USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) has updated the United States Citizenship Test. Applicants who filed their N-400 Application for Naturalization on or after December 1, 2020, will now have to take the 2020 version. with a revised Civic section. Planning for the new citizenship test was announced in July. Changes in the 2020 version of the Citizenship Test are in the Civic section, which now has 128 potential civics questions, up from 100 in the previous version. The applicant will be asked up to 20 questions from the 128 question pool and must get at least 12 questions correct. The test is still an oral examination and not multiple choice.
There are many benefits of being a U.S. citizen. United States citizens are entitled to rights and privileges that Legal Permanent Residents – Green Card holders – do not have. Here are 10 reasons to become a United States citizen:
1. If a Green Card holder commits a crime, their legal Permanent Resident status can then be revoked and they can be deported. A naturalized citizen is entitled to the same rights as a natural-born citizen, and cannot be deported.
2. U.S. citizens can vote in local and federal elections.
3. Citizens get priority to sponsor family members to permanently move to the United States.
4. A child born abroad to a U.S. citizen may automatically obtain U.S. citizenship.
5. Citizens are eligible for Federal jobs that LPRs cannot get.
6. A U.S. passport and the ability to contact the U.S. Embassy provide some protection during international travel.
7. Certain educational scholarships are only available to U.S. citizens.
8. Citizenship almost eliminates the risk of deportation. Unless there is a mistake or someone committed fraud during his or her immigration proceedings, citizenship is permanent. Once a person becomes a citizen, he or she is typically immune from deportation.
9. Citizens are permitted to leave the country for long periods of time, unlike Green Card holders.
10. It costs less to become a U.S. citizen than to remain a Green Card holder. Permanent Residents must renew their green card every 10 years and pay applicable fees.
To become a naturalized U.S. citizen, applicants must pass a citizenship test:
• Applicants must correctly answer 12 of 20 questions to pass the Civics section, which is the U.S. history and government part of the test.
• In the English section, they must correctly read and write one out of three sentences.
• Their ability to speak English is determined by the USCIS officer conducting the interview.
The naturalization test was last updated in 2009. According to USCIS, “USCIS naturalized 834,000 new citizens in FY 2019 – an 11 year high in new oaths of citizenship.”
The attorneys at Godoy Law Office work with you to evaluate your immigration status and guide you in your journey to becoming a US citizen. If you need help with an immigration issue, please contact our office at 630-912-0322.
AREAS WE SERVE: Godoy Law Office serves the entire Chicago, Illinois area including DuPage, Cook, Kane, Will, and Lake Counties
