An applicant for naturalization must be a permanent resident (green card holder) before filing.
Eligibility Criteria
1. The applicant has been a permanent resident for at least 5 years and physically resided in the United States for at least 30 months out of the 5 years.
2. The applicant has been a permanent resident for 3 years as a spouse of a U.S. citizen and physically resided in the United States for at least 18 months out of the 3years.
The Naturalization Test
An applicant must pass the two types of Naturalization tests.
1. An applicant will be tested on their ability to read, write, and speak English during his/her interview. In this interview, the applicant must be able to:
· Read one sentence out of three sentences correctly
· Write one sentence out of three sentences correctly
· Speak English as determined during the interview
· Write one sentence out of three sentences correctly
· Speak English as determined during the interview
2. An applicant will be tested on his/her basic knowledge of civics and must answer 6 out of 10 civics questions correctly to achieve a passing score.
If an applicant fails any of the tests at his/her initial interview, he/she will be re-tested on the portion of the English or civics test that he/she failed between 60 and 90 days from the date of his/her initial interview. If an applicant fails the re-test, his/her Naturalization application will be rejected.
Exemption of English or civics criteria
1. An applicant must be 55years or older as a permanent resident for over 15 years in the United States.
2. An applicant must be 50 years or order as a permanent resident for over 20 years in the United States.
However, an applicant listed above must still take the civics test. An applicant may be permitted to take the civics test in his/her native language if his/her spoken English is insufficient to conduct a valid test in English.
If an applicant is age 65 or older as a permanent resident for at least 20 years, he/she will be tested on the civics requirement in his/her native language.
Medical Disability Exceptions to English and Civics
An applicant may request a medical disability exception to the English and civics naturalization requirements if he/she is unable to learn English and civics due to his/her physical, developmental, or mental disabilities.
To request qualification under this exception, submit Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions. This form must be completed by a licensed medical or osteopathic doctor, or licensed clinical psychologist.
