Joseph M. Ghabour, Attorney At Law, LLC - Immigration Information Center

Citizenship Through Naturalization

Naturalization is the process by which U.S. citizenship is granted to a foreign citizen or national after he or she fulfills the requirements established by Congress in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
In most cases, an applicant for naturalization must be a permanent resident (green card holder) before filing. Except for certain U.S. military members and their dependents, naturalization can only be granted in the United States.
You May Qualify for Naturalization if:

You have been a permanent resident for at least 5 years and meet all other eligibility requirements.
You have been a permanent resident for 3 years or more and meet all eligibility requirements to file as a spouse of a U.S. citizen.
You have qualifying service in the U.S. armed forces and meet all other eligibility requirements.
Your child may qualify for naturalization if you are a U.S. citizen, the child was born outside the U.S., the child is currently residing outside the U.S., and all other eligibility requirements are met.

Note: You may already be a U.S. citizen and not need to apply for naturalization if your biological or adoptive parent(s) became a U.S. citizen before you reached the age of 18.

The Naturalization Test

One of the requirements for U.S. citizenship through naturalization is to take the naturalization test to demonstrate that you are able to read, write, and speak basic English and that you have a basic knowledge of U.S. history and government (also known as “civics”).
Once you have completed and submitted your Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, and you have had your fingerprints taken at a USCIS facility, you will receive an appointment for an interview. At your naturalization interview, you will be required to answer questions about your application and background. You will also take an English and civics test unless you qualify for an exemption or waiver.

English & Civics

During your interview, a USCIS officer will test your ability to read, write, and speak English and your knowledge of civics. You must read one sentence out of three sentences correctly in English, and you must write one sentence out of three sentences correctly in English. Your ability to speak English is determined during your interview on your naturalization application. Finally, you must answer 6 out of 10 civics questions correctly to achieve a passing score.
You will be given two opportunities to take the English and civics tests and to answer all questions relating to your naturalization application in English. If you fail any of the tests at your initial interview, you will be retested on the portion of the test that you failed (English or civics) between 60 and 90 days from the date of your initial interview.

If You Don’t Pass

If an applicant fails the English and/or civics test during the first examination, the applicant will be required to take test over again.

Exemptions from English & Civics Requirements

If you have been a permanent resident of the United States for more than 15 years and are more than 55 years of age, you may be tested in your foreign language utilizing the services of an interpreter.
If you have a medical condition that would hinder your ability to take the English and Civics test, there is a medical exemption to the test that you may qualify for. Contact us today for more information.

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Contact Joseph M. Ghabour, Attorney At Law, LLC for an appointment today. We will help you with all aspects of your immigration case. The time to contact an immigration attorney is before the filing of your petition or application—not after. Call us today!