USCIS

Naturalization Civics Exam

by

The Naturalization Civics Examination The civics examination is part of the naturalization interview process and it is legally required in order to obtain US citizenship (unless you are exempt for medical reasons). The civics portion of the naturalization test is an oral examination that will test your knowledge of basic US history (who was the first president), the procedures of government and legal system (who can vote), and important aspects of the political system/structure (like number of members of the Senate). Learn about the civics exam for your naturalization interview at USCIS and how you can prepare for it. You can even take a practice test, or five. GENERAL INFORMATION Structure of the Exam You will receive an interview notice with a date, time, and location for you to appear at USCIS Field Office to present documents, answer questions, and do the English and Civics tests. The USCIS officer will ask you up to 10 questions from the list of 100 civics test questions. You must answer 6 questions correctly to pass the civics test. If you are only asked six questions then you got all six right. If you are asked less than 10 questions then you know you passed. If you don’t pass the civics test then you will be given an opportunity try again at another interview that will be rescheduled by mail (learn about that here). English The English test is a separate part of the naturalization interview process. You must take the civics examination even if you are exempt from the English test, however, you may be permitted to take the civics examination in your native language if you are exempt from the English requirement. If you are not exempt from the English test then you will have to take the civics examination in English. There are also the 65/20 special considerations, which use these questions. Learn more about applying for an exemption from the English test and requesting the use of an interpreter for other portions of the naturalization interview. Medical You can apply for a medical disability exemption by filing this Form N-648 WITH your N-400 application.  STUDY GUIDE The Government’s weird study guide for the test that they call “A More Perfect Union” can be found online on the USCIS website. NATURALIZATION CIVICS EXAM QUESTIONS All 100 Civics Questions in English  All 100 questions in Spanish  100 Preguntas y Respuestas de Educación Cívica All 100 questions in Chinese PRACTICE CITIZENSHIP EXAM Take a practice civics test online to see if you are ready for your USCIS naturalization interview so you don’t delay getting U.S. citizenship. You can take several different citizenship practice tests here as well.  A PRACTICE TESTA SECOND PRACTICE TESTA THIRD PRACTICE TEST External Links Notice I’d note that these practice tests are easy to access and seem to be accurate from wheat I’ve seen, but, they are not from the official USCIS.gov website or any other U.S. Government agency or non-profit so be careful. 

Extension and Redesignation of Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status

by

On September 22, 2023, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced the extension and redesignation of Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, due to extraordinary and temporary conditions in Venezuela that prevent individuals from safely returning. This will allow as many as 472,000 migrants from Venezuela to live and work legally in the United States for at least the next 18 months. the United Nations estimates that more than 7.3 million people have fled the political and economic crisis in Venezuela in recent years. TPS grants other benefits to recipients as well and can make some people eligible to obtain permanent immigration benefits. There is more information about TPS available on our TPS Overview Page. The Biden Administration has been facing a great deal of recent criticism from many Democratic State and City leaders, along with the usual suspects in red states, who have been vocal in blaming Biden and his immigration and border policies for the large number of immigrants from South and Central America who have have recently crossed the Mexican border and arrived in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and other major cities. The areas that have been receiving the majority of the immigrants who recently crossed the border, such as New York, have had their resources stretched thin and are unable to support the number of people showing up in need of shelter, food, and other basic resources. Extending and redesignating Venezuela allows for those who recently arrived from Venezuela to obtain employment authorization and work, alleviating some of the burden that the recent influx of migration has put on cities and states like New York. This doesn’t solve all the problems, such as the number of new students being enrolled in public schools, most who don’t speak English and require additional resources if they are to catch up to American students of their age. This also only applies to Venezuelans, which make up only a fraction of the hundreds of thousands of migrants who crossed the southern border in 2023 thus far. That said, some believe that this step will still be helpful and is a step in the right direction. Others fear that providing legal protection to more Venezuelans already here would simply encourage others from the country to come. Recent polls have been showing widespread disapproval of Biden’s handling of border security, and Republicans rallying behind an array of hard-line immigration policies, the president has also appeared deeply uncomfortable focusing any attention on these issues. Reuters has reported that CBP has logged more than 1,000 migrant encounters daily in the El Paso area in the last several days and railroad operator Union Pacific said it was forced to shut service to Mexico. The August 2023 press release from CBP reported 232,972 encounters across the southern border, most of which resulted in the person being permitted to remain in the U.S. to seek asylum or other immigration benefits, though 93% of asylum-seeking respondents reported not having secured legal counsel. In addition, through the end of August 2023, over 211,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans had arrived lawfully under the parole processes. The total number of migrants that will cross the southern border into the US is expected to surpass 500,000 by the end of the year. This Announcement Applicants for TPS under this redesignation must demonstrate that they are Venezuelan nationals (or individuals without nationality who last habitually resided in Venezuela) who have been continuously residing in the United States since July 31, 2023 and meet other eligibility criteria. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will continue to process pending applications filed under the previous TPS designation for Venezuela. Individuals with a pending Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, or a related Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, as of the date of the forthcoming Federal Register notice, do not need to file either application again. If USCIS approves a pending Form I-821 or Form I-765 filed under the previous designation of TPS for Venezuela, USCIS will grant the individual TPS and issue an EAD valid through the same date. Under the redesignation of Venezuela, eligible individuals who do not have TPS may submit a Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, during the initial registration period which will be specified in a forthcoming Federal Register notice. Applicants also may apply for TPS-related EADs and for travel authorization. Applicants can request an EAD by submitting a completed Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, with their Form I-821, or separately later. There are currently approximately 242,700 TPS beneficiaries under Venezuela’s existing TPS designation. There are an additional approximately 472,000 nationals of Venezuela who may be eligible under the redesignation of Venezuela.

Important Update on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

by

On Sept. 13, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas issued a decision finding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Final Rule unlawful and expanding the original July 16, 2021 injunction and order of vacatur to cover the Final Rule. However, the court maintained a partial stay of the order for “all DACA recipients who received their initial DACA status prior to July 16, 2021.” See the Memorandum and Order (PDF, 1.35 MB) and Supplemental Order of Injunction (PDF, 72.53 KB). Current grants of DACA and related Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) remain valid until they expire, unless individually terminated. USCIS will continue to accept and process DACA renewal requests and accompanying applications for employment authorization under the DACA regulations at 8 CFR 236.22 and 236.23, as it has since October 31, 2022, in accordance with this decision. USCIS will continue to accept initial requests, but per the order, not process initial DACA requests. Currently valid grants of DACA and related EADs will continue to be recognized as valid under the Final Rule. This means that individuals with DACA and related EADs do not have to submit a request for DACA or employment authorization until the appropriate time to seek renewal. For more information on DACA, please visit our USCIS DACA webpage.

Asylum Interview Interpreter Requirements Updated

by

USCIS announced to policies that will be taking effect on September 13, 2023. Anyone attending an asylum interview after September 13, 2023, will be required to bring an interpreter to their interview if they are not able to do the interview in English. See the new affirmative asylum interpreter requirements below. AFFIRMATIVE ASYLUM INTERPRETER REQUIREMENTS Starting September 13, 2023, affirmative asylum applicants must bring an interpreter to their asylum interview if they are not fluent in English or wish to do their interview in a language other than English. If an affirmative asylum applicant needs an interpreter and does not bring one, or if their interpreter is not fluent in English and a language the applicant speaks, and the applicant does not establish good cause, USCIS may consider this a failure to appear for the interview and may dismiss the asylum application or refer the asylum application to an immigration judge. USCIS will determine good cause on a case-by-case basis. INTERPRETER REQUIREMENTS: BACKGROUND On Sept. 23, 2020, USCIS published a temporary final rule (TFR) requiring affirmative asylum applicants to use our contracted telephonic interpreters for their asylum interviews, instead of bringing an interpreter to the interview. We published this TFR to reduce the spread of COVID-19 during asylum interviews with USCIS asylum officers while the COVID-19 national emergency and public health emergency were in effect. We published four subsequent TFRs extending the requirement, with the current extension effective through Sept. 12, 2023. This fourth extension provided additional time after the national and public health emergencies expired to allow USCIS to prepare to return to the prior regulatory requirement. With the expiration of the TFR, we will be reverting back to the long-standing regulatory requirement for an affirmative asylum applicant to provide an interpreter under 8 CFR 208.9(g). MORE INFORMATION Please see USCIS’ Preparing for Your Affirmative Asylum Interview webpage for more information.

Conditional Residency (two-year green card)

by

What is conditional residency (conditional green card)? A conditional green card, also known as CR1, is valid for two years and is issued to foreign nationals who have been married for less than two years. It is important to note that the conditional green card cannot be renewed. To maintain your status and avoid the need to leave the United States, it is necessary to adjust your status within the 90-day period before the card expires. As part of the process to remove the conditions on your permanent residency, it is required to provide evidence that your marriage is genuine. Petitioning to Remove Conditions When your conditional residency is nearing the end of its validity period and now you need to petition to remove the conditions with Form I-751 three months before your conditional residency expires. If you are still married you will petition with your spouse informing USCIS that you are still married to the spouse who petitioned for you. This is considered a joint petition to remove the conditions since both you and your partner will sign it (exceptions listed below to divorce, abuse, etc.) If you are no longer married to the spouse who petitioned for you then you must self-petition with a request for a waiver of the join filing requirement based on the termination of the marriage. You will have to show USCIS that you are now divorced (you can file if your divorce is pending but it can’t be approved until your divorce is finalized). Further, you will need to prove to the USCIS officer’s satisfaction that the marriage was bona fide at the time when you entered into it. Removing the Conditions Without Your Spouse As discussed above, you can petition without your spouse requesting a waiver of the joint-filing requirement under the following conditions: If you are filing with the request to have the joining requirement waived (filing individually) you can do so between the time your are granted conditional resident status and before being removed from the U.S. If extraordinary circumstances arise and you are unable to file (not due to your fault) you are permitted to file late but must include a detailed explanation of the reason you’re filing late to USCIS. When to file Form I-751? You should aim to submit your application within the 90-day period before your conditional green card expires. It’s important to note that this is a joint petition, so both partners should complete and sign the form together. In addition to the form, you will need to provide sufficient evidence to prove the authenticity of your marriage. This can include documents such as joint bills, joint lease/mortgages, photos of you and your partner together, and any relevant documentation regarding children (if applicable). Don’t forget to include a copy of your conditional green card and the necessary filing and biometric fees. Filing Fee & Biometric Service Fee The filing fee for Form I-751 is $595 while the biometric service fee is $85. What to Bring to Your Biometrics Appointment Review your biometric appointment sheet to see what exactly they’d like you to bring. You should be sure to bring a form of government photo ID such as : Documents to Support Good Faith Marriage Frequently Asked Questions About Conditional Green Cards My conditional green card expired, can I still work? If your conditional green card expired but your filed Form I-751 already then your resident status is automatically extended for 24 months while your case is processed by USCIS. On the receipt notice it will say “Your conditional permanent resident status is extended for 24 months from the expiration date on your Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card (also known as a Green Card).” That means you are legally able to travel out of the United States and work in the U.S. for those 24 months. Do I need to file an extension for this 24-month period? No, as long as you have submitted Form I-751 prior to the expiration of your conditional green card, this extension is automatic. What if I am asked for proof of my immigration status? If someone asks you can show them the receipt notice from USCIS (mailed within 6-8 weeks after filing Form I-751) and your expired green card as these serve as proof of your status. You are still a conditional resident while your I-751 is pending. What if my conditional green card expired and I didn’t file Form I-751? Until an NTA has been filed with the immigration court you are still able to file an I-751 with USCIS, but you would want to consult with an immigration attorney first as this makes your case more complicated. Even if your case is sent to the immigration court you are always able to file an I-751 with the Court and the Judge will rule on your removal of conditions. Can someone with a conditional green card do everything a permanent green card holder can? Yes, apart from having to remove the conditions after the two years, they have the same rights. Do people with ten-year green cards need to file Form I-751? No, they do not. Only those with conditional 2-year green cards. What does IR1 on my green card mean? This stands for immediate relative. Does my time as a conditional resident count towards my citizenship? Yes, it does. What is a CR6 green card? CR is the class of admission so if you see CR6 that means you have a  conditional green card. Is an interview required? If you and your spouse are filing jointly to remove the conditions, you may not need to be interviewed. The chances of being required to go through an interview are higher if you are requesting to waive the joint filing requirement, which is the case if you are divorced, or if you were not interviewed for your conditional residency. How long does it take to get permanent green card from conditional? Once you have submitted Form I-751, Petition to Remove … Read more