If you are a foreign national seeking to become an American citizen, the naturalization process can be a mixture of stress and excitement. One of the last steps to complete before naturalizing to a citizen is the civics test. Passing the civics test is required to become a citizen. A U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officer will ask a set of up to 10 civics questions. You must answer at least six of these questions correctly. While this may sound difficult, the good news is that USCIS has published all 100 possible civics questions online for review.
One difficulty that you may face when preparing for this exam is the fact that answers to some of the questions will periodically change based on elections. Questions that vary include identifying U.S. Senators, U.S. Representatives, the President, the Vice President, the number of justices on the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice, state Governors, the political party of the President, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. USCIS publishes up-to-date material regarding these civics test updates that foreign nationals should use to prepare for the civics exam.
As a result of the 2018 election, the answers to some questions have or may have changed, depending on where you live. Questions to pay close attention to include identifying U.S. Senators, U.S. Representatives, state Governors, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives vary by location, so you should be sure to verify your elected officials on the U.S. Senate website and the U.S. House of Representatives website. You can also find out information about the Speaker of the House on the U.S. House of Representatives website. The U.S. government also provides a website identifying the current governor of each state and territory.
Preparation for the civics exam can go a long way in relieving some stress surrounding the naturalization process. This is one of the last steps before gaining the lifetime benefit of becoming a citizen and gaining the privileges that come with it, and some preparation and keeping up to date with USCIS study materials can ensure this step goes smoothly. If you have an immigration question and would like to discuss it with an attorney, don’t hesitate to contact Berardi Immigration Law today to schedule a consultation!
