Citizenship test guide
How the 2025 US citizenship test works
You filed your N-400, and the next step is the test. Here is how the 2025 civics test works, so nothing surprises you.
Start practicing →What happens on test day
The civics test is part of your naturalization interview. An officer asks you questions about U.S. history and government, and you answer out loud. It is not multiple choice, and you do not write anything.
USCIS publishes a bank of 128 questions. The officer asks you up to 20 of them, and you pass with 12 correct answers. The officer stops as soon as you reach 12 correct or 9 incorrect. A USCIS system picks the questions at random, so nobody can tell you which 20 you will get.
The English test too
The English test is separate from the civics questions. You must show that you understand English and can read, write and speak basic English. You read aloud one of up to three sentences, and you write one of up to three sentences the officer says. The officer also judges your speaking during the whole interview.
The 2008 test or the 2025 test?
Which test you take depends on the date you filed Form N-400.
- Filed on or after October 20, 2025: the 2025 test, with 128 questions, up to 20 asked and 12 correct to pass.
- Filed before October 20, 2025: the 2008 test, with 100 questions, 10 asked and 6 correct to pass.
Either way, the share you need to get right is 60 percent.
Answers that change
A few answers depend on who is in office, such as the President, Vice President, Speaker of the House and Chief Justice, and on where you live, such as your senators, representative, governor and state capital. On interview day you name the person serving at that moment.
If you do not pass the first time
USCIS schedules a second interview 60 to 90 days after the first and retests only the part you did not pass. Failing the same part twice leads to a denial, so it is worth being ready the first time.
Getting ready
Because the test is spoken, practice by speaking. WelcomeOath has you say every answer out loud, compares it with the answers USCIS lists, and tracks which answers you really know. When you feel ready, a mock interview gives you the full 20-question experience. The first three lessons are free.
Questions people ask
How many questions are on the 2025 civics test?
USCIS publishes a bank of 128 questions. At your interview an officer asks up to 20 of them, out loud, and you pass with 12 correct answers. The officer stops as soon as you reach 12 correct or 9 incorrect. Nobody can tell you which 20 you will get, so the safest plan is to know all 128.
USCIS: 128 Civics Questions and Answers (2025 version)
Study all 128 here. Then take a mock interview of 20 questions to see how the real interview feels.
Is the citizenship test multiple choice?
No. The civics test is oral. An officer asks a question and you answer in your own words. There are no choices to pick from, so it is not enough to recognize the correct answer. You must say it yourself.
USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 12, Part E, Chapter 2
That is why you speak every answer out loud here. Your tiles show which answers you know well. If you forget one, it comes back until you can say it easily.
Do I take the 2008 test or the 2025 test?
It depends on when you filed Form N-400. If you filed on or after October 20, 2025, you take the 2025 test (128 questions, up to 20 asked, 12 correct). If you filed before that date, you take the 2008 test (100 questions, 10 asked, 6 correct).
WelcomeOath teaches the 2025 test only. If you filed earlier, use USCIS's 2008 materials.
How hard is the citizenship test?
You need 12 correct answers out of up to 20 questions. The questions come from a bank of 128 that you can study before the test. Some are harder than you expect. For example: "The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers." Many people born in the United States could not answer that without studying. You can prepare for this test, and a big part of the work is getting comfortable saying the answers out loud.
USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 12, Part E, Chapter 2
Practice is the most important part, and it is what WelcomeOath is made for.
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Let's get you ready
Becoming an American is something to celebrate. Practice out loud, and we will help you feel ready for the interview.
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