Interview Videos
There are several must see mock interview videos on the web. Watching the videos will give you a sense of the tone to take in the practice interview. In general, the feeling is businesslike but not too formal: more like traffic court, less like a cross-examination
SaberHacer.com
SaberHacer.com has a realistic one featuring a short interview with an USCIS adjudicator, as well as other related videos that you can find in their site by using the links at right.
JFVS of Middlesex County
There is a very good one from Debby Alter of JFVS of Middlesex County. Use the link in the right nav list to find the three others by this group.
CCSFCitizenship
Below is the first in a series from the City College of San Francisco. There are many others that can be found by using the link at right.
Monday, May 4, 2009
The Practice Interview: Part 1 Overview and N-400
Interview overview
The citizenship interview is the final part of the naturalization process, which began with the written application, the 10-page N-400 form. Only after the applicant has demonstrated legal eligibility and passed a background check is she invited to the interview. It’s the last step before granting the applicant full, unrestricted citizenship with all of its benefits. Because it is such a critical, and often nuanced, part of the process, it is done in a one-on-one basis with a trained interviewer (officially known as an adjudicator).
The adjudicator’s job, as a representative of the federal government, is to grant, deny or delay citizenship. He uses his skills to confirm the applicant’s identity. He reviews residency and work histories, marital status and family connections, character and affiliations. He determines that the applicant is telling the truth and that there is evidence to back up all significant claims and events. In today’s immigration and security environment there is a lot of pressure to get it right, every time.
The typical interview takes 15-30 minutes. It is conducted in English, rarely with a translator. Although much of the study material for the citizenship interview concentrates on American history and government, there is an “English language proficiency” requirement, which is, if anything, more important. The adjudicator judges the applicant’s verbal skills by her ability to answer questions based on the application. Many, if not most, of the otherwise eligible applicants who fail do so because they can’t respond appropriately. Only after the adjudicator is satisfied with the applicant’s legal eligibility and English skills does the interview proceed to the civics test and finally to the written dictated sentences.
The practice interview
The purpose of the practice interview is to get ready for the stress and surprises of the real thing. Like any other test prep, knowing what’s coming gives the “test taker” three advantages: reducing fear of the unknown, developing confidence in the ability to answer the simpler questions, and preparing responses for the more difficult ones.
A little training and planning can enhance effectiveness. We suggest this sequence:
A current version of the N-400 (approved through 12/31/09) can be downloaded here. There are several versions with minor edits. Get the latest, if you can, but if you have one that is no more than few years old it should be fine for practice. Look at the form date to identify.
The instructions for filling out the N-400 can be accessed here. While most of the questions are self-explanatory to a native English speaker, many require an intermediate knowledge of English, which is often exactly what the learner lacks. There are also some questions whose answers are not so obvious. And the applicant might fear that failure to fill out the N-400 correctly might jeopardize the application, so she feels a lot of pressure to get it right.
Another reason for you to be familiar with the form is to be able to spot errors in the applicant's actual application. Just as we encourage our learners: do it to learn it. Filling out the form forces you to make the same decisions about the same ambiguities as an applicant.
Finally, the feds recommend for all applicants the M-476, USCIS A Guide to Naturalization, which "provides information on the benefits and responsibilities of citizenship, an overview of the naturalization process, and eligibility requirements." You may not needto read all of it, but it's useful for reference.
The citizenship interview is the final part of the naturalization process, which began with the written application, the 10-page N-400 form. Only after the applicant has demonstrated legal eligibility and passed a background check is she invited to the interview. It’s the last step before granting the applicant full, unrestricted citizenship with all of its benefits. Because it is such a critical, and often nuanced, part of the process, it is done in a one-on-one basis with a trained interviewer (officially known as an adjudicator).
The adjudicator’s job, as a representative of the federal government, is to grant, deny or delay citizenship. He uses his skills to confirm the applicant’s identity. He reviews residency and work histories, marital status and family connections, character and affiliations. He determines that the applicant is telling the truth and that there is evidence to back up all significant claims and events. In today’s immigration and security environment there is a lot of pressure to get it right, every time.
The typical interview takes 15-30 minutes. It is conducted in English, rarely with a translator. Although much of the study material for the citizenship interview concentrates on American history and government, there is an “English language proficiency” requirement, which is, if anything, more important. The adjudicator judges the applicant’s verbal skills by her ability to answer questions based on the application. Many, if not most, of the otherwise eligible applicants who fail do so because they can’t respond appropriately. Only after the adjudicator is satisfied with the applicant’s legal eligibility and English skills does the interview proceed to the civics test and finally to the written dictated sentences.
The practice interview
The purpose of the practice interview is to get ready for the stress and surprises of the real thing. Like any other test prep, knowing what’s coming gives the “test taker” three advantages: reducing fear of the unknown, developing confidence in the ability to answer the simpler questions, and preparing responses for the more difficult ones.
A little training and planning can enhance effectiveness. We suggest this sequence:
- Familiarize yourself with the N-400 form by filling one out completely
- Watch several mock interviews on YouTube
- Read the adjudicator’s guidelines regarding English verbal and written skills.
- Download scripts to use in the interview
- Get a copy of the civics/history questions
- Formulate dictation sentences to test for English writing ability
A current version of the N-400 (approved through 12/31/09) can be downloaded here. There are several versions with minor edits. Get the latest, if you can, but if you have one that is no more than few years old it should be fine for practice. Look at the form date to identify.
The instructions for filling out the N-400 can be accessed here. While most of the questions are self-explanatory to a native English speaker, many require an intermediate knowledge of English, which is often exactly what the learner lacks. There are also some questions whose answers are not so obvious. And the applicant might fear that failure to fill out the N-400 correctly might jeopardize the application, so she feels a lot of pressure to get it right.
Another reason for you to be familiar with the form is to be able to spot errors in the applicant's actual application. Just as we encourage our learners: do it to learn it. Filling out the form forces you to make the same decisions about the same ambiguities as an applicant.
Finally, the feds recommend for all applicants the M-476, USCIS A Guide to Naturalization, which "provides information on the benefits and responsibilities of citizenship, an overview of the naturalization process, and eligibility requirements." You may not needto read all of it, but it's useful for reference.
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