How the US Citizenship Civics Test Works at Your Interview

The civics test is part of your naturalization interview. It isn't a written exam: a USCIS officer asks you questions and you answer out loud.

What you're tested on

The civics test covers American government, history and civics. USCIS publishes the official list of questions and answers, so you can study every question in advance.

How many questions?

Under the current version of the test, the officer asks up to 20 questions from the official list and you need 12 correct answers to pass. The test version depends on when you filed Form N-400, so check USCIS's website for the one that applies to you.

The English test

At the same interview you also take an English test, covering reading, writing and speaking.

What if you don't pass?

You get one more chance to retake the part you failed, usually at a second interview.

How to prepare

• Study the full official list: you don't know which questions you'll get
• Practise answering out loud
• Check answers that can change, like the names of your senators and representative
• Take practice tests until you answer confidently

Try a free practice test below.