Does my spouse have to come with me?

[xvictore]

I recently got my interview notice. I submitted my application in May. Didn’t have to do Boimetrics, I was told they would re-use my old one.

So I was wondering, for the interview does my spouse have to come with me. I applied based on spouse eligibility. I have my 10 year green card though.

[Enub4]

From what I read: No, citizenship interviews are for the individual who applied.

[Casebycase]

I recently got my interview notice. I submitted my application in May. Didn’t have to do Boimetrics, I was told they would re-use my old one.

So I was wondering, for the interview does my spouse have to come with me. I applied based on spouse eligibility. I have my 10-year green card though.

It depends. Was your Naturalization application filed in 3 years or in 5 years?
If you filed within 3 years after becoming a permanent resident, I would recommend your spouse to be present with you (in the waiting room), just to show you have the support of your spouse and dissipate any doubt. This eliminates any suspicion in that sense and the officer will focus on reviewing the other requirements for your eligibility.

In my case, we filed I-761 to remove conditions and while waiting I became eligible to apply for Naturalization. I requested joint adjudication, and my husband came with me to my N-400 interview. First, the officer went over the I-761 form, and then the N-400. Joint approval on the spot.

But, if you're applying for Naturalization because you've been a permanent resident for 5 years+, your spouse doesn't need to go. It's optional/preferred though

[Chris Tina]

I was just interviewed last Oct.20 with I75 and N400, My husband went with me during the I751 interview and alone (as instructed by the officer) during the N4OO interview.

[Lina123]

It’s better to have your husband with you. Just in case

[Hotaru-Grace]

It depends. Was your Naturalization application filed in 3 years or in 5 years?
If you filed within 3 years after becoming a permanent resident, I would recommend your spouse to be present with you (in the waiting room), just to show you have the support of your spouse and dissipate any doubt. This eliminates any suspicion in that sense and the officer will focus on reviewing the other requirements for your eligibility.

In my case, we filed I-761 to remove conditions and while waiting I became eligible to apply for Naturalization. I requested joint adjudication, and my husband came with me to my N-400 interview. First, the officer went over the I-761 form, and then the N-400. Joint approval on the spot.

But, if you're applying for Naturalization because you've been a permanent resident for 5 years+, your spouse doesn't need to go. It's optional/preferred though

Hello,

Congratulations on reaching this stage of the immigration process. We got our 10 yr GC approval within 4 mths in September 2020. We applied in May 2020. We will be eligible for N400 citizenship application in July 2021 (3 years) of having GC. I want to ask, were you given 6-10 civic questions that you needed to verbally answer at the N400 interview?

[Casebycase]

Hello,

Congratulations on reaching this stage of the immigration process. We got our 10 yr GC approval within 4 mths in September 2020. We applied in May 2020. We will be eligible for N400 citizenship application in July 2021 (3 years) of having GC. I want to ask, were you given 6-10 civic questions that you needed to verbally answer at the N400 interview?

Yes, I was asked civic questions. I studied these questions+answers every day for 2 months haha. I got the flashcards on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Citizenship-Naturalization-official-Questions-Immigration/dp/0983723346/ref=sr_1_5?crid=VSPFFY1EXZTP&dchild=1&keywords=naturalization+flash+cards+2020&qid=1605981863&sprefix=naturalization+%2Caps%2C1544&sr=8-5

But I also watched the youtube videos regarding the naturalization interview, the civic test, etc... (just to know all the steps of what I should expect)
I think that I went a little obsessive with this, but I wanted to ensure an approval for my application since people who get denied then have to wait and keep waiting more... Also, because I figured that once denied, they'll scrutinize you more for a re-consideration (that's just me thinking aloud lol)... and you'd have to pay AGAIN :/

So better to do it do right, and do it only once.

The officer was very nice. Not like the other officer who interviews married couples for the first green card (that was a terrible experience)...
But for the Naturalization, the officer was very different and welcoming (I guess because I had been a permanent resident for more than 3 years)..
He asked me easy questions for the civics test. I remember he asked:
- What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution? The bill of rights
-What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment? Freedom of Speech
-Who was the president during WWI? Woodrow

I'm trying to recall the rest, but I don't remember. What I remember is that I responded correctly 6 questions in a row, and then he said "Congratulations! you passed the civics test."
Then, he asked me to go to an iPad/tablet and read aloud the phrase on the screen. It was something easy like: "The president lives in the White House."
Then, he asked about the trips I had taken with my husband... where we had gone? where we plan to go? etc...
Then, he asked me to go again to the tablet and write down with an iPad pen a phrase on the tablet. Again, he said "The president lives in the White House" and I wrote it down.

Then, he started reviewing form N-400. He asked me if I had registered with the selective service. I had done it in 2009, and I had the original letter of registration... I offered to show it to him, but he said it was fine, no need to see it. He asked if I owed money to the IRS (no). If I had committed crimes (no)... all the same questions on N-400. Of course, I had studied those questions in detail and I had memorized the answers to be consistent. Especially because I was under Oath in the interview and a simple lie can bar you from becoming a citizen and it may even cause more problems.

There was a weird question in N-400 form: Question 23. Have you EVER been arrested, cited, or detained by any law enforcement officer (including any immigration official or any official of the U.S. armed forces) for any reason? This question was very ambiguous and I answered NO in the application.... but then I realized that "cited" could also mean when I got those 2 or 3 traffic tickets.... and even when the tickets had been "dismissed," this could cause an issue. So, when the officer asked that question, I said: "I know I answered "no" in my application but then I realized about traffic tickets; do those count as a form of citation?" He explained that he had seen those when he researched my case, but that everyone has traffic tickets and those aren't an issue. I prefered to be specific in all my answers since these conversations are being recorded and archived. If they later find out that someone was lying (not common) since they seem to investigate and spy on you lol; they can start a process to denaturalize the applicant (even after decades of having become a US citizen through Naturalization). This was very minor, but even these little clarifications show "good character" (part of the requirements for naturalization), and I opted to ensure everything was completely transparent so my citizenship can never be taken away from me.

Also, I realized that by the time you seat down with an immigration officer for the interview, they've scrutinized your records and know more about you than your mother lol. So, it seems to me that they just want to find inconsistencies or see if you lie about something...

[xvictore]

I didn't go with my wife cos the interview letter said not to and it was fine. Just bring along evidence that shows y'all are married.

[Hotaru-Grace]

Yes, I was asked civic questions. I studied these questions+answers every day for 2 months haha. I got the flashcards on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Citizenship-Naturalization-official-Questions-Immigration/dp/0983723346/ref=sr_1_5?crid=VSPFFY1EXZTP&dchild=1&keywords=naturalization+flash+cards+2020&qid=1605981863&sprefix=naturalization+%2Caps%2C1544&sr=8-5

But I also watched the youtube videos regarding the naturalization interview, the civic test, etc... (just to know all the steps of what I should expect)
I think that I went a little obsessive with this, but I wanted to ensure an approval for my application since people who get denied then have to wait and keep waiting more... Also, because I figured that once denied, they'll scrutinize you more for a re-consideration (that's just me thinking aloud lol)... and you'd have to pay AGAIN :/

So better to do it do right, and do it only once.

The officer was very nice. Not like the other officer who interviews married couples for the first green card (that was a terrible experience)...
But for the Naturalization, the officer was very different and welcoming (I guess because I had been a permanent resident for more than 3 years)..
He asked me easy questions for the civics test. I remember he asked:
- What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution? The bill of rights
-What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment? Freedom of Speech
-Who was the president during WWI? Woodrow

I'm trying to recall the rest, but I don't remember. What I remember is that I responded correctly 6 questions in a row, and then he said "Congratulations! you passed the civics test."
Then, he asked me to go to an iPad/tablet and read aloud the phrase on the screen. It was something easy like: "The president lives in the White House."
Then, he asked about the trips I had taken with my husband... where we had gone? where we plan to go? etc...
Then, he asked me to go again to the tablet and write down with an iPad pen a phrase on the tablet. Again, he said "The president lives in the White House" and I wrote it down.

Then, he started reviewing form N-400. He asked me if I had registered with the selective service. I had done it in 2009, and I had the original letter of registration... I offered to show it to him, but he said it was fine, no need to see it. He asked if I owed money to the IRS (no). If I had committed crimes (no)... all the same questions on N-400. Of course, I had studied those questions in detail and I had memorized the answers to be consistent. Especially because I was under Oath in the interview and a simple lie can bar you from becoming a citizen and it may even cause more problems.

There was a weird question in N-400 form: Question 23. Have you EVER been arrested, cited, or detained by any law enforcement officer (including any immigration official or any official of the U.S. armed forces) for any reason? This question was very ambiguous and I answered NO in the application.... but then I realized that "cited" could also mean when I got those 2 or 3 traffic tickets.... and even when the tickets had been "dismissed," this could cause an issue. So, when the officer asked that question, I said: "I know I answered "no" in my application but then I realized about traffic tickets; do those count as a form of citation?" He explained that he had seen those when he researched my case, but that everyone has traffic tickets and those aren't an issue. I prefered to be specific in all my answers since these conversations are being recorded and archived. If they later find out that someone was lying (not common) since they seem to investigate and spy on you lol; they can start a process to denaturalize the applicant (even after decades of having become a US citizen through Naturalization). This was very minor, but even these little clarifications show "good character" (part of the requirements for naturalization), and I opted to ensure everything was completely transparent so my citizenship can never be taken away from me.

Also, I realized that by the time you seat down with an immigration officer for the interview, they've scrutinized your records and know more about you than your mother lol. So, it seems to me that they just want to find inconsistencies or see if you lie about something...

Thank you for responding. They have increased the amount of questions to be asked at the citizenship interview to 20. I figure I will be studying very intently either ways. Thank you for sharing.

[NA1978]

According to USCIS website
USCIS has revised the civics portion of the naturalization test. All applicants for naturalization with a filing date on or after Dec. 1, 2020, will be required to take the 2020 version of the civics test. For more information and additional study materials such as flash cards, visit The 2020 Version of the Civics Test page. Applicants for naturalization with a filing date before Dec. 1, 2020, are required to take the 2008 version of the civics test.

Applicants for naturalization who are required to take the 2020 version of the civics test will need to study 128 questions about American government and history. USCIS will administer the 2020 version of the civics test and 2008 version of the civics test at the same time for a certain time period. You will take one version or the other, depending on when you filed your Form N-400, Application for Naturalization.

so you probably need to take old version but if I were you I would study the new one as well.

good luck