Tips For a Successful Citizenship Interview
Aug 25th, 2008 by admin
The citizenship interview is your doorway to American citizenship. The interview can be stressful, but always keep in mind to answer each and every question honestly. Always obey the USCIS officer and make sure you do whatever he asks you to do. You might be nervous - don’t worry about that. The USCIS officer interviews dozens of people like you every day. He has probably seen and heard just about everything. Be respectful, polite and, above all, honest! If you are all these, you will not encounter any problems during your citizenship interview.
Overall, the citizenship interview can be quite easy for a well prepared person. To make sure you are prepared to what is coming, here are a few tips. Follow them if you want to complete a successful citizenship interview.
Be Yourself
You are talking to an experienced USCIS officer. He will not be impressed if you make lots of compliments or pro-U.S. statements. Don’t even think about doing this! You will not raise your chances of getting approved this way. It can even be quite the opposite! An USCIS officer will be more impressed by people who give clear and succinct answers to each question. Remember not to overdo anything. Be yourself during the citizenship interview. Always avoid making sumptuous statements that have nothing to do with the citizenship interview. These statements can make the officer think that you have something to hide. You are talking to a person you cannot fool in any way, so all you can do is be honest.
Inspire Trust
Although looking down at the ground when speaking can be a sign of respect and submission in other countries, this does not apply in the United States. Make sure you look the USCIS officer straight in the eye. If you fail to do this, the officer can see it as a sign of deception. Building trust with the officer is a very important part of your citizenship interview. Always look the officer in the eyes and try to answer each question as confidently as you can. If you have difficulties looking is his eyes, try to focus on the officer’s nose, or even his mouth, instead of the eyes.
Be Honest
This is the most important part – ALWAYS BE HONEST! If you, regardless of the reason, don’t know the answer to one of the officer’s questions during the citizenship interview, simply say so. If you are unsure what the officer is saying, just ask him to clarify. DO NOT LIE! Even if you get away with a lie, your citizenship can be revoked. However, remember that you are not supposed to volunteer information you are not asked about.
Thank the USCIS Officer
This is the last tip. After the citizenship interview, make sure you thank the USCIS officer. Many people forget this due to stress and it can be seen as a sign of rudeness. After all, your citizenship interview results depend on this person.
