Immigrants living in California who are legal permanent residents may enjoy a path to citizenship through naturalization. Candidates for naturalization must first become permanent residents for five years. The rights of naturalized citizens are no different than those given to birth citizens of the country.
Citizenship test
The citizenship test is an integral part of the immigration and naturalization process. A major part of the test is evaluating the applicant’s ability to read, write, and speak using the English language.
Applicants will have three chances to read a sentence in a way that suggests to the immigration officer administering the test that they can understand the words they read. Applicants will also have three chances to write a sentence that is understandable to the officer. An immigration officer will assess the applicant’s ability to speak English by responses given to questions often found on Form N-400.
The remainder of the citizenship test will evaluate what an applicant knows about civics in the United States. The applicant will need to answer 10 questions regarding government and history in the country. Six correct answers earn the applicant a passing score.
Consequences of failing a test
The officer conducting a citizenship test and interview will inform the applicant of the results upon completion. Applicants that fail one or both parts of the citizenship test will have one additional opportunity to take the test. The applicant only has to retake the portion of the test they did not pass. The retest must take place within 90 days of the first test. A second test failure will result in denial of the naturalization application.
Test preparation
About 90 percent of the immigrants who take the naturalization test eventually pass the exam. Test takers will give themselves a better chance of success if they begin preparing as early as possible. The vocabulary test takers encounter will be simple. Reading children’s books will expose test-takers to the vocabulary they need to master. Visual and auditory learns may find it more helpful to concentrate their study efforts on audio and video recordings.
The regulations comprising the U.S. immigration system can become complicated for some immigrant families. Individuals with questions about the process may find answers by talking to an immigration attorney.