Naturalization
Preparing for Your N-400
Naturalization Interview
The interview is the last major step between a green-card holder and U.S. citizenship. For many in Orange County’s Korean community, the nerves are less about eligibility and more about the English and civics tests. Here’s what actually happens, what to bring, and how to prepare.
By Austin Kim, J.D. · August 24, 2026
Key Facts
At the interview a USCIS officer puts you under oath, reviews your Form N-400, and gives an English test (reading, writing, speaking) and a civics test. For applications filed on or after October 20, 2025, the 2025 civics test applies: 20 questions from a list of 128, pass with 12 (60%). Most applicants qualify after 5 years as a green-card holder (3 years if married to and living with a U.S. citizen). Long-term older residents may qualify for English exemptions (50/20, 55/15, 65/20).
What happens at the N-400 interview?
The USCIS officer places you under oath, then goes through your Form N-400 answers with you and administers two tests: an English test (reading, writing, and speaking) and a U.S. civics test. The officer confirms your eligibility — continuous residence, physical presence, and good moral character — and then approves, continues, or (rarely) denies your case, often the same day.
Do you qualify — the 5-year vs 3-year rule
Most lawful permanent residents may apply after 5 years as a green-card holder. If you are married to and living with a U.S. citizen, you may generally apply after 3 years. Both paths require continuous residence, physical presence in the U.S. for at least half the qualifying period (about 30 months of the 5-year path, 18 months of the 3-year path), and good moral character. An absence of more than one year can break continuous residence, so timing your trips abroad matters.
The English test — reading, writing, speaking
The English requirement has three parts: you read one of up to three sentences correctly, write one of up to three correctly, and show speaking ability through your conversation with the officer during the interview. Study materials come from the official USCIS vocabulary lists. Long-term older residents may qualify for an exemption: the “50/20” (age 50+ with 20 years as an LPR) and “55/15” (age 55+ with 15 years) rules let you take the civics test in your native language, and at “65/20” (age 65+ with 20 years) you are exempt from English and may use a shorter civics list.
The civics test — the 2025 test
For applications filed on or after October 20, 2025, USCIS uses the 2025 civics test: the officer asks 20 questions from a list of 128, and you must answer 12 correctly (60%) to pass. Applications filed before that date use the 2008 test — 10 questions from 100, with 6 correct to pass. Study from the official USCIS list for the version that applies to your filing date; consistent study of that list is what most applicants need. If you miss the English or civics portion, USCIS generally gives you a second opportunity to retake the part you missed.
What documents should I bring?
Bring your green card, a valid photo ID, and your interview appointment notice. Depending on your case, also bring updated documents on anything that changed since filing — travel history (passports), tax records, and marital-status documents (for the 3-year spouse path) — plus anything USCIS specifically requested. If your address, job, or marital status changed after you filed the N-400, tell the officer. When in doubt, over-prepare the paperwork.
How H&H Law helps — in Korean and English
For Korean-speaking applicants, H&H Law reviews your N-400 for accuracy, flags issues that can complicate the interview (long trips abroad, prior arrests, tax questions), and prepares you for what the officer will ask — in Korean or English. The interview itself is in English, but understanding what’s coming in your own language removes much of the stress. We are immigration-only, in Santa Ana, across from the USCIS building.
한국어 안내
귀화 인터뷰는 영주권자가 미국 시민권을 받기 전 마지막 관문입니다. USCIS 심사관이 선서 후 N-400 내용을 함께 검토하고, 영어 시험(읽기·쓰기·말하기)과 시민권(공민) 시험을 봅니다. 2025년 10월 20일 이후 접수된 신청에는 2025년 시민권 시험이 적용됩니다 — 128문항 중 20문항을 질문받아 12개(60%)를 맞히면 합격입니다. 대부분 영주권 취득 후 5년(미국 시민 배우자와 동거 시 3년)이면 신청할 수 있습니다. 연장자·장기 영주권자는 영어 면제(50/20, 55/15, 65/20)가 가능할 수 있습니다. H&H Law는 오렌지카운티에서 한국어로 인터뷰 준비를 도와드립니다.
Thinking about citizenship, or have an interview scheduled?
H&H Law prepares Korean-speaking applicants for the N-400 interview — reviewing your application, spotting issues early, and getting you ready for the English and civics tests — fully bilingual in Korean and English, from Orange County. 한국어 상담 가능.
Related reading: Naturalization · Family Immigration · Green Card & Adjustment of Status · 한국어
This article is general information, not legal advice, and does not guarantee any particular outcome; every case turns on its own facts. Test formats and thresholds are set by USCIS and can change — confirm the version in effect for your filing date. Attorney advertising.