Requirements for Naturalization and Typical Citizenship FAQs Examination

Requirements for Naturalization and Typical Citizenship FAQs Examination

If you intend to permanently reside in the United States, there are many reasons to become a U.S. citizen (the process is known as “naturalization”) including:

• You will no longer be deportable.
• You can vote.
• You can help other family members obtain permanent residence.

The general requirements for naturalization are:

• You must be at least eighteen years old.
• You must maintain a continuous permanent residence in the United States as a green card holder for at least five years prior to your naturalization application.
• You must reside continuously in the Unite States from the time of filing your naturalization application until the time of admission to citizenship.
• You must reside for at least three months in the state (or the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services district) in which your naturalization application was filed.
• You must be physically present in the US for at least 50 percent of those last five years.
• You must be able to understand, read, and speak simple English.
• You must demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of U.S. history and of the principles and form of U.S. government.
• You must be attached to the principles of the U.S. Constitution.
• You must be of good moral character for the period of the required continuous residence in the U.S.
• You must not be subject to one of the bars to naturalization, such as the bar applicable to members of certain political parties and advocates of certain political positions.
• You must possess the required state of mind in taking the naturalization oath.

After you have filed your naturalization application package, if you meet the requirements, the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) will schedule you for a naturalization examination. During the interview, the examiner will test your English reading and writing skills by giving you a simple dictation test. You will also have to sign your name in English. However, you do not have to take the literacy examination if:

1. you are physically unable to read or write,
2. are over fifty years old and have lived in the United States as a permanent legal resident for at least twenty years, or
3. are over fifty-five years old and have been a lawful permanent resident for more than fifteen years. The examiner will also ask you some questions about the U.S. system of government and history to confirm that you have basic knowledge of these subjects.

• The following are questions you can expect to be asked:
• What are the colors of the U.S. flag?
• How many stars are there on the U.S. flag?
• What color are the stars?
• What do the stars stand for?
• How many stripes are there?
• What color are the stripes?
• What do the stripes stand for?
• How many states are there in the United States?
• What is the 4th of July?
• What is the date of Independence Day?
• From whom did the United States gain independence?
• What country did the United States fight during the Revolutionary War?
• Who was the first President of the United States?
• Who is President of the United States today?
• Who is the Vice President of the United States today?
• Who elects the President?
• Who becomes President if the President dies?
• For how many years do we elect the President?
• What is the Constitution?
• Can the Constitution be changed?
• What do we call a change to the Constitution?
• How many changes or amendments are there to the Constitution?
• How many branches are there in the U.S. government?
• What are the three branches of the U.S. government?
• What is the legislative branch of the U.S. government?
• Who makes the laws in the United States?
• What is Congress?
• What are the duties of Congress?
• Who elects Congress?
• How many Senators are there in Congress?
• Who are the two Senators from your state?
• For how long do we elect each Senator?
• How many representatives are there in Congress?
• For how long do we elect the representatives?
• What is the executive branch of our government?
• What is the judiciary branch of our government?
• What are the duties of the Supreme Court?
• What is the supreme law of the United States?
• What is the Bill of Rights?
• What is the capital of your state?
• Who is the current Governor of your state?
• Who becomes President of the United States if the President and the Vice President die?
• Who is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court?
• What are the names of the thirteen original states?
• Who said, “Give me liberty or give me death”?
• Which countries were our enemies during World War II?
• What are the 49th and 50th states of the United States?
• How many terms can a President serve?
• Who was Martin Luther King, Jr.?
• Who is the head of your local government?
• According to the Constitution, a person must meet certain requirements in order to be eligible to become President. Name one of these requirements.
• Why are there 100 Senators in the Senate?
• Who selects the Supreme Court justices?
• How many Supreme Court justices are there?
• Why did the pilgrims come to America?
• What is the head executive of a state government called?
• What is the head executive of a city government called?
• What holiday did the American colonists celebrate for the first time?
• Who was the main writer of the Declaration of Independence?
• When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
• What is the national anthem of the United States?
• Who wrote the Star-Spangled Banner?
• Where does freedom of speech come from?
• What is the minimum voting age in the United States?
• Who signs bills into law?
• What is the highest court in the United States?
• Who was the President during the Civil War?
• What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
• What special group advises the President?
• Which President is called the “Father of our Country”?
• What immigration and naturalization service form is used to apply to become a naturalized citizen?
• Who helped the pilgrims in America?
• What is the name of the ship that brought the pilgrims to America?
• What were the thirteen original states of the United States called?
• Name three rights or freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights?
• Who has the power to declare war?
• What kind of government does the United States have?
• Which President freed the slaves?
• In what year was the Constitution written?
• What are the first ten amendments to the Constitution called?
• Name one purpose of the United Nations.
• Where does Congress meet?
• Whose rights are guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights?
• What is the introduction to the Constitution called?
• Name one benefit of being a citizen of the United States.
• What is the most important right granted to U.S. citizens?
• What is the U.S. capitol?
• What is the White House?
• Where is the White House located?
• What is the name of the President's official home?
• Name one right guaranteed by the First Amendment.
• Who is the Commander in Chief of the U.S. military?
• Which President was the first Commander in Chief of the U.S. military?
• In what month do we vote for the President?
• In what month is the new President inaugurated?
• How many times may a Senator be re-elected?
• How many times may a Congressman be re-elected?