Citizenship test guide

Study for the US citizenship test: US government compared with your country

A good way to start studying for the US citizenship test is to look at what you already know. Many governments share some features with the US, such as a president, a vice president or a legislature with two houses. Find your country below, then practice the questions on the ideas that are new to you.

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How the US government is organized

The Constitution creates three branches of government: Congress makes the laws, the President carries them out, and the courts decide what they mean. The President is both the head of state and the head of government. A Vice President is the second highest office. Congress has two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Power is shared between the federal government and the states.

The first lessons in WelcomeOath cover these ideas, and every lesson explains the answers in your language. Many other countries use a different mix. Some have a prime minister who runs the government while a president or a monarch is the head of state. Some have one house of the legislature. Some have one main national government and no states with powers of their own.

USCIS: 2025 Civics Test, 128 Questions and Answers

Eleven countries beside the US

Each row shows how a country's constitution organizes its government. Blue cells match the US.

In the US, one person, the president, is both the head of state, who represents the country, and the head of government, who runs the government. In many countries two people share these roles.

How the government of the United States compares with eleven other countries
Country	Who leads	Vice president	Legislature	States or provinces with powers of their own	How the leader is chosen
United States	One leader: the president	Yes	Two houses	Yes, states or provinces	Voters choose electors, and the electors choose the president. This is the Electoral College.
Brazil	One leader: the president (same as the US)	Yes (same as the US)	Two houses (same as the US)	Yes, states or provinces (same as the US)	Voters elect the president directly.
China	Two leaders: a president and a premier	Yes (same as the US)	One house	No, one main national government	The National People's Congress elects the president and approves the premier.
Colombia	One leader: the president (same as the US)	Yes (same as the US)	Two houses (same as the US)	No, one main national government	Voters elect the president directly.
Cuba	Two leaders: a president and a prime minister	Yes (same as the US)	One house	No, one main national government	The National Assembly elects the president and approves the prime minister.
Dominican Republic	One leader: the president (same as the US)	Yes (same as the US)	Two houses (same as the US)	No, one main national government	Voters elect the president directly.
El Salvador	One leader: the president (same as the US)	Yes (same as the US)	One house	No, one main national government	Voters elect the president directly.
India	Two leaders: a president and a prime minister	Yes (same as the US)	Two houses (same as the US)	Yes, states or provinces (same as the US)	Lawmakers and state legislators elect the president. The prime minister is the leader of the majority in the lower house.
Jamaica	Two leaders: a monarch and a prime minister	No	Two houses (same as the US)	No, one main national government	The governor-general appoints the prime minister, usually the leader of the largest party in the lower house.
Mexico	One leader: the president (same as the US)	No	Two houses (same as the US)	Yes, states or provinces (same as the US)	Voters elect the president directly.
Philippines	One leader: the president (same as the US)	Yes (same as the US)	Two houses (same as the US)	No, one main national government	Voters elect the president directly.
Vietnam	Two leaders: a president and a prime minister	Yes (same as the US)	One house	No, one main national government	The National Assembly elects the president and the prime minister.

Seen a few things you know? Good. The citizenship test asks about the US, so the next step is to practice the questions. Start practicing

If you come from one of these countries

Brazil

What will feel familiar

One leader who is both head of state and head of government, like the US president.
A vice president, like the US.
A legislature with two houses, like the US Senate and House of Representatives.
States or provinces with powers of their own, like the US states.

What is different

Voters elect the president directly. In the US, voters choose electors, and the electors choose the president.

Brazil 1988 Constitution (rev. 2017)

China

What will feel familiar

A vice president, like the US.

What is different

A premier runs the government, and the president represents the country as head of state. In the US, the president does both.
The legislature has one house. The US Congress has two.
There is one main national government. In the US, the 50 states have powers of their own.
The National People's Congress elects the president and approves the premier. In the US, voters choose electors, and the electors choose the president.
The constitution names the Communist Party as the leading force in the state. The US Constitution names no party.

China 1982 Constitution (rev. 2018)

Colombia

What will feel familiar

One leader who is both head of state and head of government, like the US president.
A vice president, like the US.
A legislature with two houses, like the US Senate and House of Representatives.

What is different

There is one main national government. In the US, the 50 states have powers of their own.
Voters elect the president directly. In the US, voters choose electors, and the electors choose the president.

Colombia 1991 Constitution (rev. 2015)

Cuba

What will feel familiar

A vice president, like the US.

What is different

A prime minister runs the government, and the president represents the country as head of state. In the US, the president does both.
The legislature has one house. The US Congress has two.
There is one main national government. In the US, the 50 states have powers of their own.
The National Assembly elects the president and approves the prime minister. In the US, voters choose electors, and the electors choose the president.
The constitution names the Communist Party as the leading force in society and the state. The US Constitution names no party.

Cuba 2019 Constitution

Dominican Republic

What will feel familiar

One leader who is both head of state and head of government, like the US president.
A vice president, like the US.
A legislature with two houses, like the US Senate and House of Representatives.

What is different

There is one main national government. In the US, the 50 states have powers of their own.
Voters elect the president directly. In the US, voters choose electors, and the electors choose the president.

Dominican Republic 2015 Constitution

El Salvador

What will feel familiar

One leader who is both head of state and head of government, like the US president.
A vice president, like the US.

What is different

The legislature has one house. The US Congress has two.
There is one main national government. In the US, the 50 states have powers of their own.
Voters elect the president directly. In the US, voters choose electors, and the electors choose the president.

El Salvador 1983 Constitution (rev. 2014)

India

What will feel familiar

A vice president, like the US.
A legislature with two houses, like the US Senate and House of Representatives.
States or provinces with powers of their own, like the US states.

What is different

A prime minister runs the government, and the president represents the country as head of state. In the US, the president does both.
Lawmakers and state legislators elect the president. The prime minister is the leader of the majority in the lower house. In the US, voters choose electors, and the electors choose the president.

India 1949 Constitution (rev. 2016)

Jamaica

What will feel familiar

A legislature with two houses, like the US Senate and House of Representatives.

What is different

A monarch represents the country as head of state, through a governor-general, and a prime minister runs the government. In the US, the president does both.
There is no vice president. The US has one.
There is one main national government. In the US, the 50 states have powers of their own.
The governor-general appoints the prime minister, usually the leader of the largest party in the lower house. In the US, voters choose electors, and the electors choose the president.

Jamaica 1962 Constitution (rev. 2011)

Mexico

What will feel familiar

One leader who is both head of state and head of government, like the US president.
A legislature with two houses, like the US Senate and House of Representatives.
States or provinces with powers of their own, like the US states.

What is different

There is no vice president. The US has one.
Voters elect the president directly. In the US, voters choose electors, and the electors choose the president.

Mexico 1917 Constitution (rev. 2015)

Philippines

What will feel familiar

One leader who is both head of state and head of government, like the US president.
A vice president, like the US.
A legislature with two houses, like the US Senate and House of Representatives.

What is different

There is one main national government. In the US, the 50 states have powers of their own.
Voters elect the president directly. In the US, voters choose electors, and the electors choose the president.

Philippines 1987 Constitution

Vietnam

What will feel familiar

A vice president, like the US.

What is different

A prime minister runs the government, and the president represents the country as head of state. In the US, the president does both.
The legislature has one house. The US Congress has two.
There is one main national government. In the US, the 50 states have powers of their own.
The National Assembly elects the president and the prime minister. In the US, voters choose electors, and the electors choose the president.
The constitution names the Communist Party as the leading force in the state. The US Constitution names no party.

Vietnam 2013 Constitution

Checked in October 2026. Governments change. If something here is out of date for your country, use Report a problem in the footer.

Practice the questions on these ideas

These civics test questions are about the ideas on this page. Each one links to its accepted answers. Then say the answers out loud, because the real test is spoken.

WelcomeOath asks every question out loud, listens to your answer and brings back the ones you still miss. The first three lessons are free.

Start practicing →Take a mock citizenship test See all 128 questions

A simple way to study

Find your country above and note what is familiar and what is new.
Learn the questions on the new ideas, with the explanations in your language.
Practice saying the answers in English, then take a mock test when you feel close. Our guide on how to study for the US citizenship test has more.

Questions people ask

What is the difference between a presidential and a parliamentary system?

In a presidential system, such as the US, one person, the president, is both the head of state and the head of government, and the voters choose the president separately from the legislature. In a parliamentary system, a prime minister runs the government and usually leads the party or the group of parties with a majority in the legislature. A president or a monarch may be the head of state and have mostly ceremonial duties.

Does the United States have a prime minister?

No. The President leads the executive branch and is both the head of state and the head of government.

Is the United States a federal country?

Yes. The Constitution divides power between the federal government and the states. Some powers belong only to the federal government, and some belong only to the states.

Is the US citizenship test easier if my country's government is similar?

The test asks the same questions of everyone, and the answers are about the United States. A similar system can make some ideas familiar, such as a vice president or a legislature with two houses. That leaves more time for the parts that are new to you.

Does the civics test ask about the governments of other countries?

No. All 128 questions are about the United States, its history and its government. This page helps you see which ideas you already know.

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