US Citizenship Study Guide
Your naturalization interview consists two important tests: English and civics. You must pass the two tests to become a citizen, unless you qualify for an exemption. The English test covers reading, writing and speaking, while the civics test focuses on the fundamental history and government of the United States.
For people who have been studying or working in the U.S., these tests are fairly easy to pass. But there are certainly new immigrants who need a lot of help to prepare for the tests. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provides excellent and free study materials for this purpose. You can download them directly at uscis.gov (some of them are also available right here on this page). If you don't have access to a computer or internet, you can find most of them at your local library or a community organization.
If you fail one or both of the tests, you can schedule for another interview to re-take the test, usually within 60 - 90 days. If you fail again, your application for naturalization will be denied. However, you may re-apply (submit a new application with fees) for citizenship at any time.
Test 1: EnglishThe immigration law requires that you must be able to read, write, and speak basic English in order to be eligible for citizenship.
Exemptions to the Civics Test RequirementIf you choose to take the civics test in your native language, or any language other than English, you must bring an interpreter with you to the interview.
For people who have been studying or working in the U.S., these tests are fairly easy to pass. But there are certainly new immigrants who need a lot of help to prepare for the tests. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provides excellent and free study materials for this purpose. You can download them directly at uscis.gov (some of them are also available right here on this page). If you don't have access to a computer or internet, you can find most of them at your local library or a community organization.
If you fail one or both of the tests, you can schedule for another interview to re-take the test, usually within 60 - 90 days. If you fail again, your application for naturalization will be denied. However, you may re-apply (submit a new application with fees) for citizenship at any time.
Test 1: EnglishThe immigration law requires that you must be able to read, write, and speak basic English in order to be eligible for citizenship.
- Reading: You will demonstrate your ability to read in English by correctly reading one out of three sentences. Study materials: Reading Vocabulary for the Naturalization Test
- Writing: You will demonstrate your ability to write in English by correctly writing one out of three sentences. Study materials: Writing Vocabulary for the Naturalization Test
- Speaking: You will demonstrate your ability to speak in English by answering questions during the interview.
- Quick Civics Lessons (PDF)
- 100 Civics Questions with Answers
- 100 Civics Questions with Answers (PDF)
- Civics Questions with Audio (MP3)
- Civics Self Test
- Waiver 1: If you are over 50 years old and have lived in the United States as a Permanent Resident for periods totaling at least 20 years (50/20 exemption); Or,
- Waiver 2: If you are over 55 years old and have lived in the United States as a Permanent Resident for periods totaling at least 15 years (55/15 exemption); Or,
- Waiver 3: If you are over 65 years old and have lived in the United States as a Permanent Resident for periods totaling at least 20 years; Or,
- Waiver 4: If you have a physical or mental disability that prevents you from complying with the English and civics requirements.
Exemptions to the Civics Test RequirementIf you choose to take the civics test in your native language, or any language other than English, you must bring an interpreter with you to the interview.
- If you are eligible for Waiver 1 (50/20 exemption) or Waiver 2 (55/15 exemption), you are exempt from taking the English test but you still must take the civics test. You can choose a language for your civics test, however.
- If you are eligible for Waiver 3 (65/20 exemption), you are exempt from taking the English test but must take a simplified version of the civics test. Again, you can use a language of your choice for the test.
- If you are eligible for Waiver 4 (medical exemption), you are exempt from both English and civics tests.