However, a person who is over 50 years of age, who has been a permanent resident for more than 20 years, and a person who is over 55 years of age and has been a permanent resident for more than 15 years can become a U.S. citizen without having to read, write, or speak English. Also, the INS may naturalize a person who can't read, write or speak English, if they have a physical or mental disability which makes it difficult for them to learn a new language. Finally, some new citizens aren't tested for English because they got their U.S. citizenship through their parents. The difficulty of the naturalization English exam varies depending on the INS examiner, and changing INS standards. The wait for English language classes in the New York area is long.
Many people are in a hurry to become a U.S. citizen.
They learn only as much English as they need to pass the exam, then plan to improve their English later.