Becoming a United States citizen is a significant milestone for many immigrants, marking a journey of perseverance and strength. At Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, the process of achieving naturalization is supported through our U.S. Citizenship Preparation program.
Our Citizenship program provides classroom instruction to any eligible immigrants and refugees who want to become United States citizens. The program includes course work that is focused on the English language, American history and civics knowledge that is needed to pass the United States’ USCIS naturalization interview and exam. The program’s intensive 10-week sessions are tailored to meet the diverse needs of students, ensuring thorough preparation for their naturalization interview and exams.
Beyond classroom instruction, the program offers field trips to landmarks such as the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the National World War I Museum and Memorial, enhancing students’ understanding of American culture and history.
“Our program allows students to increase their confidence by being prepared. We walk through different scenarios so that they are comfortable with the naturalization process,” said Kim Barnes, Refugee Learning Center Manager.
The naturalization exam includes 10 questions about American government, history and geography. “A sample exam question may be, ‘there are 13 original colonies, name three. Or, name one Native American tribe’,” said Barnes. There is also an oral interview component.
Steps Required to Become a U.S. Citizen
- Verification Interview: An officer verifies the applicant’s information and assesses their English comprehension.
- Civics Exam: The applicant takes a civics question exam. There are 10 questions and six must be answered correctly to pass.
- English Writing Test: The applicant must write and dictate a sentence in English, with three attempts allowed.
- English Reading Test: The applicant must read aloud sentences in English to an officer, with three attempts allowed.
“A Burmese woman enrolled in our program after studying for three years. Her determination to pass the naturalization exam was evident. Our team had a sample test for her and she got all the civics questions correct. She went on to attend English language classes and was an active student. She applied for citizenship in May and received her naturalization. The perseverance of our students is incredible,” added Barnes.
This fiscal year, the Citizenship program supported 88 students who were then referred to our La Luz Immigration Clinic. To learn more about our U.S. Citizenship program services, click here.
