Naturalization 101: The Interview
Tips to help you through the naturalization interview
The USCIS interview is one of the most important parts of the naturalization process. Not only will you be interviewed about your background and history by a USCIS officer, you will also have to complete an English test and a Civics test. The interview and tests are just one part of the overall naturalization process, but they are an important step. Here are some tips that will help you navigate the naturalization interview successfully.
Use the resources provided by the USCIS
The USCIS understands that the testing portion and interview can be difficult, and they have several resources to help you prepare for and succeed in this step. First, for the citizenship test, they have a list of one hundred questions that are publicly available. The ten questions you will be asked during the test will be pulled from that list, so utilizing that list to prepare for the test is a good idea. Additionally, USCIS released a set of four different preparation videos (below). These videos walk you through the interview and testing process, and are another valuable information source for preparation.
The Naturalization Interview and Test | USCIS
Naturalization Interview and Test: Episode 2 – The Naturalization Interview (youtube.com)
Naturalization Interview and Test: Episode 3 – The Civics Test
Naturalization Interview and Test: Episode 4 – The Reading and Writing Test
Remember to bring all of your supporting documents
There are five documents that you must bring with you for the interview. These are:
- Your Permanent Resident Card
- Your official state ID (driver’s license)
- Every passport you’ve ever had (including your expired passports)
- Information about travel outside of the U.S. since you’ve become a permanent resident (if applicable)
- Tax returns
Make sure you have all these documents in order before your interview, so you can streamline the process for yourself.
Ask others about their experience
One useful tip that can come in handy is asking other naturalized citizens what their experiences were. Learning more about the test through the viewpoint of someone taking the test and getting interviewed can provide insights that USCIS resources cannot. Hearing from someone who has gone through the interview experience can be very helpful to reduce stress about the interview as well.