Watch an accessible version of this video.

Video transcript:

VOICE: Becoming a naturalized citizen can be one of the most important milestones in an immigrant’s life. But it’s not always easy. There’s lots of paperwork to fill out, appointments to keep and tests to pass.

The following are the five most common mistakes people make when applying for citizenship. By avoiding these you’ll be able to save money, time and perhaps most importantly, stress.

Mistake number 1, sending the application without double checking it.

OFFICER: One common thing that we do notice is that when an applicant files for naturalization they do focus a lot on the 100 civic questions, the 100 civic questions that need to be studied for that portion of the test, but rarely do they go over the entire N-400 application that was more than likely completed by somebody else.

VOICE: Mistake number 2, forgetting to provide proof of spouse’s citizenship.

OFFICER: The application needs to be submitted with a copy of the spouse’s proof of citizenship as well as a marriage certificate.

VOICE: Mistake number 3, failing to send the application fee or sending the wrong amount.

Applications submitted without the fee or with the wrong amount will be rejected. The applicant is asked to resubmit the application with the correct fee.

VOICE: Mistake number 4, Neglecting to send additional documents in a timely manner.

OFFICER: It is important that the applicant returns the documents within the specified amount of time and that when they resubmit the documents, that they are being resubmitted with the letter that was given to them during the time of the interview. This will help the paperwork arrived to the file a lot faster.

VOICE: Mistake number 5, submitting an application before meeting certain requirements.

VOICE: When the person applying for citizenship wants to take the civic portion of the test in his or her native language, the applicant must satisfy the age and residency requirements at the time the application is submitted. Failure to do so might result in the application being rejected and the application fee lost.

This video was produced by GobiernoUSA.gov and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Learn more about avoiding mistakes when applying for citizenship.

From the Federal Trade Commission:

Avoid the hidden costs in some free trial programs. This video shows you how to check out a free trial before you sign up and what to do if you find yourself getting charged for merchandise you don’t want and didn’t order. Learn more at http://ftc.gov/freetrials

There’s still time to demonstrate your commitment to environmental protection, and be a part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “It’s My Environment Video Project.”

To make your video, just hold up and read a sign that says “It’s My Environment” while taking an action to protect the environment like recycling, turning off lights, or turning off the tap water. Then pass the sign to your left, off-screen. Clips only need to be 10 seconds long. When all the videos are compiled, the video will look like a human chain around the world!

Having clean air to breathe, water to drink, and a neighborhood safe from toxics is important to everyone, so send in your clip before the deadline on Friday, April 15.

The Kilauea volcano in Hawaii has been very active lately, as you can see in this time-lapse video of the volcano from Feb 23 to Feb 25 from the U.S. Geological Survey:

Time-lapse movie showing lava erupting from vents on the floor of Pu`u `Ō `ō crater. Each frame is a composite of eight images comprising a panorama of the crater that is captured every five minutes. During daylight hours, the camera switches to an IR mode so that eruptive activity is easier to monitor. At night, the camera switches back to normal mode.

See more images and videos of the Kilauea volcano from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

From NASA:

Video recorded by cameras mounted on Discovery’s twin solid rocket boosters provide unique views of the February 24 launch.