CitizenshipPalYou got your interview notice. What now?
The letter is Form I-797C, Notice of Action. It means your file is ready and an officer is assigned. Here is what to do with the weeks you have.
Read the notice carefully
- Date, time, and address. Field offices are not always in the city you'd expect. Look up the address on a map now, and check parking or transit.
- What to bring. The notice lists the basics; our full checklist covers the documents people get "continued" for.
- Your receipt number in the top corner. You'll use it to check status.
If you can't make the date
Reschedule only if you truly must: a rescheduled interview can take months to come back. Request it through your USCIS online account or by writing to the field office before the date, with the reason. Missing the appointment without asking can lead to your application being closed.
Four weeks or more: the steady plan
- One round a day in the trainer. Two weeks gets you through all 128.
- One practice test a week.
- Read your N-400 once now. Note anything that has changed since you filed.
Two weeks: the focused plan
Follow the day-by-day two-week plan. Civics in the morning, the interview practice in the evening, documents gathered by day 10.
What changed since you filed?
Moved, married, divorced, new job, new child, any trip abroad, any arrest or ticket: the officer will ask, and you must report it. Bring the document for each change. Changing your address separately (Form AR-11) is required within 10 days of a move; if you haven't, do it now.
The English part
Unless you qualify for an exemption, the whole interview is in English. Two things to practice besides civics: understanding spoken questions (the trainer reads every question aloud; listen more than you read) and the reading and writing sentences.
The week before
Stop learning new things. Review rounds only. Confirm the current names at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates. Put the document folder by the door. Read what happens at the interview once so nothing on the day is a surprise.