If you’ve applied for U.S. citizenship, you know that you’ll need to take the U.S. Citizenship Test. (If you haven’t yet applied, now is the perfect time to talk to an immigration lawyer serving Milwaukee and Wisconsin.)
But what’s on the test, and how well must you do to pass it?
What’s on the U.S. Citizenship Test?
There are four parts to the U.S. Citizenship test:
- Speaking
- Reading
- Writing
- Civics
Fortunately, your ability to speak English is determined by the USCIS officer who conducts your eligibility interview when you apply for naturalization; you won’t even realize it’s being tested, so no pressure!
Reading Test
The reading portion of the U.S. Citizenship Test requires you to read one out of three sentences aloud correctly. The USCIS has a Reading Test Vocabulary List you can use to study if you’re concerned about the way you will perform on this portion of the test.
Writing Test
You’ll have to write one out of three sentences correctly as part of the U.S. Citizenship Test. The USCIS also has a Writing Test Vocabulary List you can use to study for the writing portion of the test.
Civics Test
In order to pass the Civics Test, you’ll have to answer six out of 10 questions correctly. There’s a list of 100 possible civics questions the interviewer can pull from. If you answer the first six correctly, you don’t have to answer any more; if you can’t answer six out of 10 correctly, you can retake the test later.
If You Fail the English and Civics Portions of the U.S. Citizenship Test
You’ll have two chances to take the English and Civics Tests when you apply. If you fail any part of the test during your first interview, you’ll be retested on the part that you failed. You can expect to be retested between 60 and 90 days from the date of your initial interview.
Resources for Studying for the U.S. Citizenship Test
The USCIS has several resources available to help you study for the English and Civics portions of the test:
Do You Need to Talk to an Immigration Lawyer in Wisconsin?
If you’re immigrating to the U.S. or you’re planning to apply for citizenship, call our Wisconsin immigration lawyers at 414-383-6700. You can also contact us online for a consultation.
