The 100 civics questions and answers are the official USCIS study list for the naturalization test given to anyone who filed Form N-400 before October 20, 2025. During your interview, a USCIS officer asks up to 10 of these questions out loud, and you pass by answering 6 correctly. The questions fall into three groups: American government, U.S. history, and integrated civics (geography, symbols, and holidays). If you filed on or after October 20, 2025, you take a different test drawn from 128 questions, with 20 asked and 12 needed to pass.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Check for Test Updates
How the Test Is Given
The civics test is entirely oral. No multiple choice, no written answers, no notes. The officer picks questions from the 100-question list one at a time and stops the moment you get 6 right.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test You can miss up to 4 and still pass, but the officer decides which questions to ask, so partial studying is a gamble.
The interview is normally in English, and the same officer evaluates your spoken English by how you answer questions about your application. You can ask the officer to repeat or rephrase a question without penalty. If you qualify for an English language exemption based on age and years of permanent residence, you can bring an interpreter and take the civics portion in your native language.
American Government
Roughly half the list deals with how the federal government is structured and what rights it protects.
The Constitution and Founding Principles
The Constitution is the supreme law of the land. Its opening words, “We the People,” express self-government: power comes from the citizens.3U.S. Senate. Constitution of the United States Changes to the Constitution are called amendments. The first ten amendments are the Bill of Rights, which protects freedoms including speech, religion, the press, peaceful assembly, and the right to bear arms.4National Archives. The Bill of Rights: What Does it Say? The Constitution has been amended 27 times.
Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, adopted July 4, 1776. It declared unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.5National Archives. Declaration of Independence The Federalist Papers, written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, argued for ratifying the Constitution.
The United States has a capitalist or market economy. The rule of law means everyone, including leaders, must follow the law. Religious freedom means people can practice any religion or none.
The Three Branches
Power is split among three branches so no single branch acts unchecked.
Congress, the legislative branch, makes laws. It has two chambers. The Senate has 100 members, two per state, serving six-year terms.6Library of Congress. U.S. Constitution – Article I The House of Representatives has 435 voting members apportioned by state population, serving two-year terms.7History, Art and Archives – U.S. House of Representatives. The Permanent Apportionment Act of 1929
The executive branch enforces the laws. The President is elected in November and serves a four-year term.8USAGov. Overview of the Presidential Election Process If the President cannot serve, the Vice President takes over; next in line is the Speaker of the House. The President is also Commander in Chief, can sign or veto bills, and is advised by the Cabinet, which includes the Secretary of State and the Attorney General.
The judicial branch interprets the laws. The Supreme Court sits at the top with nine justices led by the Chief Justice.9Supreme Court of the United States. Justices
Federal and State Powers
Some powers belong only to the federal government: printing money, declaring war, creating an army, making treaties. States handle things like public schools, police, and driver’s licenses. The two major political parties are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.
Rights and Responsibilities
Every citizen can vote in federal elections, run for federal office, and apply for a U.S. passport. Everyone living in the country, citizen or not, has rights such as freedom of expression and religion.
Responsibilities include serving on a jury when called and pledging loyalty through the Pledge of Allegiance. Men must register for Selective Service between ages 18 and 26.10Selective Service System. Who Needs to Register Federal income taxes are due April 15, moving to the next business day when that date falls on a weekend or holiday.11Internal Revenue Service. When to File
American History
Colonial Period and Independence
Colonists came for political liberty, religious freedom, and economic opportunity. American Indians lived on the continent before Europeans arrived. Africans were brought to the colonies and sold as enslaved people. Colonists fought the British over high taxes without representation and a lack of self-government.
Thirteen original colonies became the first states. In 1787 the Constitutional Convention drafted the Constitution, replacing the Articles of Confederation.12National Archives. Constitution of the United States Benjamin Franklin, the oldest delegate, was also known as a diplomat. George Washington, the first President, is called the Father of Our Country.
The 1800s
In 1803 the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from France, roughly doubling the country’s size.13National Archives. Louisiana Purchase Treaty (1803) The century also saw the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War.
The Civil War, fought between the North and the South, centered on slavery, states’ rights, and economic differences. Abraham Lincoln led the country through it, issued the Emancipation Proclamation freeing enslaved people in Confederate states, and is remembered for preserving the Union. Susan B. Anthony was a leading figure in the fight for women’s right to vote.
The 1900s and After
The United States entered World War I under President Woodrow Wilson. Franklin Roosevelt led the country through the Great Depression and World War II, in which the U.S. fought Japan, Germany, and Italy. Dwight Eisenhower served as a general during that war before becoming President. The Cold War that followed was driven by concerns about the spread of communism and marked decades of tension with the Soviet Union.
The civil rights movement worked to end racial discrimination. Martin Luther King, Jr. is remembered for nonviolent protest and his vision of equality. On September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks killed nearly 3,000 people in the United States.14Federal Bureau of Investigation. 9/11 Investigation Recognized American Indian tribes include the Cherokee, Navajo, and Sioux, among many others.
Geography, Symbols, and Holidays
The two longest rivers are the Missouri and the Mississippi. The Pacific Ocean borders the west coast; the Atlantic borders the east. U.S. territories include Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam. States on the northern border are next to Canada; states on the southern border are next to Mexico.
Washington, D.C. is the capital and is not part of any state. The Statue of Liberty stands in New York Harbor. The flag has 13 stripes for the original colonies and 50 stars for the current states. The national anthem is “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
National holidays to know: Independence Day (July 4), Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Presidents’ Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Columbus Day, New Year’s Day, and Christmas.
Questions Whose Answers Depend on Where You Live
A handful of questions have answers that change with your address. You need to know your current U.S. Representative, both U.S. Senators from your state, your state’s governor, and your state’s capital. USCIS provides tools on its website to look up elected officials by address, and your local office can confirm which answers apply to your district. Look these up close to your interview date, because officeholders change.
The Shorter List for Applicants 65 and Older
If you are at least 65 and have been a permanent resident for 20 or more years, you study a shorter list of 20 designated questions instead of the full 100.15Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1423 – Requirements as to Understanding the English Language, History, Principles and Form of Government of the United States At the interview, the officer asks 10 questions from that shortened list, and you need 6 correct.16U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Chapter 2 – English and Civics Testing The 20-question set is commonly called the 65/20 list.
People who qualify for 65/20 are also typically eligible to take the test in their native language with an interpreter.17U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Exceptions and Accommodations Two other age-based exemptions exist for English only, not for the civics list: the 50/20 rule (over 50 with at least 20 years of permanent residence) and the 55/15 rule (over 55 with at least 15 years). Applicants using 50/20 or 55/15 still study the full 100 questions but may use an interpreter and skip the English reading and writing test.15Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1423 – Requirements as to Understanding the English Language, History, Principles and Form of Government of the United States
Medical Waiver of the Test
If a physical, developmental, or mental impairment prevents you from learning English or civics, you can seek a complete waiver of the testing requirements. A licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or clinical psychologist has to complete Form N-648 certifying that your disability prevents you from meeting the requirements even with reasonable accommodations.18U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions The evaluation must happen in person or, where state law allows, by real-time telehealth. Submit Form N-648 with your Form N-400; USCIS reviews it during the interview and may ask follow-up questions. This waiver is separate from the age-based exemptions and available at any age.
The English Reading and Writing Test
Alongside civics, the interview tests basic English reading and writing. You do not need to be fluent. USCIS uses the standard of “words in ordinary usage,” which allows noticeable errors in pronunciation, spelling, and sentence structure.16U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Chapter 2 – English and Civics Testing The officer asks you to read one sentence aloud and to write one sentence they dictate. There is no separate speaking test; your speaking is judged from your answers throughout the interview.
If You Fail
At the end of the interview the officer gives you Form N-652, the notice of results, showing whether you passed the civics and English portions.19U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Overview of the Naturalization Process and Citizenship Acquisition If you fail either portion, USCIS schedules a second interview within 90 days.20eCFR. 8 CFR 312.5 – Failure to Meet Educational and Literacy Requirements At that appointment you are retested only on the part you missed. Failing twice means your application is denied and you would have to file a new Form N-400, with fees, to try again. Missing a scheduled retest counts as a failure, so keep that date.
Free Official Study Materials
USCIS publishes the complete 100 questions and answers, along with flashcards, practice tests, vocabulary guides, and videos, at no cost. The main PDF is titled “100 Civics Questions and Answers.” All materials are available on the USCIS Citizenship Resource Center.21U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Study for the Test If you filed on or after October 20, 2025, look instead for the 128-question set and the study guide “One Nation, One People.”