65/20 Citizenship Questions: Eligibility, Test Format, and Retakes

If you are at least 65 years old and have held a green card for 20 or more years, you study a shorter list of 20 civics questions for naturalization instead of the standard 100, and you can take the test in any language you choose. The 65/20 citizenship test questions are marked with an asterisk on the official USCIS study materials, and during your interview an officer will ask up to 10 of them. You need 6 correct to pass.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test

The 20 Questions and Their Answers

Below is the full list of 20 questions USCIS uses for 65/20 applicants, with the accepted answers.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Civics Questions for the 65/20 Exemption

  1. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment? Speech, religion, assembly, press, or petition the government.
  2. What is the economic system in the United States? Capitalist economy or market economy.
  3. Name one branch or part of the government. Congress or legislative; President or executive; the courts or judicial.
  4. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? The Senate and House of Representatives.
  5. Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now? Answer varies by state.
  6. In what month do we vote for President? November.
  7. What is the name of the President of the United States now? Answer changes with each administration.
  8. What is the capital of your state? Answer varies by state.
  9. What are the two major political parties in the United States? Democratic and Republican.
  10. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens? Serve on a jury, or vote in a federal election.
  11. How old do citizens have to be to vote for President? Eighteen and older.
  12. When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms? April 15.
  13. Who was the first President? George Washington.
  14. What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did? Freed the slaves through the Emancipation Proclamation; saved or preserved the Union; or led the United States during the Civil War.
  15. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s. World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, or the Gulf War.
  16. What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do? Fought for civil rights, or worked for equality for all Americans.
  17. What is the capital of the United States? Washington, D.C.
  18. Where is the Statue of Liberty? New York Harbor, or Liberty Island.
  19. Why does the flag have 50 stars? Because there is one star for each state.
  20. When do we celebrate Independence Day? July 4.

A few answers change over time. The current President and your state’s U.S. Senators are the two that move most often, so confirm those on the USCIS Citizenship Resource Center before your interview.

Who Qualifies for the 65/20 Rule

Two conditions must be met when you file Form N-400. You are 65 or older, and you have lived in the United States as a lawful permanent resident for periods totaling at least 20 years. The statute uses “totaling,” so the 20 years do not have to be one unbroken stretch: time you spent in the U.S. as a green card holder counts even if you left the country and came back.3Office 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

The date USCIS uses to start counting is the “Resident Since” date printed on the front of your green card. That date marks when you officially became a permanent resident.

You do not apply for this exemption separately. When your N-400 shows you meet the age and residency thresholds, the reduced question pool and the language accommodation apply automatically.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 12 Part E Chapter 2 – English and Civics Testing

How the Test Is Given

The civics test is oral. A USCIS officer reads questions aloud during your naturalization interview, and you answer verbally. The officer draws up to 10 questions from the 20-question bank, and stops as soon as you reach 6 correct, so you may not hear all 10.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test

Because the 65/20 rule also exempts you from the English requirement, you can bring an interpreter who is fluent in English and your native language. The interpreter is your responsibility to arrange, not something USCIS provides. Indicate on your N-400 that you need a language interpreter for the interview.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Exceptions and Accommodations

Since you will hear the questions in your own language, focus your study time on the substance of the answers rather than English phrasing. Memorize the facts. The wording will come to you through the interpreter.

Which Version of the Test Applies

USCIS introduced an updated naturalization civics test in 2025 that applies to most applicants. For 65/20 applicants, USCIS draws the 10 interview questions from a specially designated bank of 20 questions taken from either the 2008 or the 2025 test.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Study for the Test The 20 asterisked questions listed above are what you need to know.

How This Differs From the 50/20 and 55/15 Rules

Only the 65/20 rule cuts the civics question pool. Two other age-based accommodations help with English but do not reduce what you study:4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 12 Part E Chapter 2 – English and Civics Testing

  • Under the 50/20 rule, you are 50 or older with at least 20 years as a permanent resident. You are exempt from the English requirement and can test in your language, but you study all 100 civics questions.
  • Under the 55/15 rule, you are 55 or older with at least 15 years as a permanent resident. Same treatment as 50/20: language accommodation, but the full 100 questions.

If you qualify for more than one, USCIS applies the most favorable one, which for anyone meeting both thresholds is the 65/20.

If You Do Not Pass the First Time

Missing the mark at the first interview is not the end of your case. USCIS gives you a second chance. If you do not answer enough questions correctly, you are rescheduled for a retest between 60 and 90 days later, and the officer retests you only on the portion you failed.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The Naturalization Interview and Test

If you fail the retest, USCIS denies the N-400. You then have 30 days (33 if the decision was mailed) to file Form N-336 and request a hearing before a different officer.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Request for a Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings (Under Section 336 of the INA) Filing a new N-400 and starting over is also an option, though you pay the filing fee again.