The "Have You Ever" Questions: N-400 Part 9 Words to Know Before Your Citizenship Interview
Most people study hard for the civics questions and forget about the other questions they’ll hear at the interview: the long list of yes/no questions on their own Form N-400. After you’re placed under oath, the USCIS officer goes over your application with you, including Part 9, “Additional Information About You.” Many of those questions start with “Have you EVER…”.
That conversation is also your English speaking test. The USCIS Policy Manual says the officer judges your speaking “based on the alien’s ability to respond to questions normally asked in the course of the naturalization examination,” including “questions provided in the naturalization application.” You don’t need to know every word on the form. You pass if you “generally understand and respond meaningfully” to questions about your eligibility.
So it’s worth knowing what the hard words mean before you walk in.
What “EVER” means on the form
The current N-400 (edition 01/20/25) explains it at the top of Part 9: when a question says EVER, it covers anything you did anywhere in the world, at any time (including before you came to the U.S. and when you were under 18), unless the question says otherwise. If you answer “Yes” to most of these questions, the form asks you to explain in Part 14.
Words to know, in plain English
These are the words that most often confuse applicants, grouped the way Part 9 groups its questions. The meanings are simple explanations for study, not legal definitions.
Citizenship, voting and taxes
| Word or phrase on the form | What it means |
|---|---|
| claimed to be a U.S. citizen | said or wrote that you are a U.S. citizen, for example on a job form or a voter form |
| registered to vote | signed up to vote (even if you never voted) |
| overdue taxes | taxes you owe that are past the due date |
| nonresident alien (on a tax return) | a tax status for people who don’t live in the U.S.; green card holders generally file as residents |
The voting question has one exception written into the form: if you lawfully voted only in a local election where non-citizens are allowed to vote, you may answer “No.” Voting in a federal or state election as a non-citizen is a serious problem. See our post on green card holders charged with illegal voting.
Groups and beliefs
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Communist or totalitarian party | a party that controls a country with no free elections and no opposition allowed |
| advocated | supported and promoted (the form explains this one) |
| overthrow (of the government) | remove a government by force |
| sabotage | secretly damage or destroy things, often to hurt a government or army |
| associated with | connected to in any way, not only as a member |
Violence, weapons and armed groups
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| torture | causing someone extreme pain on purpose |
| genocide | trying to destroy a whole national, ethnic, racial or religious group |
| hijacking | taking control of a plane, ship or vehicle by force |
| incited | encouraged others to do something (the form explains this) |
| paramilitary, vigilante, rebel, guerrilla group | armed groups that are not a country’s official military (the form gives examples) |
| detained | forced to stay somewhere, like a prison or camp |
| recruited, enlisted, conscripted | asked someone to join, signed someone up, required someone to join |
| hostilities | fighting in a war or armed conflict |
Note the question about military or police units (item 8.a). Service in your home country’s army, including required national service, is a “Yes.” A “Yes” is not automatically a problem. You list the country, unit, rank and dates in Part 14.
Crimes and the law
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| arrested, cited, detained | taken by police, given a ticket or court summons, held by an officer |
| charged | formally accused of a crime |
| convicted / pled guilty | found guilty by a court / said “guilty” in court |
| probation, parole, suspended sentence | ways a sentence is served outside of jail or not served unless you break rules |
| diversion, deferred adjudication | programs where charges can be dropped if you complete conditions |
| expunged, sealed | removed from or hidden in public court records |
The form is very direct here: you must list crimes and arrests “even if your records have been sealed, expunged, or otherwise cleared,” and even if a judge, police officer or lawyer told you that you don’t have to. Traffic tickets usually don’t need documents unless they involved alcohol or drugs, led to an arrest, or seriously injured someone (N-400 instructions).
Other conduct
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| prostitution | selling sex for money |
| controlled substances | illegal drugs and drugs regulated by law |
| married to more than one person at the same time | this is how the current form asks about polygamy |
| immigration benefit | a green card, visa or other status from immigration authorities |
| smuggle / helped anyone enter illegally | brought or helped someone into the U.S. in a way that breaks the law |
| gambled illegally | betting where it’s against the law |
| dependents / alimony | people you must support (like children) / money a court orders you to pay a former spouse |
| misrepresentation | a false statement to get something |
| removal, deportation, rescission proceedings | immigration court cases to send someone out of the U.S. or take away status |
Selective Service and the military
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Selective Service | the U.S. agency that keeps a list of men for a possible draft |
| drafted | required by law to join the military |
| exemption from military service | permission not to serve |
| court-martialed | tried by a military court |
| deserted | left the military without permission and did not intend to return |
For who must register and what happens if you didn’t, see Selective Service and Your N-400.
The oath questions (items 30 to 37)
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| hereditary title, order of nobility | a title passed down in a family, like “Duke” or “Count”; you must give it up |
| support the Constitution | agree with and respect the U.S. system of government |
| Oath of Allegiance | the promise you make at your ceremony to become a citizen |
| bear arms | carry weapons (fight) for the U.S. if the law requires it |
| noncombatant services | work in the military that is not fighting, such as medical work |
| work of national importance under civilian direction | non-military work the government says is important to the country |
These match civics test Q67, Name two promises that new citizens make in the Oath of Allegiance (for example, “Serve in the military (if needed)” and “Serve (help, do important work for) the nation (if needed)”). If you have a religious or moral objection to bearing arms, the oath can be modified. See Oath of Allegiance options.
Practice answering out loud
Officers often read a question, or ask it in their own words, and wait for your answer. A full short sentence shows the officer you understood:
- “Have you ever claimed to be a U.S. citizen?” “No, I have never said I am a U.S. citizen.”
- “Do you owe any overdue taxes?” “No, I filed and paid my taxes every year.”
- “Have you ever been arrested?” “Yes, once in 2019, for driving without a license. The charge was dismissed, and I brought the court papers.”
- “Are you willing to bear arms on behalf of the United States?” “Yes, if the law requires it.”
The officer may also check that you understand by asking “What does ‘claim’ mean?” or “What is a totalitarian party?” A simple answer in your own words is enough: “It means to say you are something.”
If you don’t understand a question, say so. “Could you please repeat that?” or “Can you say it in a different way?” is fine. The Policy Manual says the officer “should repeat and rephrase questions” until they are satisfied you either understand or don’t understand English. Never guess “No” to move things along. Answering truthfully matters more than answering fast.
Before your interview
- Re-read your own N-400. If you filed online, your copy is in your USCIS online account. The officer will be looking at the same answers.
- Note anything that changed since you filed: a new trip, an arrest or ticket, a tax problem, a marriage or divorce. Tell the officer at the start of the review.
- Bring documents for every “Yes,” such as court dispositions, proof of tax payment plans, or proof of child support payments. See what to bring to your interview.
- If you have a “Yes” on a serious question (crimes, false claims to citizenship, voting, removal proceedings), talk with a qualified immigration attorney or accredited representative before the interview, and ideally before you file.
Keep studying the civics part too
The yes/no review is only one part of the day. Get the full picture in Naturalization Interview Day: What to Expect, practice the reading and writing sentences in English Test for Naturalization, and run through the 128 civics questions with the free practice test or a mock civics interview.
Read next
- Selective Service and Your N-400: Who Must Register, What If You Didn’t, and What’s Changing
- Green Card Holders Charged With Illegal Voting: What It Means for Your N-400
- After the Civics Test: Approved, Continued or Denied?
Sources: USCIS, Form N-400 and instructions (edition 01/20/25, Part 9 and Specific Instructions), Policy Manual Vol. 12, Part E, Ch. 2: English and Civics Testing, and Study for the Test. Image: National Photo Company Collection, Library of Congress (no known restrictions on publication).
This post explains the wording of a public USCIS form for study purposes. The word meanings above are plain-language explanations, not legal definitions. It is not legal advice. If any Part 9 question applies to you, get advice from a qualified immigration attorney or accredited representative.