass, and one-on-one tutoring is available if needed. Most students pass on their first try. All classes are currently held online. All students must have Internet access to use Zoom for classes and WhatsApp for homework. Both applications are free, and we can provide coaching to students who have difficulty getting or using them. If you want to learn English but dont want to apply for citizenship, click here. The ILC offers two levels of Citizenship Classes:1. English and Citizenship ClassThis class is for students with basic English literacy and communication who want to improve their English and prepare for the citizenship exam and interview. Schedule: Monday Thursday: 9:00 AM to 11:30 AMClass Size: Up to 20 students.

Get Your Test And Interview Date

You may be invited to take the citizenship test within weeks after we send you the acknowledgement of receipt letter.

About 1 to 2 weeks before the test, well send you a notice with the date, time and location.

Check your junk folder for our emails

• If you gave us your email address in your application, well contact you by email.
• To avoid missing our emails, check your junk or spam folder.

If youre not available on the day of your appointment, send us a message to explain why and get a new date. If you dont give an explanation or your explanation isnt reasonable, we may stop processing your application and not grant you citizenship. You can either:

• email or write to the local office that sent you the notice or
• use the online web form

Generally, once we receive your e-mail or letter, well schedule your appointment on a different date. Well let you know by email if you gave us your email address or mail you a letter if we dont have your email address.

Only the person taking the test can be in the testing room.

If you have a child, plan to have someone care for them while you take your test. If you cant arrange child care, reschedule your test date. If you bring a child with you, your child can wait in the area outside the testing room, but must be with a caregiver at all times.

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How To Prepare For The Citizenship Test

Remember, your ability to understand and speak English will be evaluated from the moment the USCIS officer meets you. If you dont understand a question, its okay to ask the officer to rephrase it.

During your interview, a USCIS officer will test your ability to read, write, and speak English . Your English skills will be tested in the following ways:

• Reading — To test your ability to read in English, you must read one sentence, out of three sentences, in a manner suggesting to the USCIS officer that you understand the meaning of the sentence.
• Writing — To test your ability to write in English, you must write one sentence, out of three sentences, in a manner that would be understandable as written to the USCIS officer.
• Speaking — Your ability to speak English is determined by your answers to questions normally asked by USCIS officers during the naturalization eligibility interview on Form N-400.

Several FREE study tools are available from USCIS to help you prepare for the English test.

Reading Vocabulary Flash Cards

Writing Vocabulary Flash Cards

Reading Test Vocabulary List

San Francisco Public Library

Immigrant Services & Citizenship Resources:

Prepare for the USCIS naturalization interview with the San Francisco Public Librarys helpful resources, including a guide to naturalization, detailed practice materials for the citizenship exam, and a list of local organizations that can help you with the naturalization process. You can also watch an informative short video to learn more about the the resources available at the library.

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How Long Will The Citizenship Interview Last

The USCIS officers are very time-conscious and are always consistent with their duties. So before you are called in, they would have prepared all necessary documents pertaining to your own application status, which will help speed up the process. However, you are required to give the officials maximum cooperation by responding accurately and truthfully to all the questions you are asked in the process, and by getting all the documents you are to take along ready with you. So, bearing any hitches, the session will be quite timely.

Prepare Students For The Interview And Test

This set of resources can help you prepare students for the interview and test. Many of these resources can be used either in or out of the classroom. This set of resources includes materials, lesson plans, and teaching resources specific to each section of the test. The following links will bring you to products specific to that section of the test:

Use these resources to prepare citizenship students for the naturalization interview , which also serves as the speaking test. These resources can be used to help students understand key concepts and vocabulary found on Form N-400, as well as understand and respond to commands used during the interview process. You will also find practice tests, which can be used in class or by students for at home practice.

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Who Has To Take The Us Citizenship Interview

Anyone can take the U.S citizenship interview as long as they are eligible for naturalization. There are various websites where you may see whether you are eligible for a green card or not and depending on your result, you may submit your paperwork. Obviously, if you wish to become a citizen of the United States and no longer just a permanent resident, there is no way around it you will have to take the interview.

Prepare For The Test: Civics Test

For citizenship application, the USCIS officer will ask the applicant 10 civics questions. The applicant must answer to at least 6 out of 10 questions correctly. There are 100 possible questions. For the full list of possible questions, click here.

The answers to some questions may change because of elections or appointments. For example, the answer to the question What is the name of the President of the United States now? will change based on the president serving at the time of the applicants interview. For the answers to these specific questions, click here.

For more information on the civics exam click here.

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Documents Required For Your Citizenship Appointment

Do your best to look over this list of required documents well in advance of your appointment for your U.S. citizenship exam. The last thing you want is to get delayed even further because you forgot to make a copy of one form.

• Permanent resident card
• A copy of both the front and back sides of your permanent resident card
• Drivers license or state-issued identification card
• All current and expired passports and other travel documents
• Copies of your tax returns from the last five years
• A copy of whatever documentation you used in your application

In addition to these documents, put all your N-400 information in the same folder so that its easily accessible. Information should include a copy of the application itself, any correspondence between you and USCIS, and any other kind of supporting documents for your application for U.S. citizenship.

Depending on your answers to the N-400 form, you may need additional forms to avoid any delays in processing: