N-400 Naturalization Interview: Journey to U.S. Citizenship

I recently had my naturalization interview at the Washington, DC (Fairfax, VA) USCIS office. My appointment was scheduled for 1:35 PM. I arrived about 20 minutes early, went through security, and waited in the designated area.

Check-In and Initial Process

At the counter, I handed over my interview notice. The officer took my photo and fingerprints. Shortly after, my name was called right on time, and I was invited into the officer’s office.

The interview began with me taking the oath by raising my right hand. I then provided my passport, driver’s license, and green card. The officer reviewed and compared the information on all the documents. He was very friendly and talkative, which helped me feel more comfortable.

Civics, Reading, and Writing Tests

The first part of the interview was the civics test. These were the questions I received:

Name one American Indian tribe in the United States. → Cherokee
Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now? → John Roberts
Where is the Statue of Liberty? → New York (Harbor)
How many amendments does the Constitution have? → Twenty-seven (27)
What is the capital of the United States? → Washington, D.C.
Who signs bills to become laws? → The President

For the reading test, I read “Who is George Washington?” from the tablet.For the writing test, the officer read aloud “Washington was the first president,” and I typed it on the tablet.

Review of My Application

Next, we went over the N-400 application. I confirmed basic information like my name, date of birth, and country of origin. The officer also asked questions about spouse and whether I had been outside the U.S. for more than six months in the past three years.

Before starting the Yes/No section, he asked:

Have you paid all your taxes? → Yes
Do you currently owe any overdue federal, state, or local taxes? → No

Some of the Yes/No questions included:

Have you EVER claimed to be a U.S. citizen? → No
Have you EVER voted in any U.S. elections? → No
Have you EVER been in or supported any military or police units? → No

We briefly discussed the military system in my home country, which I explained to him.

The officer brought up a speeding ticket I had received, which I had not mentioned in my application. I acknowledged it, and he added it to the record. He confirmed that the fine had already been paid.

Final Questions and Oath of Allegiance

Toward the end of the interview, he asked the following:

Do you support the Constitution and the form of government of the United States? → Yes
Do you understand the full Oath of Allegiance? → Yes
Are you willing to take the full Oath of Allegiance? → Yes
If required by law, are you willing to bear arms on behalf of the U.S.? → Yes
…to perform noncombatant services in the armed forces? → Yes
…to perform work of national importance under civilian direction? → Yes

Finally, I reviewed and signed my information on the tablet. The officer gave me a paper confirming that I had passed the test and that my interview was successful.

Oath Ceremony

The very next day, on February 19, I received my Oath Ceremony date — it was scheduled quickly and took place in the same building. The Oath Ceremony was on March 12.

Final Thoughts: The entire experience was smooth and respectful. I appreciated the officer’s friendly attitude, which made a big difference. If you're preparing for your interview, review the civics questions, stay honest during the process, and be yourself.

Good luck to everyone going through this journey! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.