Citizenship Skills

Overview

Elgin area citizenship services offer programs and information to help immigrants learn more about immigration. ECC's Adult Basic Education Center offers citizenship classes to improve your knowledge of the U.S. government, prepare for the citizenship interview, and study for your citizenship test. To take the citizenship class, students must be co-enrolled in an ESL class in the Adult Basic Education part-time program.

Are you prepared to apply to the USCIS?

Prepare for the citizenship interview and learn the information needed to pass the citizenship test. ECC's Citizenship classes help students learn about U.S. history and government, the U.S. Constitution, and civics. It also prepares students to answer questions asked during the citizenship interview. For ECC citizenship classes, call 847-214-6975.

Guide For Immigrants

U.S. Citizenship

A citizen of the U.S. can be a person who is native-born, foreign-born, or naturalized. A citizen is a person who owes allegiance to the U.S. and who is entitled to its protection. As a U.S. citizen, you have rights and privileges, including voting in all elections, running for public office, traveling outside the U.S., and holding federal government jobs. Naturalization is the way immigrants become U.S. citizens. For more information, visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Website.

Eligibility Requirements

To become a U.S. citizen, you must meet these requirements:

• Valid permanent resident card.
• Five years of residency in the U.S. or three years of residency if you are married to a U.S. citizen.
• Knowledge of the English language.
• Knowledge of the U.S. government and its history.

Stevens Amendment (FY24):
Stevens Amendment: Approximately $718,727 (40%) of the Illinois Adult Education and Literacy Program cost at Elgin Community College is federally funded under Title II, Adult Education and Family Literacy of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014.