- The Form N-400 filing date determines which civics test applies: the 2008 version or the 2025 version.
- The 2025 test draws from a bank of 128 questions; applicants answer up to 20 and need 12 correct.
- Eligible applicants age 65 or older with 20 years of U.S. residence can take a shorter test.
USCIS says the 2025 civics test applies based on the Form N-400 filing date.
Applicants who filed before October 20, 2025 use the 2008 test; those who filed on or after that date use the 2025 test. The interview date does not switch an application to a different version.
A Federal Register notice titled “Notice of Implementation of 2025 Naturalization Civics Test” was published September 18, 2025. It says USCIS is reimplementing the 2020 test with modifications.
The test is already in use. The notice also says the English-language portions, including reading, writing, speaking and understanding, remain unchanged.
The question bank grows, but the passing share stays the same
The revised test draws on a larger study bank, but candidates are not asked every question in it. USCIS’s Form M-1778 (09/25) contains the 128 civics questions.
At the interview, an officer asks up to 20 questions. An applicant passes after answering 12 correctly. The test can stop once the applicant reaches 12 correct answers or gives nine incorrect answers.
The older version uses a different pool and shorter interview. Here is how the versions compare:
| Test version | Study pool | Questions asked | Passing requirement | Stop point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 test | 100 questions | Up to 10 | 6 correct | 6 correct or 5 incorrect |
| 2025 test | 128 questions | Up to 20 | 12 correct | 12 correct or 9 incorrect |
Both versions require 60% correct to pass. The 2025 test doubles the number of questions that may be asked and the number of correct answers needed, but it does not increase the passing percentage.
The question-bank size is not the interview length. A candidate may be asked fewer than the maximum if the test reaches its stopping point first.
USCIS says it revised the 2020 test to account for feedback and the time available during naturalization interviews. The change concerns the civics portion, not the English-language testing.
The 65/20 provision offers a shorter civics test
Applicants over the age of 65 when they file may qualify if they have lived in the United States for periods totaling at least 20 years after lawful admission for permanent residence.
Eligible applicants answer 10 questions from a specially selected set of 20 and need six correct answers to pass. The version of the test still follows the filing date.
The age and residence requirements apply when the naturalization application is filed. Applicants who may qualify should use the study set that corresponds to their filing-date version.
Match the study materials to the filing date
Applicants with earlier filings should prepare with USCIS’s 2008 test materials. Those whose filings fall under the revised version should use its 2025 questions and answers. USCIS provides its study resources online.
Some civics answers can change when officeholders change. USCIS’s “Check for Test Updates” page provides updates to review before an interview.
Check the application’s filing date, choose the matching USCIS study materials and review test updates before the interview. Applicants who fail a part of the test get two more attempts on that part within 60–90 days of the initial interview; failing again results in denial of the N-400. Processing times and fees are subject to change; verify them at uscis.gov.
