Citizenship Interview Day: What to Bring and What Happens

On your citizenship interview day, bring your interview appointment notice, your Green Card, a state-issued photo ID such as a driver's license, and all passports and travel documents, valid or expired, that show your trips outside the U.S. since you became a permanent resident. Depending on your case, you may also need original copies of other documents, such as a marriage or divorce certificate.

The interview includes taking an oath, reviewing your Form N-400, the English and civics tests (unless you are exempt), and receiving a results notice. Below is a checklist you can prepare the night before.

Documents everyone should bring

• The interview appointment notice USCIS sent you.
• Your Green Card (Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551).
• A state-issued ID, such as a driver's license or state ID card.
• All passports and travel documents, valid or expired, that show your absences from the U.S. since becoming a permanent resident.

Documents you may also need, depending on your case

USCIS says you should bring original documents related to your case. Certain certified copies are also accepted. The full list is in Form M-477 (Document Checklist) and the Form N-400 instructions. Here are some common examples.

• Your current marriage certificate, and any divorce decree, annulment, or death certificate showing that prior marriages ended (if applicable).
• Birth certificates or adoption papers, if they relate to your case.
• Name change documents, if you changed your name after filing.
• Court records, court-certified arrest reports, and probation or parole records, if you have any of these in your history.
• Proof of child support payments, if applicable.
• If you owe taxes: a signed agreement with the IRS or a state or local tax office showing you filed a return and arranged to pay.
• Any document in a foreign language must include a full English translation and the translator's certification.

This list is for reference only. Which documents you need depends on your own situation. If your case has complications, ask an immigration attorney or a Department of Justice recognized organization before your interview.

If you take the civics test in Vietnamese

People who qualify for an age-based English exemption (50/20, 55/15, or 65/20) may take the civics test in Vietnamese, but must bring their own interpreter.

• The interpreter must be fluent in both English and Vietnamese.
• The interpreter should bring a government-issued ID, because a copy must be submitted at the interview.
• The interpreter will sign an interpreter oath and a privacy release before interpreting.

How does the interview work?

1. You arrive at the USCIS office on the date and time on your appointment notice.
2. The officer introduces themselves, explains the purpose of the interview, and places you under oath at the start.
3. The officer reviews the answers on your Form N-400 with you and asks follow-up questions to clarify or confirm them. You may ask the officer to repeat or rephrase a question.
4. Through these questions, the officer judges your ability to speak and understand English, unless you are exempt.
5. You take the reading test (read 1 of 3 sentences out loud correctly) and the writing test (write 1 of 3 sentences correctly), unless you are exempt.
6. You take the oral civics test for your filing date: the 2008 test if you filed before October 20, 2025, or the 2025 test if you filed on or after that date.
7. At the end, the officer gives you a naturalization interview results notice (Form N-652), whatever the outcome.

After the interview

If your application is approved, USCIS will send you a notice for the oath ceremony. At the ceremony, you check in with USCIS, an officer reviews your answers on Form N-445, and USCIS collects your Green Card. Then you take the oath and receive your Certificate of Naturalization.

If USCIS needs more documents, you will be asked to submit them. If you did not pass any part of the test, you will be scheduled to retest that part between 60 and 90 days after your first interview.

Checklist for the night before

• Appointment notice, Green Card, state ID, and all old and current passports.
• Your N-400 receipt notice, if your Green Card has expired.
• Original documents related to your case.
• Reread the Form N-400 you submitted, because the officer will ask about the answers on it.
• Your interpreter and their ID, if you are testing in Vietnamese.
• Review the civics questions for your filing date, and the names of current officeholders on your interview day.
• Double check the office address and appointment time on your notice.

Having all your documents ready ahead of time helps you feel calmer when you walk into the interview. We wish you a smooth interview.