How to obtain US citizenship without taking an English exam
The residents with longest stay in the United States have an option to obtain citizenship without the need to master the English language.
Leer en español: Cómo obtener la ciudadanía estadounidense sin presentar un examen en inglés
Obtaining US citizenship may seem like an extremely complicated process to carry out since the beginning of President Donald Trump's immigration policy, who has made public his national security strategy through the detention and expulsion of immigrants in irregular situations in the United States.
However, and despite these current situations, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) establishes a series of requirements to obtain US citizenship through the 50/20 and 55/15 rules.
This pair of processes are characterized by benefiting or facilitating the naturalization process for those legal residents who have been living in the United States for years.
What are the 50/20 and 55/15 rules and how do they work?
According to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, obtaining US citizenship requires a series of special requirements, with passing a civics education test and mastering the English language being some of the most important.
However, and thanks to the 50/20 and 55/15 rules, this pair of tests can provide exemptions to interested parties regarding one particular point: language.
As established by the USCIS, this pair of processes seeks to benefit or facilitate the naturalization process for individuals who are of an advanced age or who have resided in the country for long periods.
In the case of the 50/20 rule, it refers to people who are 50 years or older and who have lived in US territory for at least 20 years, hence its name.
Regarding the 55/15 rule, and similar to the previous one, it is focused on benefiting or facilitating the process for individuals who are 55 years or older and have resided in the country, legally, for at least 15 years.
According to the USCIS, for both rules, interested parties have the opportunity to take the civics education test in their native language. However, as a requirement to take said test, it will be necessary to be accompanied by an interpreter who is fluent in both English and the applicant's native language.
In addition to the aforementioned rules, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services also has a special process for those individuals who are 65 years or older and have legally resided in the country for at least 20 years. In this case, there is the possibility of accessing a simplified version of the same civics education questionnaire, with a reduction in questions about topics related to the history and government of the American nation.
To carry out the aforementioned, it is necessary, in the first instance, to submit an application for US citizenship through the N-400 form, which is available on the USCIS website.
In addition to the above, residents must present evidence of their legal residence, employment history among other data
*This article has been automatically translated using artificial intelligence
