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I attended two naturalization interviews yesterday. At the St. Louis sub-office of USCIS, some weeks, the officers work on naturalization cases. On other weeks, they work on green cards or other visa matters.
Yesterday, I started speaking with some of the people there for their USCIS naturalization interview, and nobody seemed sure about what would happen after the interview. I thought I would write a little bit about that.
Read on to learn more about:
Typically, when you go into the office for your interview, you will be asked to leave your cell phone on a desk out in the hall. Before you sit down, you will be placed under oath. The USCIS officer will then review your N-400 application with you, asking many of the same questions that were asked on Form N-400.
Your citizenship interview may or may not be videotaped. The USCIS officers typically spend some time reviewing your work and travel history, any criminal matters, and your prior immigration history. They may also ask about family members and their immigration status.
The second portion of the interview will be the naturalization test. You will be asked to write a sentence in English and to read a sentence in English. You will take a civics test, and you have to score 60% to pass. If you get six answers right, the examiner usually stops asking questions.
The final portion of the interview will concern the oath of allegiance. Some officers will ask you to explain in your own words what the oath means to you. Others will read you questions about the oath and write down your answers.
We have also seen officers ask the person being interviewed to read the oath out loud and then explain what it means. The oath is an important part of the interview, and we have seen people get their U.S citizenship denied or delayed because they could not explain the oath.
If you pass your citizenship test and everything goes smoothly with your interview, you will receive a form that says these two verdicts:
Unlike certain other jurisdictions, you will not be sworn in as a U.S. citizen on the day of your exam. Instead, if your application is approved, you will receive a letter about 3-6 weeks later directing you to your oath ceremony.
Usually, the ceremony is held at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, which is located at 111 S. 10th Street, St. Louis, MO 63102. The ceremonies also take place at colleges and other landmarks such as the Old Courthouse.
If you end up waiting for more than 120 days from the time of your interview for a naturalization ceremony, USCIS may be delaying your case. If you would like more information on how we may be able to help you with your naturalization delay, click here for more information.
Some naturalization cases are straightforward and may be able to be handled without getting citizenship and immigration services. Other cases require the expertise of an immigration attorney.
If you would like help and legal advice with your naturalization application, please contact us at (314) 325-7978 or by completing our online webform here.