• Training for library personnel on the naturalization process and available USCIS resources;
• Offering a list of non-profit groups providing naturalization assistance in the local community; and
• Providing access to library community rooms for citizenship and English language classes.

Labels: Citizenship

Labels: Citizenship

Located in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., Montgomery College serves one of the most diverse communities in the country, and was recently awarded a grant by USCIS for its Citizenship Preparation Program. The director of the program, Nancy Newton, emphasizes "that the journey to citizenship is not just about passing the test."

Students are encouraged to volunteer, attend community functions such as Parent Teacher Association meetings, and participate in other activities that get them out of their comfort zone and allow them to share in civic life. The program strives to "prepare one immigrant citizen at a time."


Newton, who is a native of Cheshire, England, and a recently naturalized citizen, understands what it means to be an immigrant. She first came to the United States as an au pair after completing her undergraduate studies in England. She later completed her master’s degree at Georgetown University where she met her husband. As a student, Newton did volunteer work teaching English to children and found that she loved teaching language.

After graduation, she joined Montgomery College and taught for seven years. Newton later became an administrator and ultimately joined the Citizenship Preparation Program. She remembers what it was like before the program received a grant from USCIS.  Her program had to charge tuition and saw a decrease in the number of people taking the class. Since receiving the grant, the Citizenship Preparation Program has seen an increase of roughly 70 percent. According to Newton, the program has focused on helping low-level English learners "get out and integrate, and get others involved" while preparing to become new citizens.


When asked about the program, Newton said: "I wish there were more organizations to do our type of work. With more organizations working toward helping immigrants we’d be able to have more of an impact in our community and society." 

She hopes that people do not underestimate how important immigrants are to the United States' diverse culture and heritage. Newton also hopes that people realize that many immigrants' experiences make them even more appreciative of being able to live in the U.S.

"Some students come from societies where oppression and dictatorship are the norm - and they especially appreciate the meaning of citizenship," she said.

At the conclusion of each group's final citizenship preparation class, Newton asks her students, all aspiring future citizens, a simple yet moving question: "Now it’s your turn - what will you do with freedom?"

Labels: Citizenship

Labels: Citizenship, Director's Posts

Outstanding customer service is what USCIS always strives for - but on Friday, May 11, the New York District Office had the opportunity to go above and beyond for a customer - or, actually, a former customer. Lt. Col. Natalie Giscombe, originally from Panama, naturalized in New York in 1986. After a successful 22-year career as a Nurse in the U.S Air Force, Lt. Col. Giscombe was eager to take part in a military retirement tradition of sending an American flag to the first and last base where she served and asking for it to be flown in her honor. Lt. Col. Giscombe had one additional request - because her naturalization was such a meaningful event in her life. She wanted her flag to make a stop in New York to fly over the office where she naturalized 26 years earlier.



Lt. Col. Giscombe was unable to attend the flag-raising because she is still serving as Chief Nurse at Edwards Air Force Base, but she was deeply grateful for the tribute. Her mother, Margarita Farnum-Watson, and her son, Stephon Giscombe, were on hand for the ceremony.

Also in attendance were more than 20 employees of the New York District office who are themselves retired military or reservists. Representing all five branches of the military, they gathered to pay tribute. This event also provided an opportunity for the office to extend gratitude to the veterans and military reservists on staff. District Director Quarantillo remarked to the employees “you embody true patriotism and love of country. Thank you for your past and continued service.”

Labels: Citizenship, Military

Posted by Keith Canney, St. Albans Acting Field Office Director

As Acting Director of the St. Albans Field Office, I recently had the privilege to participate in a naturalization ceremony at the Beeman Elementary School in New Haven, Vermont.  As I watched the 39 soon-to-be U.S. citizens enter the school with their families and friends, I wondered what was going through their minds as they waited to become U.S. citizens.

Several years ago I was in New York City to attend an immigration conference. During that trip, I visited Ellis Island taking a similar route my grandfather took when he first immigrated to this country from Italy. As I rode over on the ferry, I remember wondering what was going through my grandfather’s mind when he traveled across these same waters, and saw the Statute of Liberty and the New York shorelines for the first time. I tried to imagine the excitement and nervousness he felt as he reached the end of his long journey to arrive in the U.S.

I imagined that these immigrants felt the same excitement as they smiled broadly while watching the Beeman Elementary students sing patriotic songs. As each naturalization candidate raised their right hand to take the Oath of Allegiance, I thought of my grandfather and his immigration experience.


Once the Oath was completed and Judge John Conroy welcomed the new citizens, there was a long applause from their family and friends, the students and faculty, and the participants.  I proudly shook each of their hands and remembered the impact and importance that this moment had on my grandfather’s life. I was grateful that I could share such an important and significant day in their lives.


Participation in this ceremony reminded me of the important work done by USCIS employees every day, and how the work we do makes a difference in the lives of these new citizens.  The decision to become a U.S. citizen had an impact on everyone who took an Oath that day and will continue to affect the lives of future generations.

To all of the U.S. citizens that were naturalized that day, welcome and congratulations again! It was an honor and privilege to share in your naturalization experience!

Labels: Citizenship

Labels: Citizenship

Posted by Pearl Chang, Deputy Chief, USCIS Office of Policy & Strategy

As a naturalized citizen and an employee of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), I am proud to support USCIS's expansion of its multilingual outreach to the Chinese-speaking public through a series of engagements called "Jiao Liú," which means "engagement" in Chinese.  The theme of the inaugural Jiao Liú is "The Naturalization Process: Becoming a United States Citizen."

USCIS will host its first Jiao Liú on Thursday, Feb. 16, at 10:30 a.m. (PST) from the USCIS San Francisco District Office. The public will be able to participate either in person or via live Web stream or a toll-free telephone number. USCIS representatives will deliver a presentation in Mandarin on “How to Become a U.S. Citizen” and will answer general questions submitted from audience members from around the country in Mandarin and Cantonese.





View the informational video in Mandarin.

Becoming a United States citizen made it possible for me to have a lifelong and fulfilling career in public service, working in the government of my adopted country. I was born in China and grew up in Taiwan, and I came to the United States to study.  I quickly realized that America could provide wonderful opportunities and responsibilities for me, so I chose to stay and go through the naturalization process.

Labels: Citizenship

We received a question a while back on The Beacon about naturalization ceremonies, and thought it might be good to clarify a few things. Under the law, U.S. Federal courts have the right to exclusively administer the oath of allegiance. Some courts have waived this right and allow USCIS to administer the oath of allegiance.

If you attend a ceremony in which the court administers the oath of allegiance, this is called a judicial ceremony. An oath administered by USCIS is called an administrative ceremony. 

You will have a judicial ceremony if you live in an area that is under the exclusive jurisdiction of the court. Because USCIS field offices often service more than one state or more than one court district, different applicants may have different types of ceremonies, depending on where they live. For example, the Washington Field Office services both the District of Columbia and parts of Virginia. If an applicant lives in DC, he or she will have a judicial ceremony, while applicants from Virginia may have an administrative ceremony.

You will also have a judicial ceremony if you indicate on your Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, that you would like to change your name. Your name change must be approved by a judge; therefore, your name change will be changed at a judicial ceremony. 

Offices that conduct administrative ceremonies may have same-day naturalization ceremonies. USCIS will post on its field office web pages which offices have same-day ceremonies when we revise the pages in the coming months. 

Finally, you may have a judicial ceremony even if you do not live in an area under the exclusive jurisdiction of the court if it is a special ceremony or if it is convenient for the office to schedule you for a judicial ceremony. Similarly, you may have an administrative ceremony in certain circumstances if you are not changing your name and the court has waived its right to administer the oath as a one-time event or under special circumstances. 

Please also note that the court does not have the exclusive right to administer the oath of allegiance in certain military naturalization cases.

Labels: Citizenship

Just over two years ago, USCIS implemented a new test for naturalization applicants. As a final step in the test redesign process, we looked into how applicants performed on this new test.

A recently completed study (conducted by ICF International) found an overall pass rate of 95.8 percent for the new test during fiscal year 2010, the first full year during which the test was administered.

In recent years, USCIS has made tremendous strides in offering citizenship preparation resources, and this study shows how our efforts are paying off. These free materials help immigrants study for the naturalization test and learn about the rights, responsibilities and importance of U.S. citizenship. Preparing for the naturalization interview is important, and immigrants are taking the time to study and practice for tests that gauge their knowledge of U.S. history and government as well as their ability to read, write and speak English. 

USCIS’s free preparation tools include the online Citizenship Resource Center, a directory of local citizenship classes, and free naturalization information sessions hosted by our local offices across the country. By partnering with community groups and immigrant-serving organizations, we have reached through these sessions more than 44,000 people - applicants and potential applicants alike - during the past two years.

In addition to these resources and learning opportunities, USCIS has awarded nearly $18 million in competitive grant funding since 2009 to local citizenship preparation programs across the country, providing assistance to more than 19,000 permanent residents. We’ve also provided technical assistance and training for volunteers and educators who teach citizenship.

In the last two years, USCIS has welcomed nearly 1.4 million new citizens, many of whom have benefited from free educational tools that helped them prepare for the naturalization test.

The availability of these resources and the commitment of immigrants to prepare for the test are the keys to success. While it’s natural to be nervous about this important milestone, applicants who prepare for the naturalization process will be better equipped to succeed.

Labels: Citizenship

Although Veterans Day falls on November 11 each year, USCIS honors those who serve year round. We appreciate the many sacrifices service men and women make while protecting our country.

Naturalization Ceremonies Held in Honor of Veterans Day

Since 2001, USCIS has naturalized 75,000 U.S. veterans from every branch of the Armed Services at special military naturalization ceremonies. This year is no different. In honor of Veterans Day, we are holding 33 special naturalization ceremonies for individuals who swore to defend our country, even before they became its citizens.

One of these ceremonies took place aboard the USS Essex in Subic Bay, Manila where we naturalized 18 U.S. sailors. The sailors were in the Philippines as part of the 28th annual U.S.-Philippines Amphibious Landing Exercises.


Capt. Dave Fluker, Commanding Officer of the USS Essex, and U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines, Harry K. Thomas Jr., spoke at the ceremony. Thomas noted that the sailors were among the many people enriching the fabric of our nation with their culture and traditions, as well as the sacrifices they make on behalf of our country.


Two of the naturalized sailors were born and raised near Subic Bay, and then immigrated to the United States and enlisted in the U.S. Navy.

A Proud Part of the Wider DHS Commitment to Veterans

At USCIS, and throughout the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), we are fortunate to count those who have served as friends and colleagues. Every day, veterans bring their skills, talents and experiences to bear on our many mission areas.

Because veterans play such an important role in our Department’s mission, Secretary Napolitano set a goal to employ 50,000 veterans at DHS by the end of 2012. We are proud that today, thanks to the commitment of individuals across the Department, we have reached that goal, more than a year ahead of schedule. Veterans now comprise 25 percent of our civilian workforce, in addition to the 49,000 active duty and reserve members of the U.S. Coast Guard.

To read more about the Department’s commitment to veterans, check out this blog post written by our Deputy Secretary, Jane Holl Lute, on The White House Blog.

Labels: Citizenship, Military

Today the Statue of Liberty celebrates her 125th birthday! To commemorate the big day, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) held a special naturalization ceremony at her home on Liberty Island. Exactly 125 immigrants, including 14 members of the military took the Oath of Allegiance and were welcomed as new U.S. citizens.

Welcoming remarks were provided by the Superintendent of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, David Luchsinger, followed by the call of countries and presentation of candidates for citizenship by USCIS New York District Director, Andrea Quarantillo. The Oath of Allegiance was administered by USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas.

USCIS also brought a special gift to the ceremony: A photographic mosaic depicting the Statue formed from a vast collection of still images taken over the past three years at naturalization ceremonies in venues throughout New York City, including the Bronx Zoo, Federal Hall and the Lower East Side Tenement Museum.


The artwork was created by USCIS Immigration Services Officer Stephen Wittreich of the New York District Office, and was presented as a gift to the U.S. Department of Interior and the National Park Service (NPS) in honor of the Statue’s 125th birthday. The inspiration for the mosaic came from the concept of creating unity out of diversity, which is embodied in the work that USCIS and NPS perform in welcoming new U.S. citizens. Out of many images of our newest citizens, one clear image emerges of America’s enduring symbol of welcome – the Statue of Liberty.

For pictures of today’s events, visit our twitter feed.

Labels: Citizenship

Labels: Citizenship

The http://blog.dhs.gov/ has posted a blog entry entitled, "Celebrating Citizenship Day and the Outstanding American by Choice Initiative." Be sure to check it out.

Labels: Citizenship

Posted by Alejandro Mayorkas, Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Each September, Constitution Day and Citizenship Day and the weeklong celebration of Constitution Week offer an important opportunity to reflect on the meaning and importance of U.S. citizenship.  It’s a special time for me and the entire workforce of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  As the federal agency responsible for naturalization and citizenship, USCIS has the privilege of welcoming America’s newest citizens.

As part of this annual commemoration celebrating citizenship, we highlight naturalization ceremonies across the country and recognize the significant contributions of immigrants who have chosen to become Americans.

In addition, we are proud to announce grants totaling $9 million for 42 organizations charged with expanding citizenship preparation services for permanent residents.

This funding will support immigrant-serving organizations across 27 states and the District of Columbia.  The program fosters civic integration and helps permanent residents prepare for successful citizenship.  More than 19,000 permanent residents have received assistance through this grant program since it began in October 2009.  The full list of this year’s recipients, along with a description of their programs, is available on our website.

Citizenship is important because it unites Americans – all races, ethnicities, beliefs, or countries of birth – under shared civic principles based on the rights and freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution.  Please join me in this opportunity to cherish the important rights and responsibilities we share together, as citizens of this great nation.

Labels: Citizenship, Director's Posts

At USCIS, we know that the decision to become a U.S. citizen is one of the most meaningful decisions in an individual’s life. USCIS has a lot to offer for those wishing to become citizens. The form required to apply, the Form N-400, Application for Naturalization is available for free on our website, or you can order it by mail or phone at 1-800-870-3676.

We also invite those preparing for the naturalization test to also visit our Citizenship Resource Center.

What Happens During the Interview?

• Your ability to speak and understand English will be determined by a USCIS Officer from your answers to questions normally asked during the eligibility interview on the Application for Naturalization, Form N-400.
• For the English portion, you will be given both a reading test and a writing test. You must read 1 out of 3 sentences correctly to demonstrate an ability to read in English. You must write 1 out of 3 sentences correctly to demonstrate an ability to write in English.
• For the civics portion, you will be asked up to 10 questions from the list of 100 questions. You must answer 6 out of 10 questions correctly to pass the civics portion of the naturalization test.

Certain applicants, because of age and time as a permanent resident; or others because of a disability, have different English and civics requirements; see the “Exceptions & Accommodations” web page for details.

Preparing for the Test

Under the “Study for the Test” section of the Citizenship Resource Center, you can find free study materials for the English and civics portions of the test:

• Study Materials for the Civics Test
• Study Materials for the English Test

• Vocabulary Flash Cards to help you study for the English reading and writing portions of the naturalization test.
• Lists of the 100 Civics Questions and Answers in English, Chinese, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
• Civics Flash Cards to help you prepare for the civics portion of the naturalization test.

After reviewing the educational products we offer, try the Naturalization Self Test as a means to test your knowledge. Please note that the actual civics test is NOT a multiple choice test, but an oral test. This “Self Test” was prepared as a learning tool to help you assess your progress.

What Happens if You Don’t Pass?

You will be given two opportunities to take the English and civics tests and to answer all questions related to your naturalization application in English. If you fail any of the tests during your initial interview, you will be retested on the portion of the test that you failed (English or civics) between 60 and 90 days from the date of your initial interview.

What is the Pass Rate?

For those applicants taking both the English and civics tests, the overall national pass rate as of June 2011 is 92 percent. To view scoring guidelines and background data, and other information, visit the “Applicant Performance on the Naturalization Test” page.

Labels: Citizenship

To celebrate America’s 235th birthday, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services welcomed more than 24,000 new citizens at approximately 350 naturalization ceremonies around the globe. Nothing is more patriotic than saying the Oath of Allegiance while also celebrating the nation’s independence.

Read the full story at The Blog at Homeland Security.

Labels: Citizenship

Need information and resources on U.S. citizenship? You’re not alone! Many visitors to the USCIS website do. Our Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, is one of our most downloaded forms.

That’s why USCIS created the Citizenship Resource Center, an easy-to-use Web portal that has information for learners, teachers and organizations. Visit it at www.uscis.gov/citizenship.

Learners such as permanent residents exploring the possibility of becoming U.S. citizens will find information on:

• Eligibility requirements
• The process of becoming a U.S. citizen
• Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, instructions, current filing fees, and processing times
• Study materials for the naturalization test, including a challenging self-test
• Finding help in your community. (English and citizenship classes, legal assistance from a recognized organization, USCIS-funded service providers, etc.)
• Free naturalization information sessions in your area

Teachers, volunteers and educators prepping immigrants for U.S. citizenship will find:

• Classroom tools—including publications, lesson plans, and other supplemental resources
• Online training and other skills-enhancing professional development tools
• Naturalization information that’ll help you understand the process and steps involved
• A schedule of free, in-person training workshops

The Citizenship Resource Center also offers information in other languages, including the Spanish-language page, “Recursos para la naturalización” (“Resources for Naturalization”).

We are always looking to improve our citizenship content. Please share any thoughts or suggestions in the comments section.

Labels: Citizenship

By the time she arrived in the United States, Nashmeen had met many Americans and studied from American books. Still, she had to learn to live on her own at her university in Boston and didn’t always understand the local humor or why nickels were larger than dimes. Despite those small changes, she found Americans to be welcoming and the transition to be an easy one.

Labels: Citizenship

You can view a new public service announcement for the initiative below.



Advertisements will run through September 5, 2011, in the first phase of a planned multiyear effort. USCIS will also increase in-person naturalization outreach efforts to bolster the initiative.

To learn more about the Citizenship Public Education and Awareness Initiative and how organizations can support the effort, visit www.uscis.gov/citizenshipawareness.

Labels: Citizenship