Citizenship Interview for an aged person

[Shamimmunni 0]

Hello Everyone,

My mother (70 year old) has been living in US as an immigrant for 5 years now and ready to apply for naturalized citizenship. She can not speak or write English. I know that based on her immigration status (not living here for 15 to 20 years) she does not qualify for English test exemption. I have some questions and appreciate if someone could shed some light on it.

1. Can she take the civic test in her language?

2. Do they ask easy/basic civic questions to senior persons?

3. Can I be with her as an interpreter during her interview?

4. Is there any other way that she can be exempt from English test? (I heard getting a doctor's certificate to the interviewer stating that 'the person is too old to learn a new language' can help)

5. If English test is not waived, can it be as easy as writing your own name type?

Thank you folks

Shamim

[Cody and Daisy 373]

I'm sorry but I don't think your mother will qualify.

The whole point is to prove you can be a member of the United states, she can't answer the questions in her own language, that'd just bipass the whole point of the tests.

She dosnt have to become a citizen, if I were you, I'd just keep her as a LPR.

http://www.uscis.gov/us-citizenship/citizenship-through-naturalization/exceptions-accommodations

Edited September 19, 2014 by Cody and Daisy

[JimmyHou 610]

Hello Everyone,

My mother (70 year old) has been living in US as an immigrant for 5 years now and ready to apply for naturalized citizenship. She can not speak or write English. I know that based on her immigration status (not living here for 15 to 20 years) she does not qualify for English test exemption. I have some questions and appreciate if someone could shed some light on it.

1. Can she take the civic test in her language?

2. Do they ask easy/basic civic questions to senior persons?

3. Can I be with her as an interpreter during her interview?

4. Is there any other way that she can be exempt from English test? (I heard getting a doctor's certificate to the interviewer stating that 'the person is too old to learn a new language' can help)

5. If English test is not waived, can it be as easy as writing your own name type?

Thank you folks

Shamim

Here are the details on a previous post:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/507294-2-part-question-about-the-civic-and-writing-test/?p=7149393

Basically, your Mom hasn't lived here long enough to be exempted from the language requirement, but is old enough to qualify for the modified/shortened civics test (she only has to study the easier questions marked for seniors, not all 100 questions). However, she will still have to do the writing and reading test (this is usually a simple sentence like: The president lives in the White House). More importantly, she will have to do the interview in English and answer questions about her eligibility in English.

You cannot be her interpreter unless she qualifies for a language exemption based on age and years as a PR, which she does not.

The only remaining option is a medical disability waiver from the English requirement. I don't think it would be too hard to get a doctor to say that at 70 years old she's incapable of learning English. Whether or not USCIS accepts this or not is up to them and you'll have to wait until the interview to find out. People DO fail the interview because of language skills quite regularly, but they may be much more lenient with an elderly applicant; there are no guarantees. I definitely would not apply without a applying for a language waiver first though, because they won't just accept you as a translator without medical justification.

I'm short, there's no legal requirement to naturalize, so they don't have to accommodate non-English speakers. You can:

-Apply for a language waiver

-Wait 15 years

-Forget about naturalization and stick with the green card.

[Shamimmunni 0]

Thank you Cody&Daisy and JummiyHou for your responses. Those really help. I have an additional questions.

1. Is that statement itself sufficient or she needs to complete N-648 as well?

If N-648 is not required;

2. Does she need to submit the 'doctor's statement' along with N-400 application or should she carry it at her interview?

3. Does that statement need to be in a sealed envelop?

Thank you

Shamim

Edited September 22, 2014 by Shamimmunni

[JimmyHou 610]

Thank you Cody&Daisy and JummiyHou for your responses. Those really help. I have an additional questions.

1. Is that statement itself sufficient or she needs to complete N-648 as well?

If N-648 is not required;

2. Does she need to submit the 'doctor's statement' along with N-400 application or should she carry it at her interview?

3. Does that statement need to be in a sealed envelop?

Thank you

Shamim

The official waiver form is required. A medical report would only serve as supporting evidence.

She would have to send in the waiver request in advance. USCIS has to have a chance to accept or deny the waiver before the interview. If she goes to the interview without a prior waiver, she will be tested in English and will likely fail the test.

No idea about the sealed envelope... see what the instructions on the waiver ask for... as I said, such a statement would only be supporting evidence.

I have read at least two "Oath Ceremony Experiences" on here over the past year that have mentioned people being taken out of the oath ceremony because they didn't understand the questions that had to be answered at the oath. These people were likely exempted from the English language requirement at the interview, but didn't have anything to prove that at the oath or didn't have a translator with them. I assume they eventually got to take their oath at a later date, but the delay must have been very frustrating for them. I share this to stress the importance of the language requirement... apply for the waiver and good luck.

I'm by no means an expert on this topic and this is just my opinion: a doctor's claim that your mom is "too old" to learn English is not going to be enough. They will require a doctor to state that in his or her medical opinion, your mom is incapable of learning English due you a medical condition.

[Shamimmunni 0]

The official waiver form is required. A medical report would only serve as supporting evidence.

She would have to send in the waiver request in advance. USCIS has to have a chance to accept or deny the waiver before the interview. If she goes to the interview without a prior waiver, she will be tested in English and will likely fail the test.

No idea about the sealed envelope... see what the instructions on the waiver ask for... as I said, such a statement would only be supporting evidence.

I have read at least two "Oath Ceremony Experiences" on here over the past year that have mentioned people being taken out of the oath ceremony because they didn't understand the questions that had to be answered at the oath. These people were likely exempted from the English language requirement at the interview, but didn't have anything to prove that at the oath or didn't have a translator with them. I assume they eventually got to take their oath at a later date, but the delay must have been very frustrating for them. I share this to stress the importance of the language requirement... apply for the waiver and good luck.

I'm by no means an expert on this topic and this is just my opinion: a doctor's claim that your mom is "too old" to learn English is not going to be enough. They will require a doctor to state that in his or her medical opinion, your mom is incapable of learning English due you a medical condition.

Thank you Jimmy