Latest / U.S. Citizenship Test 2026 / Two U.S. Citizenship Interviews (03) – Practice Small Talk, Mock Interview with Reading & Writing Test, New Civics Test

Transcript

Two U.S. Citizenship Interviews (03) – Practice Small Talk, Mock Interview with Reading & Writing Test, New Civics Test · U.S. Citizenship Test 2026

• 0:00
  Hello. I need to see your ID and
• 0:03
  appointment letter. Here they are.
• 0:08
  Please place your things on the belt.
• 0:12
  OK I will. Where can I find the
• 0:16
  naturalization test and interview area?
• 0:22
  Since you will take your naturalization test and
• 0:25
  interview, please proceed to the elevator for the second floor
• 0:31
  where you will see a customer representative to help you.
• 0:40
  How may I help you today? I am here for my naturalization
• 0:46
  test and interview. I will take your picture and
• 0:52
  fingerprints now. Could you look at the camera?
• 0:58
  OK, I will. Here is your number.
• 1:03
  You need to wait for the immigration officer to call your
• 1:07
  name and number. Please have a seat in the
• 1:11
  waiting area. OK, I will.
• 1:15
  Thank you. You're welcome.
• 1:20
  P-18 for Elena Castro. P-18 for applicant Elena Castro.
• 1:27
  Hello. Good morning, Officer.
• 1:32
  Good morning. I'm Immigration Officer Manuel
• 1:35
  Rodriguez and I'll be conducting your citizenship interview.
• 1:40
  So how are you doing today? I'm doing fine, thanks for
• 1:45
  asking. You're welcome.
• 1:49
  Are you ready for the citizenship questions that I'll
• 1:52
  ask you today? I think I am.
• 1:56
  I really studied the 2025 version with the 128 questions.
• 2:04
  That's great. Follow me to my office, please.
• 2:15
  Please come inside and remain standing.
• 2:21
  Kindly place your belongings next to the chair.
• 2:25
  Raise your right hand. Please.
• 2:30
  Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
• 2:35
  the truth? Yes, I do.
• 2:41
  You can put your hand down and have a seat.
• 2:43
  Please May I have your permanent resident card, passport and your
• 2:51
  driver's license? Mr. Officer, here they are.
• 2:58
  Thank you. Do you have any questions before
• 3:01
  we start? Since I have them married for
• 3:05
  over 5 years, I wanted to make sure I brought the right tax
• 3:09
  documents. I understand and just answer the
• 3:15
  questions I have for you today. Don't worry about it.
• 3:21
  We shall review your N 400 application form as we go along
• 3:25
  to make sure all information is correct.
• 3:30
  What made you eligible to become an American citizen?
• 3:36
  I have been a permanent resident for more than five years and I
• 3:39
  am married to AUS citizen. I see, When did you become a
• 3:46
  lawful permanent resident? On May 15th, 2018.
• 3:54
  Why do you want to become an American citizen?
• 3:59
  I want to vote and I want to be able to petition my parents from
• 4:03
  the Philippines more easily. Let's start with the civics
• 4:09
  test. You will take the 2025 version
• 4:13
  of the civics test. I will ask you up to 20
• 4:18
  questions. You need to answer 12 correctly
• 4:22
  to pass question one. the US Constitution starts with the
• 4:30
  words We the people. What does we the People mean?
• 4:37
  Self government. Your answer is correct.
• 4:43
  Let's move on to the next question.
• 4:47
  Question 2. The nation's first motto was a
• 4:52
  pluribus Unum. What does that mean?
• 4:58
  We all become one. That is right.
• 5:03
  Question three. Name one example of an American
• 5:07
  innovation. Airplane.
• 5:13
  That is exactly right. OK, let me randomly choose the
• 5:17
  next question. Question four, name one.
• 5:24
  U.S. military conflict after the September 11th, 2001 attacks.
• 5:32
  War in Iraq. Your answer is correct.
• 5:38
  On to the next one, Question 5. Why did the United States enter
• 5:44
  the Persian Gulf War? To force the Iraqi military from
• 5:51
  Kuwait. That is right.
• 5:55
  Let's move on to the next question, Question 6.
• 6:01
  Why did the United States enter the Vietnam War?
• 6:06
  To stop the spread of communism. That is exactly right.
• 6:13
  Question 7. Why did the United States enter
• 6:17
  World War 2? Bombing of Pearl Harbor.
• 6:25
  You are correct. Moving forward to the next
• 6:27
  question, Question 8, when did the Great Depression start?
• 6:36
  The Great Crash, 1929. That is right, on to the next
• 6:42
  one. Question 9.
• 6:45
  Why did the United States enter World War One?
• 6:51
  Because Germany attacked US civilian ships.
• 6:57
  You are correct. Supreme Court justices serve for
• 7:00
  life. Why?
• 7:03
  To be independent of politics. That is exactly right.
• 7:10
  Let's move on to the next question, Question 11.
• 7:15
  Why is the Electoral College important?
• 7:20
  It decides who is elected president.
• 7:25
  You are correct. Question 12.
• 7:28
  The President of the United States can serve only two terms.
• 7:33
  Why? To keep the president from
• 7:37
  becoming too powerful. Excellent, You got 12 questions
• 7:43
  correct. I am stopping the test here
• 7:46
  because you have passed the civics portion.
• 7:50
  Now read this sentence on the screen please.
• 7:58
  When is Flag Day? That's correct.
• 8:04
  Now write this sentence. Flag Day is in June.
• 8:11
  Flag Day is in June. Great, you passed the English
• 8:18
  reading and writing test. Let's review the N 400.
• 8:25
  Is your name still Elena Castro? Actually, I realized I forgot to
• 8:33
  include my Philippine maiden name as my middle name on the
• 8:37
  form. It should be Elena Santos
• 8:43
  Castro. OK, I will update that for you.
• 8:49
  What is your country of birth? The Philippines.
• 8:57
  Are you a citizen of the Philippines?
• 9:02
  Yes, officer. You listed your address in San
• 9:08
  Francisco. Is that still current?
• 9:14
  No, we actually moved last month to a new house in Daly City.
• 9:19
  I have a new lease here. Thank you for the update.
• 9:25
  I've changed the address to Daly City.
• 9:30
  What is your race? Asian.
• 9:35
  You listed that you were a pharmacy technician.
• 9:41
  I was promoted to pharmacy manager 2 weeks ago at the same
• 9:45
  company. Congratulations, I will update
• 9:50
  your job title. Any trips outside the US in the
• 9:55
  last five years? Yes.
• 9:59
  I listed three trips to Manila, but I realized I forgot to list
• 10:04
  a short 5 day trip to Cebu I took in 2022.
• 10:11
  I'll add that five day trip to your travel history.
• 10:16
  You listed one child, is that correct?
• 10:22
  Actually, my husband and I just had our second child three
• 10:26
  months ago. I need to add my new baby
• 10:31
  daughter to the form. I see, let's add her name and
• 10:37
  date of birth now. Do you use any other names or
• 10:43
  nicknames? My name is Elena Castro.
• 10:49
  No other names. Would you like to legally change
• 10:55
  your name today? No need of name change.
• 11:02
  What is your Social Security number?
• 11:07
  I forgot my Social Security number but it is provided in my
• 11:11
  N 400 application. What is your date of birth?
• 11:19
  My date of birth is May 18th, 1987.
• 11:25
  What country were you born in? I was born in the Philippines.
• 11:32
  Were either of your parents U.S. citizens before you turned 18?
• 11:39
  No, my parents are not U.S. citizens.
• 11:45
  Height. 5 feet 2 inches. Weight. £120.
• 11:56
  Eye color. Brown eyes.
• 12:00
  Hair color. Black hair.
• 12:04
  Now what is the best phone number to reach you?
• 12:09
  My phone number is 559-422-8200. What is your e-mail address?
• 12:22
  My e-mail address is elena39@yahoo.com.
• 12:28
  Any previous addresses in the last five years?
• 12:33
  No, I had the same address in the last five years.
• 12:39
  Are you currently employed? Yes, I am employed as a medical
• 12:45
  assistant. How long have you worked there?
• 12:51
  I've worked there for two years. Have you taken any trips?
• 12:57
  Outside the United. States in the last five years.
• 13:02
  Yes, I traveled to the Philippines to visit family.
• 13:08
  Did that trip to the? Philippines last more than six
• 13:12
  months. No trip longer than six months.
• 13:18
  Good you meet the physical presence requirement.
• 13:24
  What is your current marital status?
• 13:29
  I am married. What is your spouse's full?
• 13:33
  Name. My husband is James Castro.
• 13:39
  How long have you been married? We have been married for over 5
• 13:44
  years. Do you have any children?
• 13:50
  Yes. Have you ever claimed to be AUS
• 13:54
  citizen? No, I have never claimed to be
• 13:58
  AUS citizen. Have you ever voted in any US
• 14:04
  election? No, I have never voted in any US
• 14:09
  election. Do you owe any overdue federal,
• 14:15
  state or local taxes? No, I don't owe any overdue
• 14:21
  taxes. Did you bring your?
• 14:26
  Tax transcripts for the last five years.
• 14:31
  Yes, I have my tax transcripts for the last five years.
• 14:37
  Thank you. You are welcome.
• 14:42
  Have you ever been a member of any terrorist organization?
• 14:50
  No, I have never been a member of any terrorist organization.
• 14:58
  Have you ever advocated the overthrow of any government by
• 15:03
  force? No, never.
• 15:11
  Do. You know the meaning of
• 15:13
  genocide. Yes, genocide is killing a group
• 15:20
  of people. Have you ever committed
• 15:26
  genocide? No, never.
• 15:33
  Have you? Ever forced someone into sexual
• 15:36
  activity? No, never.
• 15:43
  Have you ever been involved in prostitution?
• 15:48
  No, I have never been involved in prostitution.
• 15:55
  Do you support the Constitution of the United States?
• 16:01
  Yes, I support the Constitution of the United States.
• 16:09
  Do you understand the Oath of allegiance?
• 16:14
  Yes, I understand the oath of allegiance.
• 16:19
  Are you willing to take the oath?
• 16:23
  Yes, I am. Are you willing to perform non
• 16:29
  combatant service if required? Yes, I am.
• 16:36
  Are you willing to perform work of national importance?
• 16:42
  Yes, I am willing to do it. You have.
• 16:47
  Passed your naturalization interview.
• 16:50
  Congratulations. Thank you so much, Officer.
• 16:55
  Hello is there something I can do for you?
• 17:00
  Good morning, Officer. I'm here for my US citizenship
• 17:05
  interview. I need to see.
• 17:08
  Your ID. And USCIS appointment.
• 17:12
  Letter. Here they are.
• 17:16
  Please remove all of your things and place.
• 17:19
  Them on the. Conveyor belt walk.
• 17:23
  Through the metal detector please.
• 17:27
  Please pick your belongings. Do you know where the
• 17:32
  naturalization interview is? Just take the elevator.
• 17:37
  To the third. Floor going to the customer
• 17:39
  service area. A person will assist you.
• 17:43
  Once you arrive there. Thank you.
• 17:49
  You're welcome. Hello, good morning.
• 17:59
  I'm here for my naturalization interview.
• 18:05
  Hello, good morning. Please.
• 18:09
  Show me your. USCIS interview, appointment
• 18:13
  letter and ID. Yes, of course.
• 18:20
  I'll take your photo and fingerprints.
• 18:22
  Look at the camera. Please smile naturally.
• 18:27
  Please. Put your left index.
• 18:34
  Finger on the. Scanner followed by the right
• 18:37
  index finger. Here's your number.
• 18:41
  Attached to your USCIS appointment letter and ID.
• 18:48
  Thank you. You're welcome.
• 18:53
  We'll inform you. Once your naturalization.
• 18:55
  Interview is ready. Thank you.
• 19:02
  Please take a seat. In the waiting area.
• 19:06
  P14 for Valentina Sanchez, P14 for applicant Valentina Sanchez.
• 19:14
  Good morning. I'm Immigration Officer Alex
• 19:17
  Smith and I'll be conducting your citizenship interview.
• 19:22
  Hello, good morning. So how are you doing today?
• 19:29
  I'm doing fine, thanks for asking.
• 19:33
  You're welcome. Are you ready for the
• 19:35
  citizenship questions that I'll ask you today?
• 19:40
  I think I am. I studied really well the 128
• 19:45
  Questions and answers US Citizenship Civics Test 2025
• 19:50
  version. That's great.
• 19:54
  Follow me to my office please. Yes, of course.
• 20:02
  Please come inside and remain standing.
• 20:06
  Kindly place your belongings next to the chair.
• 20:10
  Raise your right hand. Please.
• 20:16
  Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
• 20:20
  the truth? Yes, I do.
• 20:26
  You can put your hand down and have a seat please.
• 20:32
  Thank you. May I have your permanent
• 20:38
  resident card, passport, your driver's license, or state
• 20:42
  issued ID? Sure, officer, here they are.
• 20:50
  Thank you. Do you have any questions before
• 20:53
  we start your naturalization interview?
• 20:58
  Yes, Officer. To be honest, I did not study
• 21:01
  very much about word definitions found in the N400 form.
• 21:06
  Would I worry about that, Officer?
• 21:11
  I understand and just answer the questions I have for you today.
• 21:15
  Don't worry about it. As an immigration officer, I'm
• 21:22
  required to repeat and rephrase questions until I'm satisfied
• 21:26
  that you either fully understand the question or do not
• 21:30
  understand English. So your ability to understand
• 21:37
  English will not be based on being asked to answer a
• 21:40
  definition of a word or phrase found in the N400 form.
• 21:48
  We shall review your N 400 application form as we go along
• 21:53
  to make sure all the information is correct.
• 21:59
  So let's begin the interview. What made you eligible to become
• 22:03
  an American citizen? I've been working here in the
• 22:08
  United States and have been a permanent resident for more than
• 22:12
  five years now. So in order for you to apply for
• 22:17
  a green card, you must be eligible under one of the
• 22:20
  categories. Was it through family, lottery,
• 22:26
  employment or marriage? It was based on a family
• 22:32
  petition. I see family based petitions are
• 22:38
  one of the common ways to obtain a lawful permanent residence in
• 22:43
  the United States. So when did you become a lawful
• 22:50
  permanent resident? On February 10th, 2020.
• 22:59
  Why do you want to become an American citizen?
• 23:04
  I want to vote and want to work in the federal government.
• 23:08
  I just think that it has better benefits than private sector
• 23:12
  employees. I think you could be correct
• 23:17
  with your opinion, so let's start with the civics test
• 23:22
  first. I hope that you studied well for
• 23:26
  the US citizenship test questions.
• 23:31
  Yes, officer. That's great.
• 23:35
  I will administer the Civics Test 2025 version.
• 23:39
  Since you filed the form in 400 Application for Naturalization
• 23:44
  after October 20th, 2025, I will ask you up to 20 US Citizenship
• 23:54
  Civics test questions in random order.
• 24:00
  You need to answer 12 out of 20 questions correctly to pass the
• 24:04
  civics test. OK, here's your first question.
• 24:12
  The nation's first motto was E Pluribus Unum.
• 24:16
  What does that mean? We all become one.
• 24:24
  Who was the United States Maine rival during the Cold War?
• 24:31
  Soviet Union. When did all women get the right
• 24:37
  to vote? After World War One.
• 24:44
  When did all men get the right to vote?
• 24:49
  After the Civil War. Name one reason why the
• 24:55
  Americans declared independence from Britain.
• 25:01
  High taxes. It is important for all men age
• 25:07
  18 through 25 to register for the Selective Service.
• 25:11
  Name one reason why. Required by law.
• 25:19
  What is Veteran's Day? A holiday to honor people in the
• 25:25
  US military. The US Constitution starts with
• 25:32
  the words We the people. What does we the People mean?
• 25:39
  Self government. Why do US representatives serve
• 25:45
  shorter terms than US Senators? To more closely follow public
• 25:53
  opinion. How long is a term for AUS
• 25:59
  senator? Six years.
• 26:05
  The Civil War had many important events.
• 26:09
  Name 1. Emancipation Proclamation.
• 26:17
  What is Memorial Day? A.
• 26:21
  Holiday to honor soldiers who died in military service.
• 26:29
  You really did study well, you got 12 straight answers correct
• 26:33
  for the civics questions. Excellent.
• 26:38
  You passed the civics exam. Congratulations.
• 26:45
  Thank you. We shall proceed with the
• 26:50
  English reading and writing test then.
• 26:54
  So there's a digital tablet in front of you, and we're going to
• 26:58
  start the English reading and writing portions for your
• 27:02
  naturalization interview. OK, read the sentence on the
• 27:08
  screen please. When do we celebrate Labor Day?
• 27:17
  That's correct. So now listen carefully to this
• 27:21
  sentence that I'll clearly say, and I want you to write it down
• 27:25
  on the tablet. Labor Day is in September.
• 27:31
  Do you want me to repeat it? Yes, officer.
• 27:38
  Labor Day is in September. That's great.
• 27:55
  You passed the English reading and writing test portion too.
• 27:59
  Congratulations. Thank you.
• 28:05
  You're welcome. It's time to review your in 400
• 28:09
  application form to make sure all the information that you
• 28:13
  filled in is correct. Can you say your current legal
• 28:18
  name please? Valentina Sanchez.
• 28:26
  Do you have any nicknames or other names that you use?
• 28:31
  Yes I do. I'm also known as Tina since my
• 28:36
  family and friends call me this name.
• 28:41
  I see, would you like me to legally change your name today?
• 28:47
  No, Officer, Thank you. Please know that you have the
• 28:52
  choice to change it for free if you want.
• 28:57
  Can you tell me your Social Security number?
• 29:01
  120464268. What is your date of birth?
• 29:09
  July 4th, 1995. South, may I know the country
• 29:15
  you were born in? Mexico.
• 29:21
  Are you a Mexican citizen? Yes, officer.
• 29:27
  Was one of your parents, including adoptive parents, AUS
• 29:31
  citizen before your 18th birthday?
• 29:35
  No, officer. Let's go to your biographic
• 29:40
  information. What's your race?
• 29:43
  Hispanic or Latina? What's your height in feet and
• 29:49
  inches? 5 feet and four inches.
• 29:56
  What's your weight in pounds? 230 lbs.
• 30:04
  What's your eye color? Dark brown.
• 30:09
  What's your hair color? Dark brown.
• 30:16
  What is your e-mail address? Valentina31@gmail.com.
• 30:24
  So what is your current mailing address?
• 30:28
  725 Apt 49, Merced, CA 52706. How long have you been living
• 30:38
  there? I have been living at this
• 30:42
  address since 2021. You never had any previous
• 30:48
  address. My previous address was in
• 30:52
  Fresno, CA when I was still living with my parents.
• 30:58
  Are you currently employed? Yes, officer, I'm a hairdresser.
• 31:06
  And how long have you been working there?
• 31:10
  I've been working as a hairdresser for about four years
• 31:13
  now. That's great.
• 31:17
  So have you taken any trips outside the United States in the
• 31:20
  last five years? Yes, I have taken 25 trips.
• 31:29
  What countries did you visit? Mexico and Australia.
• 31:37
  And how many days did you spend outside of the United States in
• 31:40
  the last five years? I think about 160 days.
• 31:47
  I made sure that it will not be over 180 days.
• 31:52
  Yes, that's the substantial presence test where an applicant
• 31:56
  needs to be physically present in the United States.
• 32:02
  So you haven't taken any trip longer than six months outside
• 32:06
  the United States? No, officer.
• 32:13
  What was the purpose of your trips in Australia?
• 32:17
  I have a boyfriend in Australia whom I once visited.
• 32:23
  I see. Let's proceed with your N 400
• 32:26
  application. Please tell me your current
• 32:31
  marital status. I'm single.
• 32:37
  Do you have any children? No, officer.
• 32:44
  Let's proceed with another set of questions.
• 32:47
  In your N 400 application, have you ever claimed to be AUS
• 32:54
  citizen? No.
• 32:59
  Have you ever registered to vote in any federal, state, or local
• 33:04
  election in the United States? No, never.
• 33:11
  Did you ever have a hereditary title or an order of nobility in
• 33:16
  any foreign country? No, I did not.
• 33:23
  Have you ever been declared legally incompetent or been
• 33:27
  confined to a mental institution?
• 33:31
  No, I have not. Do you owe any overdue federal,
• 33:36
  state or local taxes? No, officer.
• 33:44
  Have you ever advocated the overthrow of any government by
• 33:48
  force or violence? No, never.
• 33:55
  Have you ever been a member of or in any way associated with
• 33:59
  the Communist Party or terrorist organization?
• 34:04
  No. Were you ever involved in any
• 34:09
  way with genocide? No, never.
• 34:16
  Did you ever force someone to have any kind of sexual contact
• 34:20
  or relations? No, never.
• 34:27
  Have you ever been a prostitute or procured anyone for
• 34:30
  prostitution? No, never.
• 34:37
  Do you support the Constitution and form of government of the
• 34:40
  United States? Yes, I do.
• 34:47
  Do you understand the full oath of allegiance to the United
• 34:51
  States? Yes, I think so.
• 34:58
  Are you willing to take the full oath of allegiance to the United
• 35:02
  States? Yes, I am.
• 35:09
  So if the law requires it, are you willing to perform non
• 35:12
  combatant services in the US armed forces?
• 35:19
  Yes, I am. Are you willing to perform work
• 35:25
  of national importance under civilian direction?
• 35:30
  Yes, I do. And are you willing to bear arms
• 35:35
  on behalf of the United States? Yes, I am.
• 35:42
  You passed your US citizenship interview and test today.
• 35:46
  Congratulations. Thank you, Officer.
• 35:52
  You're welcome. Please take a look at your
• 35:54
  naturalization application on the digital tablet.
• 35:59
  Make sure that everything is accurate and up to date before
• 36:03
  signing your name on it. I think all of the information
• 36:08
  is really accurate and up to date.
• 36:13
  I will be submitting your naturalization application today
• 36:17
  for approval. You should receive a notice in
• 36:21
  the mail as well as from your USCIS Online account if you have
• 36:26
  one within the next two weeks. For your Oath ceremony, please
• 36:32
  receive this copy of your test results.
• 36:37
  Thank you, Officer. You're welcome.
• 36:42
  Do you have any questions for me?
• 36:46
  Yes. Was my naturalization interview
• 36:49
  really done? That's correct.
• 36:54
  I'm so glad, Officer, Thank you so much.
• 37:00
  OK, let me walk you back to the waiting area.