Immigrants have many options for living legally in the United States. Some people only need temporary legal status and may simply need to secure visas. Others might hope to live in the country permanently.
Green cards grant permanent residents the right to remain in the country indefinitely unless they commit significant crimes or fail to follow the appropriate process for renewing their green cards every 10 years.
Those who want to eliminate removal risk or renewal obligations may choose to naturalize. Others want to become citizens so that they can support their loved ones still living abroad. The naturalization process involves background checks, an interview and two tests. What can immigrants expect if they do not pass the naturalization test?
Immigrants can retake the test
The interview process with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) involves two tests. Immigrants must prove their proficiency in the English language and must also pass a test in civics.
The English test is partially oral and partially written. The Civics test is entirely oral. The USCIS does provide a comprehensive list of the Civics questions that the interviewer may ask. There are also vocabulary study resources available to help people prepare.
Should they fail the test, they have a single opportunity to retake the test they did not pass. If the immigrant passes the second time, they can move forward with the naturalization process. If they fail a second time, then they cannot naturalize. Failing does not affect their current status. They are not at risk of losing their green card because they failed their tests.
Additionally, they have the opportunity to apply for naturalization again after they have had more time to prepare for the tests. In theory, immigrants can apply for naturalization as many times as they require to eventually pass the test and become citizens. However, they have to undergo the entire process every time they apply, including the payment of naturalization fees.
Understanding what happens during the naturalization process can give people the courage they need to pursue United States citizenship. Many immigrants can pass the naturalization tests with proper preparation and support.