A naturalization application can be stressful. Many things could go wrong. Perhaps you’ve already attended your first naturalization interview, and you’ve received a Form N-14, but you’re not sure what it means. Or you’ve got your first naturalization interview scheduled, and you want to be prepared for anything that could come up.
Either way, we’ve got you covered. We look at what the Form N-14 is in detail below and how you can navigate it to ensure a successful naturalization application.
What is Form N-14
The Form N-14 is a document the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) can issue after your first naturalization interview. This form is an official document that requires you to submit additional information before your naturalization application can be processed further and approved.
At your first naturalization interview you will answer different questions about your background and your application. You will also bring the list of required documents for your naturalization interview with you. The purpose of the interview is for the USCIS officer to ensure you meet all the eligibility requirements. If you forgot to submit an important document as part of your application at your first interview or there is important information the USCIS officer wants to verify, the USCIS will issue a Form N-14 requesting you to provide it.
The Form N-14 will set out exactly which documents or information you must submit. The documents required could, for example, be a document such as a certificate of divorce that the USCIS officer must see to verify whether you are, in fact, divorced.
The purpose of the Form N-14 is purely to request additional information to boost the chances of your naturalization application being approved. Receiving a Form N-14 should be seen as a good thing. Although it may delay your application a bit, it means the USCIS has decided to continue your naturalization application, and it hasn’t merely been rejected.
Who Needs Form N-14?
You will receive a Form N-14 if you’ve applied for naturalization, you’ve attended your first naturalization interview, but the USCIS officer is unable to approve your application. There could be many reasons why the USCIS can not approve your application. It could be because you’ve failed your civics or English test. You may have submitted the wrong version of the Form N-648, or you might have forgotten to include relevant information or an essential document in your application.
After your interview, the USCIS officer will give you a “results sheet.” This results sheet will show you the outcome of your naturalization interview and what you can do to continue your application. If the USCIS officer needs new documents, another form, or additional information, he or she will fill in and provide you with a Form N-14 together with the results sheet. The Form N-14 is also known as a “Request for Evidence”. If the USCIS officer has completed a Form N-14, your results sheet will show this.
The Form N-14 doesn’t only tell you what is missing. The Form N-14 will also indicate to the USCIS officer who receives your documents by mail or who conducts your next interview, what the first officer believed was missing and what information should be verified. So, before you leave your first interview, make sure the Form N-14 is very clear, so both you and the next officer will understand what is required.
If you believe the Form N-14 isn’t clear enough or you don’t understand what the USCIS officer is asking for, you can politely ask the USCIS officer to rewrite the request. This request is entirely within your rights, so if the USCIS officer refuses, you can speak to a supervisor.
Documents Required for Form N-14
The Form N-14 will specify exactly which documents or information you need to submit to the USCIS for them to continue processing your naturalization application. These are the documents the USCIS needs to make a final decision on whether you qualify for naturalization.
Make sure you include all the documents listed in the Form N-14. If you miss one, you might not get another chance. The Form N-14 will also tell you how you should submit the documents. It’s possible they only require you to submit it via mail, or they could require you to submit the documents in person at a second naturalization interview.
The Form N-14 usually gives you 30 days to submit the requested documents to the USCIS. Make sure you check the timelines and stick to them as well. Missing the deadline will mean the USCIS will have to determine whether you are eligible for naturalization solely on the information you’ve previously provided and the evidence that is available to them. If it isn’t enough to prove your eligibility, it could lead to the USCIS rejecting your application.
If you follow the instructions on the Form N-14 correctly and provide accurate and correct information, it will undoubtedly increase your chances of the USCIS approving your naturalization application.
See also Documents Required for N-400 Naturalization Application here.
Where to Submit Form N-14
The Form N-14 will set out exactly how you must submit the documents requested and by when.
If the Form N-14 instructs you to send your documents via mail, make sure to include a copy of your Form N-14 with your documents. Also remember the deadline listed on the Form N-14 is the deadline by when the documents must reach the USCIS. Make sure you mail your documents in time for it to reach the USCIS before the deadline passes. It’s much safer to send your documents via certified mail (with a return receipt requested), or through an overnight express mail service, so you have proof that you’ve mailed it and that the USCIS has received it.