Interview for naturalization or citizenship is the most important step towards getting your citizenship after submitting your application. It helps to be prepared well for your interview. A letter from the USCIS will tell you when and where to appear for your interview.

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Things You'll Need

2 photographs (passport rules abiding)

Copy of your filled N400 form that you submitted (for your reference)

Green card and copy

Drivers licence

Recent paycheck

Documents requested in your interview letter.

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Instructions

1

Collect all documents indicated in your interview letter for you to bring for the interview. Get 2 recent passport-style photographs.

2

View your N 400 application carefully and see if anything has changed since you filled your application. Update the USCIS officer with the changes. If it helps to carry additional documents for these changes, carry them.

3

Prepare for the English test. The USCIS website at http://www.uscis.gov/citizenship has information about the tests.

4

Prepare for the Civics test. You will be asked approximately 10 questions from a pool of 98 questions. There are lots of resources online or books at local libraries which will help you prepare for these questions.

5

After your have completed the above steps successfully, the USCIS officer will make a decision on your case. If approved, the officer will set up an appointment for your oath. The timing of your oath depends on the location of the office and the volume of processing. If the oath timing is inconvenient, or you are travelling at that time, you can request for another time with the officer. They will cooperate with you on reasonable requests.

Tips & Warnings

In case your interview date will not work for you (you are travelling or whatever), send a letter to the USCIS address mentioned in your letter with the reason and documents if any.

It is a good idea to carry some additional documents. These include your SSN card, recent paycheck, passport.

If you have had any issues or incidents with the IRS, carry copies of your tax returns for the past 5 yrs.

If you dont have copies of your tax transcripts, you can request them from the IRS via Form 1722. It takes only a few days to arrive all these in the mail. If you would request these documents over the phone with them at 1-800-829-1040 or by requesting these documents thru visiting their website wherein you would need to fill out Form 4506-T.

Sometimes, you can take the oath on the same day, in which case you will get a copy of your naturalization certificate on the same day. Remember to sign your naturalization certificate as soon as you get it, it is invalid otherwise.

Before your oath, you have to surrender copies of your green card. Make copies of it, in case you need some information from it.

Take a camera for your oath ceremony.

Make copies of your naturalization certificate and save it before applying for your US passport. (The US passport application needs your original naturalization certificate).

You can apply for US passport after you finish the oath and get your naturalization certificate.

Try to avoid postponing your interview as it might delay your citizenship processing.

Be truthful and sincere during the interview.

Be dressed neatly.

If you dont understand a question, ask the USCIS officer to repeat the question and then answer.

Remember to take your green card for the oath as you have to turn it in.

Verify spelling and other information on your naturalization certificate immediately after you recieve it. It is easy to fix when you find errors right after you receive it. Else it is a very tedious and long process.

Be careful with your naturalization certificate. It is very hard to replace.

Remember you dont become a citizen until you take the oath ceremony. Be careful with your green card until then.

Tags: naturalization certificate, your interview, your naturalization, your naturalization certificate