The interview is the decisive step of naturalization: in about 20 or 30 minutes, an officer reviews your N-400 application, gives you the English and civics tests, and in many cases tells you the result the same day. This guide explains how the appointment comes, what to bring, what to expect in the room and what follows.
When the appointment comes
After filing the N-400 you will see "Case Was Received", sometimes a biometrics appointment (or a notice that USCIS is reusing your earlier fingerprints), and a stretch of "USCIS Is currently Processing the Case". After "processing", the next status is usually Interview Was Scheduled, months after filing, sometimes more than a year depending on the office. USCIS publishes its own time per office.
The interview notice (Form I-797C) comes by mail with the date, time, field office and a document list. If you cannot attend, ask to reschedule before the date from your online account or by calling USCIS; a rescheduling can push the appointment back several months. If you do not show up and do not notify them, USCIS can close the application.
What to bring
The basics, always:
- The interview notice.
- Your Green Card.
- All your passports, including expired ones, and any travel document.
- A state-issued photo ID (driver's license or ID card).
Depending on your answers on the N-400:
- If you apply through marriage to a citizen (3 years): marriage certificate, proof of your spouse's citizenship and proof that you live together (joint taxes, lease, accounts).
- Divorce decrees or death certificates from earlier marriages, yours and your spouse's.
- Tax transcripts for the last 5 years (3 if applying through marriage), and a payment plan if you owe taxes.
- Proof of child support for children who do not live with you.
- The complete record of any arrest or charge, even if dismissed: the certified court disposition.
- Records of long trips (more than 6 months abroad).
- If you are a man who lived in the United States between ages 18 and 26: your Selective Service registration or a status letter.
- Form N-648 signed by a doctor if you request a disability exception.
Bring originals and copies. Anything the officer does not see can turn into a request for evidence and delay the decision by months.
What the interview is like
- Oath. The officer asks you to tell the truth under oath. From that moment, everything you say is part of your file.
- N-400 review. The officer goes through the application question by question and asks you to update whatever changed since you filed: trips, addresses, jobs, marital status, arrests. Answer honestly and without guessing; if you do not understand a question, ask for it to be repeated.
- English test. Speaking is assessed throughout the conversation. Then the officer asks you to read aloud one of up to three sentences and write one of up to three sentences they dictate.
- Civics test. Oral questions about history and government, from a public list:
- If you filed the N-400 before October 20, 2025, you get the 2008 version: up to 10 questions from a list of 100; you pass with 6 correct.
- If you filed on or after October 20, 2025, the 2025 version: up to 20 questions from a list of 128; you pass with 12 correct.
- The official study list is at uscis.gov/citizenship.
Exceptions: if you are 50 or older with 20 years of residence, or 55 with 15 years, you can take the civics test in your language with an interpreter and skip the English test. If you are 65 with 20 years of residence, the civics test is limited to the questions marked on the list. A physical or mental disability documented with Form N-648 can exempt you from one or both tests.
The three results
At the end, the officer hands you Form N-652 with one of three results:
- Approved. You passed the tests and nothing is missing. At some offices the oath ceremony is the same day; at most, a notice with the date follows.
- Continued. A document is missing (you get a Form N-14 with the list and a deadline) or you failed part of the test. In that case you get a second chance, at a new appointment usually 60 to 90 days later, only for the part you failed.
- Denied. The officer explains the reason in writing. You can request a review hearing with Form N-336 within 30 days, or file the N-400 again once you fix the problem.
Afterwards: the oath ceremony
With the approval, the status moves to Oath Ceremony Will Be Scheduled and then to Oath Ceremony Notice Was Mailed: the notice with the ceremony's date, time and place (Form N-445). The oath status can appear days or weeks after the approval; some offices schedule the ceremony months later. Fill in the questionnaire on the back of the N-445 on the day of the ceremony, bring your Green Card (you hand it in there) and your notice.
At the ceremony you take the oath of allegiance and receive the Certificate of Naturalization; the status moves to Certificate Of Naturalization Was Issued. That day you are a citizen: you can apply for a passport, register to vote and update your Social Security record.
Common questions
Can I bring someone to the interview?
Your lawyer or accredited representative, yes. An interpreter, only if you qualify for an English exception. Relatives, no, unless you are a minor or need support because of a disability.
What if I fail the English or civics test twice?
USCIS denies the application. You can file the N-400 again and pay the fee again.
How long does the whole process take?
USCIS publishes the time per office, and MigraConnect shows your office's official time next to the status.
How do I hear about the appointment on time?
The "Interview Was Scheduled" status appears before the letter arrives. MigraConnect+ notifies your phone with every status change, including the ceremony notice.
This guide is informational and does not replace advice from a lawyer or an accredited representative. Need additional help? Contact USCIS at 1-800-375-5283.