Answers to Some Questions for N-400 Interview May Change after Elections

When a foreign national applies for U.S. citizenship, the individual typically must pass a civics test prior to approval of the application for naturalization (form N-400). There are 100 possible civics questions the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officer may ask during a naturalization interview, including some with answers that periodically are updated based on election results. MurthyDotCom provides examples of some possible test questions.

USCIS Reminds Citizenship Applicants of Changes Following November 2018 Elections

The USCIS recently issued a reminder that N-400 applicants should be prepared to answer civics questions with the most current answers. This reminder was prompted by results of the November 2018 midterm elections, the results of which primarily went into effect in January 2019.

Changes and Likely Changes Effective from January 2019

The correct answer to one question, “What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?” is now Nancy Pelosi. For three other questions, listed below, the correct answer may have changed, depending upon the state or district in which the applicant lives.

Who is one of your state’s U.S. senators now?

For a list of current members of the U.S. Senate, please visit <senate.gov>. District of Columbia residents and residents of U.S. territories should answer that D.C. (or the territory where the applicant lives) has no U.S. senators.

Name your U.S. Representative.

For a list of current members of the U.S. House of Representatives, please visit online. Residents of territories with nonvoting delegates or resident commissioners may provide the name of that delegate or commissioner. Also acceptable is any statement that the territory has no (voting) representative in Congress.

Who is the Governor of your state now?

For a list of current governors, please visit online. District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. does not have a governor.

Conclusion

The interview questions asked of applicants for U.S. citizenship is to gauge the individual’s understanding of both spoken and written English and a basic understanding of the framework of the U.S. government. When there are changes, like with the November 2018 elections, the names of certain elected and appointed officials change. Hence, it is important to be aware of the names of the relevant political leaders during the N-400 interview.

Copyright © 2019, MURTHY LAW FIRM. All Rights Reserved