The 2025 US civics test: what changed and how to prepare
Translated from the Arabic original. Read in Arabic
The civics test is part of the naturalization interview, and USCIS changed it for applications filed on or after 20 October 2025. The change means more questions at the interview and more correct answers needed to pass. This guide explains both versions and who each applies to.
Which version applies to you?
What counts is the date you filed Form N-400, not the date of your interview. If you filed on or after 20 October 2025, you take the 2025 version. If you filed earlier, you stay on the 2008 version even if your interview is later.
The 2025 version
Questions come from a bank of 128. At the interview the officer asks up to 20 questions orally, and you need 12 correct answers to pass. The officer usually stops once you reach 12 correct answers, or once you have missed so many that passing is no longer possible.
The 2008 version
Its bank has 100 questions. You are asked up to 10 and need 6 correct answers.
The 65/20 rule for older applicants
If you are 65 or older and have been a permanent resident for at least 20 years when you file, special treatment applies: you study a shorter list of 20 questions, are asked up to 10 of them, and need 6 correct answers. Applicants in this group can also take the test in their own language with an interpreter.
The English test
Besides civics, applicants are tested on reading (reading one of several sentences correctly), writing (writing a sentence the officer dictates) and speaking, which the officer assesses from your conversation throughout the interview.
If you do not pass
If you fail either test, you normally get a second chance at a later appointment, where you are retested only on the part you failed. Failing the second attempt leads to denial of the application, and you can apply again later.
How to prepare
Study the official questions and answers on the USCIS website. Answers at the interview are oral, and answers with the same meaning are accepted. Watch out for questions whose answers change, such as the names of current officeholders, and check them before your interview. Practise out loud, because the real test is a conversation with an officer, not a written exam.
This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Laws change, so check the official sources below or the competent authority for your situation. Found a mistake? Tell us.