How to
How to prepare for your citizenship interview (Form N-400)
Key points
- Who
- Permanent residents who applied for naturalization on Form N-400.
- What
- A USCIS officer places you under oath and asks about your application; the interview is also your English speaking test.
- Tests
- Unless you qualify for an exemption: an English test (reading, writing, speaking) and a civics test.
- Watch out
- You are not a U.S. citizen until you take the Oath of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony.
Most of the interview is about your own application. The officer places you under oath, then goes through the answers on your Form N-400, the documents you provided and anything that needs more questions. Knowing your own file well is the best preparation.
The review of your N-400 also serves as your English speaking test. Unless you qualify for an exemption, you also take the reading, writing and civics tests at the same appointment.
At a glance
- Form
- N-400Application for Naturalization
- Agency
- USCISAt a USCIS office
- Bring
- Your passportsPlus what your notice and the N-400 instructions list
- Tests
- English and civicsUnless you qualify for an exemption
What happens at the interview
- The oath
The officer introduces themselves, explains the examination and places you under oath.
- Your file
Questions about the information in your N-400, your documents and anything else that needs more questioning. This is also your speaking test.
- Reading
Read aloud one of three sentences correctly.
- Writing
Write one of three sentences correctly.
- Civics
On the 2025 civics test, the officer asks up to 20 of the 128 official questions, and you must answer 12 correctly. Which test you take depends on when you filed.
Questions the officer may ask about your application
The questions follow your own N-400, so the exact questions differ from person to person. For example:
- “Have you travelled outside the United States since you became a permanent resident?”
- “Where have you lived during the time the application asks about?”
- “Have you ever been arrested, cited or detained?”
- “Has anything in your application changed since you filed it?”
What to bring
- All valid and expired passports and travel documents that show your trips outside the United States since you became a permanent resident.
- Your interview notice, and the original documents it or the Form N-400 instructions list for your situation, for example birth, marriage or divorce certificates, court orders or records of an arrest.
After the interview
If your application is approved, USCIS schedules you for the Oath of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony. You become a U.S. citizen only when you take the oath, and you return your Permanent Resident Card when you check in for the ceremony.
Can I handle this on my own, or do I need a lawyer?
Many people go to the interview on their own. If you have ever been arrested, spent long periods outside the United States, or have anything in your history you are unsure about, talk to an immigration lawyer or a legal aid office before the interview.
Official sources
Related
This page explains the law in general terms. It is not legal advice about your situation. Justice is not a law firm and is not affiliated with any court or government agency.