Are you thinking about applying for U.S. citizenship but don’t know where to start? Or, maybe you have already applied and now waiting to take your test. Are you curious about what happens at the interview? Start now by picking up a free copy of the N-400-Application for Naturalization at any of the Santa Clara County Libraries. Or you can apply online with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at USCIS – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services – Apply for Citizenship.
Determine if You Are You Eligible
You need to be at least 18 years old, be a permanent resident with a green card for a least 5 years, 3 years if you are married to a U.S citizen. You must maintain continuous residence in the U.S., at least 3 months in California, and not have any trips outside the U.S. that total 6 months or longer. And, you need to be able to read, write and speak Basic English, and have a basic understanding of U.S. history and government.
There are English language exemptions (55/15, or 50/20) for applicants who are over 55 and have lived in the U.S. as a permanent resident for 15 years or longer. Visit the USCIS website for more information about other exemptions and accommodations.
Get Help
If you have legal questions about how to answer questions on the N-400 application, your green card or immigration status, you will need to contact an immigration agency that is qualified to give you legal advice. Santa Clara County Librarians can direct you to these agencies if you have questions but they cannot tell you how to answer a question on the application. There are several non-profit agencies in the San Jose area that can help you fill out your N-400 application and provide free or low-cost legal services to immigrants.
Or you can start by contacting IRC - International Rescue Committee (San Jose) for a full range of immigration services, like green cards, petitions, citizenship, DACA, fiance visas and more. Or The Asian Law Alliance (San Jose) for services related to immigration and deportation, with assistance in Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog and Korean.
Prepare and Send Your N-400
Complete and mail your N-400-Application for Naturalization. Filing online is an easier option, and you can pay your filing fees: https://www.uscis.gov/file-online. Be sure to make copies of your completed N-400 application, you will need it to study for your interview.
Filing Fees: N-400 (Paper $760.00; Online $710.00). Low income applicants can apply for a reduced fee with Form I-912.
Study for the Interview
There are 2 parts to the naturalization test, U.S Civics and English. Your English will be assessed by your ability to speak, read and write basic English during the interview. Speaking is tested by how well you respond to the N-400 questions and your conversation you have with the USCIS officer. Be prepared to engage in "small talk" with the USCIS officer, and to answer all or most of the questions on your N-400 application to make sure the information is correct. You can make corrections - spelling, numbers, dates, etc. - at the interview if you need to.
You will need to study the 100 U.S. Civics questions, and the USCIS Reading and Writing vocabulary/spelling for the Naturalization Test if you are a beginner English speaker.
Our reference librarians can refer you to citizenship study materials and books from our Citizenship Corners in the library, or to other libraries and local agencies that offer citizenship classes or mock interviews. And there are several online study options and classes. YouTube can be a quick way to watch mock interview videos and to study the 100 Civics test questions.
Complete the Interview
What happens during the interview? The USCIS officer will begin by asking you simple questions when they first greet you, to make sure your English is strong enough to continue with the interview: How did you get here today? Are you nervous? Then they ask for your documents and you are put under oath (raise your right hand) to promise to tell the truth. The officer will ask you to answer most of the questions from your N-400 application to confirm that your information is correct, not to test you. The interview will continue with the U.S. History and Civics questions, followed with the reading and writing tests. If you owe the IRS for back taxes, or have other legal issues, be sure to have documents to prove that you are paying your debt. And it's okay to ask the USCIS officer to explain or repeat a question if you don't fully understand, they will elaborate if you need.
To pass the U.S History and Civics part of the test, you must answer 6 out of 10 questions (from the 100 U.S. Civics questions) correctly. And you must read and write 1 out of 3 sentences correctly to pass these tests. You will be asked to read a written sentence created from the vocabulary list. And the UCSIS will dictate a sentence to you for you to write, using the writing vocabulary list: George Washington is the father of our country. And remember to study all of your answers to the N-400 questions, including the Yes/No questions (Part 9 - Additional Information about You), because the USCIS officer just might ask you for the meaning of a word. Example: Do you have any title of nobility in any country. Do you know what nobility means?
Why do you want to become a U.S. citizen? Yes, you will have to answer this question! There is no wrong answer but be prepared to say something.
Find reference eBooks related to becoming a US Citizen in Nolo Press Self-Help Titles / EBSCO Legal Information Reference Center.
Good Luck!
