Introduction 

Obtaining a green card gives you certain rights, but you still miss out on all the benefits provided to a US citizen. Therefore green card holders often try to upgrade to US citizenship to avail all the benefits. If you are among those, then this article is a great read for you. This article will explain how Preparing for N-400 Interview which you have to take as a part of your naturalization process. 

What is Form N-400? 

The first step towards becoming an American citizen is submitting Form N-400. This form is used to verify the eligibility of the person applying and to gather all required biographical details. To become eligible for submitting Form N-400, you must be of 18 years of age on the date of application, and further, you should be a green card holder for at least the last five years.

Preparing for N-400 Interview

You have to appear for an N-400 interview to get your application successfully approved. Interviews can be hard for some people, and to gain confidence, it is advisable that you should prepare for the interview well. This article explains the structure of the interview so that you can prepare according to that. The interview is divided into two tests, i.e., the English test and the civics test.  

English Test 

The USCIS officer will assess your abilities to read, write, and speak English during your naturalization interview (unless you are exempted from the English test requirement). To pass the English test, you must show a knowledge of the English language and your ability to read, write, and speak basic English. Your English abilities will be tested in the following manner by the officer:

Speaking: During your eligibility interview, a USCIS official will assess your ability to speak and comprehend English by your answers to the interview questions. 

Reading: You must read out loud one of three sentences correctly on the reading exam to show your ability to read in English.

Writing: To show your ability to write in English, you must accurately write one of the three sentences on the writing exam.

The English language test is a very basic test to determine your ability to understand the English language. You can successfully pass this exam if you have a fair understanding of the English language. You should practice well before appearing in the exam to present yourself with more confidence. 

Who is exempted from the English language test? 

You are exempted from the English language test requirement if you are: 

“50/20” exception Age 50 or older at the time of filing for naturalization and have lived as a permanent resident (Green Card holder) in the United States for 20 years.

“55/15” exception Age 55 or older at the time of filing for naturalization and have lived as a permanent resident in the United States for 15 years.

If you are exempted from the English language test, you still have to take the civics test. 

Civics Test 

You may take the 2008 or 2020 civics test if you submitted your Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, on or after December 1, 2020, and before March 1, 2021, and your initial examination (interview) is scheduled before April 19, 2021. However, after April 19, 2021, USCIS is administering only the 2008 civic test to N-400 applicants at their initial interview appointment, regardless of their filing date. We will discuss an overview of both the 2008 and 2020 civics test. 

2008 Civics Test: The USCIS officer will ask you up to 10 questions from a list of 100 civics exam questions in the 2008 version of the civics test, which is an oral test. To pass the civics exam in 2008, you must properly answer 6 questions.

2020 Civics Test: The USCIS officer will ask you 20 questions from a list of 128 civics exam questions in the 2020 version of the civics test, which is also an oral test. To pass the civics exam in 2020, you must properly answer at least 12 of the 20 questions.

Can I take the civics test in my native language? 

Yes, you can take the civics test in your native language. If you plan to take the test in your native language, you must bring an interpreter with you to your interview. The interpreter will assist you and the USCIS official in the interview. 

Is there any special consideration for the aged persons? 

You may study just the 20 questions indicated with an asterisk (*) if you are 65 years old or older and have lived in the United States as a legal permanent resident of the United States for 20 years or more.

What if I fail the civics or English test? 

Unless you qualify for an exemption to the English or civics requirements, you will have two chances to fulfill them. If you fail any of these requirements, you will be retested at a new interview between 60 and 90 days from the date of your original interview on the part of the exam that you failed (English or civics).

Where can I find the civics test question? 

USCIS publishes a complete list of 2008 and 2020 civics test questions. You can also find educational material issued by USCIS to prepare for the 2008 and 2020 civics test exam and also for the English language test. You can find 2008 civics test questions here and 2020 civic test questions here. 

Some samples questions from the 2008 test are: 

What is the supreme law of the land?

What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?*

What is the “rule of law”?

What are the two parts of the US Congress?*

Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?

Conclusion 

You must have got a fair idea about the N-400 interview. If you still are facing confusion, you can directly contact us, and our expert immigration attorneys will guide you.