To be eligible for naturalization and apply for citizenship, the following requirements must be met:
To meet the requirements for citizenship, applicants are generally expected to have continuously resided in the United States for at least 5 years (or 3 years if married to a U.S. citizen). Temporary trips outside the U.S., including visits to your home country, are permitted as long as they are less than 180 days at a time.
Yes, you can legally change your name after filing your naturalization application with USCIS. In such cases, you must provide USCIS with the documents that legally changed your name and bring them to your interview. Alternatively, you can also change your name during the naturalization process by indicating it in the specific field on Form N-400.
The citizenship interview consists of three main parts:
Yes, USCIS publishes a complete list of the civics test questions. During the interview, the officer will ask you 10 questions from the provided list. You can find the questions at: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/questions-and-answers/100q.pdf.
USCIS offers free educational resources to help applicants prepare for the naturalization test. You can find study materials for the 2008 version of the civics test and English language test at: https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/find-study-materials-and-resources/study-for-the-test. Additionally, there are mock interview and reading/writing practice tests available on YouTube. Many public libraries also offer free classes to help applicants prepare for naturalization. You can contact your local library for more information.
No, during the naturalization interview, you will be asked up to 10 questions from the list of 100 civics questions. To pass the civics test, you need to answer at least 6 questions correctly.
Yes, it is advisable to bring certain original documents to your interview, such as your birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce decree, and evidence of child support payments, if applicable.
You may be exempt from the English language requirement but still required to take the civics test if you meet the following criteria:
In these cases, you will be allowed to take the civics test in your native language.
If you are 65 years or older and have been a permanent resident for at least 20 years at the time of filing for naturalization, you will only need to study a simplified set of civics questions.
Furthermore, the English and civics requirements do not apply to naturalization applicants who are unable to comply due to a “medically determinable” physical or developmental disability or mental impairment that has lasted or is expected to last for at least 12 months. A licensed medical professional must complete a Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions (Form N-648) and certify, under penalty of perjury, that the applicant’s medical condition prevents them from meeting the English requirement, the civics requirement, or both.
If you filed your Form N-400 at least six months before your Green Card expired, you may be issued an Alien Documentation, Identification, and Telecommunications (ADIT) stamp as temporary proof of your lawful permanent resident status.
Unless you qualify for an exception to the English or civics requirements, you will have two opportunities to meet these requirements. If you fail any portion of the requirements, you will be retested on the failed portion (English or civics) during a second interview scheduled between 60 and 90 days from your initial interview.
There is no limit to the number of times you can apply for naturalization. However, you will need to pay the filing fee for each Form N-400 you submit to USCIS.
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