The New U.S. Citizenship Test: What to Know About the 128 Civics Questions
If you filed Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025, you will take the 2025 civics test: 128 official questions, up to 20 asked at your interview, and 12 correct answers to pass. Here is how the test works, who takes which version, and how to prepare.
Which test will you take?
Your filing date decides, not your interview date. If USCIS received your N-400 on or after October 20, 2025, you take the 2025 test with 128 questions. If you filed before that date, you take the 2008 test, which has 100 questions.
Not sure of your filing date? It is on the receipt notice USCIS sent after you applied. If you have not filed yet, our guide to USCIS filing fees covers what the N-400 costs.
How the civics test works
On the standard test, the officer asks up to 20 questions from the official list of 128, in English. You need 12 correct answers to pass. The officer stops as soon as you reach 12 correct, or 9 incorrect, so many interviews end well before question 20.
The questions and the accepted answers come from the official USCIS list, Form M-1778. You answer out loud, in your own words; you do not need to memorize every possible answer, only one that USCIS accepts.
What else happens at the interview
The civics test is one part of the naturalization interview. The officer also reviews your N-400 with you, line by line, and updates anything that changed since you filed: a move, a new job, a trip, a marriage.
The officer also tests your English. Speaking is judged from your ordinary answers during the interview. For reading, you read one sentence aloud correctly, out of up to three. For writing, you write one sentence correctly, out of up to three.
If you do not pass
You get two chances. If you do not pass the English or civics test at your interview, USCIS schedules a second exam, usually 60 to 90 days later, and only the parts you did not pass are tested again.
Exceptions for age, years of residence, and disability
Some applicants do not take the standard test. Your age and your years as a permanent resident are counted on the day you file Form N-400.
| Exception | Who qualifies | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| 50/20 | Age 50 or older and a permanent resident for 20 years or more | No English test. The same civics test, which may be in your language with an interpreter. |
| 55/15 | Age 55 or older and a permanent resident for 15 years or more | No English test. The same civics test, which may be in your language with an interpreter. |
| 65/20 | Age 65 or older and a permanent resident for 20 years or more | No English test. Civics on 20 designated questions: 10 are asked, and 6 correct answers pass. It may be in your language with an interpreter. |
| Medical exception (Form N-648) | A physical or developmental disability or a mental impairment keeps you from meeting the requirements | You may be excepted from English, civics, or both. A licensed medical or osteopathic doctor or a licensed clinical psychologist completes Form N-648. |
If you take the civics test in your own language, USCIS requires you to bring an interpreter who is fluent in English and your language.
What the 128 questions cover
The questions fall into eight topics:
| Topic | Questions |
|---|---|
| Principles of American government | 15 |
| System of government | 47 |
| Rights and responsibilities | 10 |
| Colonial period and independence | 17 |
| The 1800s | 10 |
| Recent American history | 19 |
| Symbols | 6 |
| Holidays | 4 |
Three examples from the official list show the style. For What is the form of government of the United States?, USCIS accepts "Republic," "Constitution-based federal republic," or "Representative democracy." For Name one power of the U.S. Congress., it accepts answers such as "Writes laws," "Declares war," or "Makes the federal budget." For What is Veterans Day?, one accepted answer is "A holiday to honor people in the (U.S.) military."
A few answers depend on where you live or who holds office today, such as your state's senators and governor. Elections change those answers, so check them again shortly before your interview.
How to prepare
Start early. A few questions a day over several weeks works better than cramming the week before.
Practice out loud, in English. The test is spoken, so say each answer as you would to the officer. Our citizenship test practice page is a good place to start.
Find your weakest topic and work on it. The system of government is the largest topic, with 47 of the 128 questions, so give it the most time.
Learn the answers for where you live. Look up your senators, representative, governor, and state capital.
Know your own N-400. Read your application again before the interview, and note anything that has changed since you filed. For what changed from the old test, see our post on why the 2025 civics test is harder.
Naturalization · N-400 & civics test · Ciudadanía
The test is the visible part.
The interview is where cases turn.
Most naturalization denials have nothing to do with the civics questions. They come from travel history, tax filings, selective service, or an old arrest that surfaces at the interview. We review the whole file before you file. Free 30-minute consultation in English or Spanish.
La mayoría de las negaciones de ciudadanía no tienen que ver con las preguntas cívicas. Vienen del historial de viajes, los impuestos, el servicio selectivo o un arresto antiguo que aparece en la entrevista. Revisamos todo el expediente antes de presentarlo. Consulta gratuita de 30 minutos.
Review My N-400 Before I File →Or call (484) 763-4984
Practice with Civics 128
Our firm built Civics 128, an iPhone app for the 2025 civics test, free to download. It has all 128 official questions and answers in English, with an unofficial Spanish study translation. It scores you on each of the eight topics, shows the questions you keep missing, and lets you practice them in sets of ten. It also has practice interviews that stop at 12 right or 9 wrong, like the real test, plus reading and writing practice and answers for your state.
Questions 1 to 25 and all 20 questions for the 65/20 test are free. A one-time purchase unlocks the rest. There is no account and no subscription, and your progress stays on your phone.
Download Civics 128 on the App Store
When to talk to a lawyer first
Most interviews are routine. Talk to an immigration lawyer before your interview if you have ever been arrested or cited, spent long periods outside the United States, have unpaid taxes, or had anything important change since you filed. Lehigh Valley Immigration Law in Allentown helps clients prepare for their naturalization interviews. Contact us to schedule a consultation.
Sources: USCIS 2025 civics test, 128 questions and answers (Form M-1778); USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 12, Part E, Chapter 2; USCIS exceptions and accommodations.
This post is general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different.