Ask for a Medical Disability Exception for the U.S. citizenship application tests

What is the disability waiver for the U.S. Citizenship tests?

To become a United States citizen, usually you must show the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) that you speak, understand, and write basic English. This is called the “English requirement.” You also must pass a test in U.S. government and history, which is called the “civics requirement.” These tests are required parts of the citizenship process. Some people may not have to take the tests based on their age and Legal Permanent Resident status.

Regardless of age or immigrant status, if you have a disability or impairment that makes you unable to learn or remember new information like English and history, you can apply for a disability waiver. A “waiver” means you are given permission to bypass a rule or requirement. This is called asking for a “Medical Disability Exception” to the tests. This is different from asking for a reasonable accommodation for the tests. 

If USCIS grants (lets you have) the waiver, you don’t have to take:

• the English requirement test (called the Oath waiver)
• the history test (called the Civics waiver) 

It will depend on what kind of waiver you were granted. You can also request and be granted a waiver for both tests. You can still become a citizen as long as you were granted the waiver and complete the other requirements of citizenship.

Who can get a waiver?

It can be very hard to get. It is only for people with disabilities that keep you from learning or from remembering new information. 

Your medical provider will have to complete a certification form about your disability and how it impacts your ability to take the tests or remember information. 

Only apply for the waiver if you have a disability that impacts at least one of these:

• your ability to learn, speak, remember, or read English
• your ability to learn about history or take a test about history and civics
• your ability to learn new information or remember what you learned

What kind of disabilities qualify for the waiver?

Eligible disabilities and impairments include mental, physical and developmental disabilities and impairments. The disability or impairment must impact your ability to meet at least one of these test requirements:

• learning new information
• remembering new information or
• repeating new information that you have learned

If your disability or impairment is not permanent, the disability or impairment has to have already been present in your life for 12 months or has to be expected to last at least 12 months.

In order to be eligible your doctor or qualified medical provider will have to do all of these:

1. Give you an exam. The exam can be over telehealth instead of in person. Telehealth is a video, phone, or electronic examination visit.
2. Describe each of your disabilities or impairments including how long it is expected to last. If the disability or impairment is permanent, your medical provider should say it is permanent. They should include the clinical methods they used to diagnose your disability or impairment.
3. List the date that you were last examined for the physical, mental or developmental disability or impairment.
4. Describe how your disabilities or impairments impact your ability to learn, remember or repeat new information including being able to demonstrate knowledge of English, civics (history) or both. Your doctor should be precise and exact about how your disability or impairment impacts your abilities.
5. Confirm that your disability or impairment is not related to the illegal use of drugs.

Some examples of qualifying disabilities include: 

• stroke
• Alzheimer’s
• severe mental disabilities like depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• learning disabilities
• Traumatic Brain Injury related impairments

This is not a complete list. If your disability or impairment makes it hard for you to learn, remember or recall information you learned, you could qualify. Talk to your doctor to help you understand what this all means. Your medical provider can help you understand whether you would qualify.

If your disability can be accommodated, USCIS may choose to not grant you a waiver and may require you to use a reasonable accommodation for the test instead of a waiver.