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Preparing for the U.S. Citizenship Test

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Preparing for the U.S. Citizenship Test

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Preparing for the U.S. Citizenship Test

As you begin your journey to become a U.S. citizen, there are certain procedures and requirements you will need to fulfill. If you have not yet secured legal immigration help, we highly recommend you do so. As a trusted naturalization attorney, we can make the entire process a lot easier on you.

Towards the end of the citizenship naturalization process, prospective U.S. citizens have to step forward and take a written exam. That will likely include you. The primary purpose of the exam is to give the attending USCIS officer some idea of how well you might be expected to transition into life as a u.S. citizen.

Note: Testing is a general requirement. However, the government will issue exemptions under certain circumstances. In your case, you might be eligible for an exemption, depending on factors such as your age, any medical condition you might have, and the length of time you have held a green card. 
Details About the Citizenship Test
The U.S. Citizenship Test comes in two parts. The first part focuses on the English language. The goal of this part of the exam is to establish what kind of command you currently have of English. The second part of the exam is intended to test your knowledge and understanding of American history and government.

As the time nears for you to take the U.S. Citizenship Test, you should relax. The test is not difficult unless you have made no effort to work on your English or read up on U.S. history/government. If by chance you were to fail to pass the test first go-round, you would still get a second chance at passing.

As Los Angeles naturalization lawyers, we feel compelled to offer you more detailed information on the test, assuming that by doing so, we can answer your questions and relieve your concerns. We recommend you read the following information. 
The English Component
The English component is by far the most important part of the U.S. Citizenship Test. Your transition to being a citizen will be a lot easier if you have some English language skills. The English component of the test will indicate where you currently stand.

The English exam is divided into three sections as follows:

  • Speaking test — you will need to verbally answer questions from USCIS officer about your application
  • Reading Test — a USCIS officer will ask you to read designated sentences
  • Writing Exam — a USCIS officer will ask you to write out three questions of which you must write out at least one correctly

When taking the English part of the test, no one is expecting perfection from you. What the USCIS officer will be looking at is where your English skills stand and whether or not they believe you have made an effort to learn the language of the land.
History/Government Component
For testing purposes, the USCIS maintains a database of 100 questions related to U.S. history and civics. You will need to provide answers to 10 questions chosen at random from the database. Of the 10 questions they ask you, you must answer 6 of them correctly for a passing score. FYI: About half the questions in the database are about the U.S. government while the rest relate to basic U.S. history.

By the way, as soon as you answer six questions correctly, you will immediately pass without having to answer more questions.
How to Study for the U.S. Citizenship Test
If we were your lawyer, we would strongly recommend you treat the testing process as seriously as possible. Failure to pass this test without an exemption could disqualify you from U.S. citizenship.

As a top law firm in Los Angeles, we would like to offer you the following studying guidelines.

  1. No Procrastination — The time to start studying and practicing for this exam is now. You will want to allow yourself as much time as possible to absorb as much information as possible. Use your time wisely.
  2. Read English Books and Watch English Videos/TV — You need to get used to hearing and speaking the English language. We would recommend you read an easy children’s book to learn basic words and meaning. By watching videos, you can listen to how words are pronounced and repeat them when possible.
  3. Seek Assistance — You don’t have to do this by yourself. If you need help learning English or American civics, you should seek out somebody to help you. If you can afford it, you might want to hire a tutor. If you can’t afford to pay for help, you might want to seek help from a family member or friend that has more experience than you with the English language.
  4. Take Practice Tests — The USCIS is not looking to pull any surprises. The entire 100 question database is available for your review. You can find the civics questions online or inquire with the USCIS as to where to get the questions and correct answers. If you study all 100 questions relentlessly, it will dramatically increase your chances of passing the first time. 
  5. Find a Study Partner — It’s a lot easier to study and practice if you can find someone willing to study with you. If you need legal immigration help, try to find a study partner. It is possible your attorney may be able to help you.

Hopefully, the information we have provided you above will address most of your concerns. Again, the best way to approach the testing process is to study and stay as calm and confident as possible. When you start considering hiring legal representation, reach out to our immigration lawyer in Los Angeles.