10 Things You Need to Know About the Naturalization Test

10 Things You Need to Know About the Naturalization Test

For an applicant, for the United States, citizenship naturalization is the final process which entails a test on the applicant’s ability in using the English language and understanding of American civics. Despite a successful application process accepted by the USCIS, most immigrant green card applicants to the US find naturalization tests to be distressful. However, that should not be the case especially when you are so close to getting your visa. Naturalization being the final step should be the stepping stone that elevates you to the naturalized nation ceremony to become an official US citizen. Fortunately for you, this article has compiled ten essential factors that you need to be aware of about the naturalization test and its process to help ease your transition into becoming a US citizen courtesy of RunRex. 

• Appointment for the Interview 

It is the first step, and it entails receiving an invitation from the USCIS on the date of your naturalization test. The notice is sent to your mail. Thus it is vital that you keep your address updated to the USCIS and notify them if you change it. The note is usually sent once, which you cannot afford to miss given the repercussions of missing the naturalization interview. If you cannot make it to the scheduled interview, you should write to the USCIS office to reschedule. Your rescheduling letter to the USCIS must contain valid reasons as to why you cannot make it on the due date. 

Note that rescheduling your interview adds a few more months to your naturalization process. Also, missing the naturalization test without any notification all-together has a more dire consequence. The USCIS will administratively close your case. And if you fail to contact them to reschedule within a year after administratively closing your case they will go on to deny your application. 

• Arrival Time at the Specified Local Office 

USCIS offices are usually crowded, which is why it is advisable to arrive early but not too early. At least thirty minutes before your interview is an excellent time to arrive. If you are going to be late for the interview, it is imperative that you inform the USCIS beforehand. Failure to do so will be treated as missing the interview altogether, and the consequences will be issued as such. 

• Carrying Necessary Documentation 

Carrying the necessary documentation is quite essential for the interview to go on. There are some USCIS required identification documents submitted before commencing the naturalization interview. The following are the identification documents that are required by the USCIS; 

• Your passport is needed irrespective of its validity.
• Either your permanent resident or Alien registration card 
• State identification card 
• Any reentry permits that you may have 

The USCIS required documents may, however, not be limited to the documents mentioned above. The USCIS may require additional materials which they will make known to you through your appointment letter. Note that for the naturalization test to go on you must deliver the necessary documentation. Failure to do so may lead to the delay or denial of your application. 

• The Naturalization Interview 

At the commencement of your interview, a USCIS officer is required to explain to you the purpose of the interview check and confirm that you submit the required documents and place you under oath before questioning you. The USCIS officer’s questions are meant to ensure that you meet the eligibility requirements. Also, you may be asked to answer upcoming questions about your documents and application. Some of the questions you are likely to be asked are about; 

• Your background 
• Your character 
• Your willingness to take oath and allegiance to the United States of America 

Remember that you are under oath so lying at the interview is entirely out of the question. If you are caught lying during the interview, or it is realized later after the meeting your citizenship will be denied or taken away respectively. 

• Representation or Accompaniment 

Some applicants may feel uncomfortable walking into the USCIS offices on their own for one reason or their other. Depending on your reasons you are allowed to bring along with you either representation or accompaniment. However, you must first send a Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or representative with your Form G-28 application. 

Other cases of accompaniment may include the need to bring along a translator for applicants that are exempt from the English requirements. Also for physically challenged applicants, you are allowed to be accompanied by a family member or a legal guardian all at the discretion of a USCIS officer. 

• The English Test 

This naturalization test stage entails a procedure where the USCIS officer test’s the applicant’s ability to use the English language. Here one is tested on how they write, read and speak the English language unless the applicant is exempt by the USCIS office from the English requirements.  

In reading, the applicant is expected to read one out of three sentences in a manner that suggests that they understand the meaning of the phrase. To test your English writing ability, you must write one sentence out of three in a way that is understandable to the USCIS officer. Your English speaking ability unlike the other two is determined by how you answer the initial questions asked by the USCIS officer during the interview. 

• The Civics Test 

After the English test, the interviewer will orally administer a set of civics questions that entails questions about American history and government among other related topics. There are 100 civics questions, which the USCIS has released publicly through its site. Out of the 100, ten are selected for every naturalization civics test. Out of these ten, the applicant is expected to get at least six correct to achieve the passing score. Some of these questions include; 

• What is the economic system in the United States? 
• What are two Cabinet-level positions? 
• How many amendments does the constitution have? 
• USCIS Response to your Naturalization Test 

Based on the information you have submitted in your application, and from the interview, the USCIS will respond with either a denial, a grant or continuation with your naturalization application. The USCIS office responsible for your application should give you a Form N-652, which contains information on the results of your naturalization interview. 

• Grant or Continuation 

For the more successful applicants depending on the USCIS office that you conduct your naturalization test at, you can be informed that you will be granted citizenship by the end of the interview. You will then be given a notice telling you when and where your oath ceremony will be. In some cases, however, you may attend your oath ceremony on the same day you are granted citizenship.  

For the less fortunate lot, the USCIS officer may choose to continue your case. That means that your case has been put on hold. The most common reasons for continuation are a failure to achieve the passing score in the English and civics tests or not submitting all the USCIS required documents. 

• Denial 

Now, this is the most unfortunate lot, those that their naturalization applications are denied. If your naturalization application is rejected, you will receive a notification with reason(s) why. If you are not satisfied with the reasons given on the notification and feel that you were wrongly denied a naturalization application then, you can request for hearing with a USCIS officer. The denial notification will guide you on how to petition for the hearing. 

In conclusion, the naturalization process is not as nerve-wracking if you know what to expect. Hopefully, this article has helped you in that aspect. However, early preparations give you the best chances of getting granted that US citizenship. Most importantly you need professional help in this process and an attorney specialized in this field is the best professional help you can get. RunRex is one such firm that can provide you with the professional assistance that you need in such a case.