What To Expect on the U.S. Citizenship Test

By Lyle Therese A. Hilotin-Lee, J.D. | Legally reviewed by Meagan Neil, Esq. | Last updated June 01, 2026

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During the naturalization process, you will be scheduled for an interview with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). At the interview, a USCIS officer will test your ability to understand English and your knowledge of U.S. history and the U.S. government. The test is not merely about accumulating correct answers. You must also understand the values and history that shaped the country into what it is today.

Often, they administer the test in a regulated environment, one-on-one with a USCIS officer. The civics test has up to 10 questions, and the interview portion may vary depending on your situation.

This article explains what else to expect on the U.S. citizenship test and how to prepare. While this part of the naturalization process can be the most intimidating for some, you are not alone. An immigration lawyer near you can guide you through each step of the citizenship process, including your interview and test.

Before the Test: Applying for U.S. Citizenship

You must meet specific requirements during the U.S. citizenship application process. The first step is to file your naturalization application package. If you meet all requirements, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will schedule you for an interview. 

English Language Test

Applicants for U.S. citizenship must show their English language proficiency. Permanent residents or green card holders applying for citizenship need not be completely fluent in the English language. But they must know enough to speak, read, and write basic English effectively.

During the interview, the examiner will test your English reading and writing skills by giving you a simple dictation test. You will also have to sign your name in English. The USCIS officer conducting the English test will assess the following:

• Speaking English — There is no separate test for the ability to speak English. While the USCIS officer verifies the information on Form N-400, they will check the applicant’s ability to speak and understand English.
• Reading English — The USCIS officer will ask the applicant to read aloud materials provided by a USCIS officer. This part tests the citizen applicant’s ability to read English.
• Writing English — The officer will ask the U.S. citizenship applicant to write a sentence in English. The USCIS officer could ask the applicant to write anything in English. This could be random sentences or information about American history. For example, during the writing test, a U.S. citizen applicant may be asked to write something like “Abraham Lincoln was the President of the United States.”

A USCIS officer will also ask the applicant to take an oath of allegiance, an important requirement by the American government.

The Civics Test

The civics portion covers basic U.S. history and knowledge of government. This test includes having knowledge of U.S. history and understanding the U.S. Constitution, the branches of the U.S. government, elections, voting, and more. These categories ensure you have a foundational understanding of the country you wish to be a citizen of.

Applicants may receive a waiver if they have a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that impacts their capacity to understand the relevant information. Applicants living in the U.S. legally for over 20 years and over 65 may also receive special consideration on this test.

Examples of civics questions include:

Q: What are the first 10 amendments to the Constitution called?

A: The Bill of Rights.

Q: In what month is the new President of the United States inaugurated?

A: January.

Q: Who elects Congress?

A: The citizens of the United States.

USCIS posts study materials with a list of 100 civics questions they might ask during the interview. Consider reading this for more detailed questions and answers about the civics component of the citizenship application. Note that you will be asked 10 questions and should answer six correctly to pass the civics portion of the naturalization test. You can also find a comprehensive list of sample civics test questions at the end of this article.

Once you complete your naturalization test and your application is approved, USCIS will schedule you to take the Oath of Allegiance. This is the final step of the naturalization ceremony, and you are not a U.S. citizen until you take an oath.

Test Requirement Waivers and Exceptions

Those with a documented disability may receive a waiver of either or both of the tests, depending on the disability. Also, older permanent residents may be eligible to waive or reduce the testing requirements.

• Applicants 50 or older who have lived in the U.S. as a permanent resident or a green card holder for 20 years are not subject to the English language requirement. Despite this eligibility exception, they may still be asked to take the civics test.
• Applicants 55 or older who have lived in the U.S. as a permanent resident or a green card holder for 15 years are not subject to the English language requirement.
• Applicants 65 or older who have lived in the U.S. lawfully for 20 years receive special consideration for the civics requirement.
• Applicants who are physically unable to read or write may not have to take the literacy examination.

The examiner will also ask you some questions about the U.S. system of government and history to confirm that you have basic knowledge of these subjects. Although a perfectly correct answer is unnecessary, you should do your best to achieve the threshold score on the civics test. Make sure to study to the best of your ability.

The U.S. government designs these waivers to simplify the naturalization process for long-term American applicants. The civics test may also be administered in the applicant’s native language. The application also has space to request accommodation for other disabilities that may impact your application process.

Can I Retake the Test if I Fail?

If you fail one of the naturalization tests, USCIS will schedule you a second appointment. This is often 60 to 90 days after the first naturalization interview. They will test you again during the second appointment. If you fail one or both of the language and civics tests, they will schedule a second appointment, typically within 60 to 90 days of the first interview. During this second interview, they will test you again.

If you fail the test a second time, they will deny your application for naturalization. However, this is not the end of your journey. You may apply again. But there could be implications that come with failing the naturalization test multiple times.

Get Legal Help With the Naturalization Process

Naturalizing in the United States requires a thorough understanding of the steps involved. It also requires careful preparation at each stage. If you or your family members are considering acquiring U.S. citizenship through naturalization, we recommend consulting an immigration lawyer for legal advice.

An experienced lawyer can assess your eligibility for U.S. citizenship and the exemptions that may apply to you. Their expertise is also helpful in other aspects of legal immigration. This includes:

• Acquiring permanent resident status or becoming a green card holder
• Facing the possibility of deportation or removal
• Advocating for a family member who has been detained
• Applying for immigrant and nonimmigrant visas

FindLaw’s directory of immigration attorneys can get you started. Enter your city or ZIP code for a list of qualified legal professionals in your area. Your search results will also show important details about prospective lawyers, including ratings, languages spoken, and whether they offer free consultations.

U.S. Citizenship Exam: Sample Questions and Practice Test

Below are sample citizenship test questions, followed by their answers. Note that the naturalization test questions are subject to change. It is best to stay up to date by checking the USCIS website.

Question: What is the supreme law of the land?

Answer: The U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land

Question: What does the Constitution do?

Answer: The U.S. Constitution establishes and defines the government and protects Americans’ fundamental rights

Question: The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words? 

Answer: We the People

Question: What is an amendment?

Answer: A change to the Constitution

Question: What do we call the first 10 amendments to the Constitution?

Answer: The Bill of Rights

Question: Identify one right or freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment.

Answer (any of the following):

• Freedom of speech
• Freedom of religion
• Freedom of assembly
• Freedom of the press
• The right to petition the government

Question: How many amendments does the Constitution have?

Answer: 27

Question: What are the rights in the Declaration of Independence?

Answer: Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness

Question: What is freedom of religion?

Answer: You can practice any religion or not practice a religion

Question: What is the economic system in the United States? 

Answer: capitalist economy, market economy

Question: What is the “rule of law”?

Answer (all of the statements below):

• Everyone must follow the law 
• Leaders must obey the law
• The government must obey the law
• No one is above the law

Question: Name one branch or part of the government. 

Answer (any of the following): 

• Executive branch
• Legislative branch
• Judicial branch

Question: What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

Answer: Checks and Balances and Separation of Powers

Question: Who is in charge of the executive branch?

Answer: The President

Question: Who makes federal laws? 

Answer: Congress, comprised of the Senate and House of Representatives

Question: What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? 

Answer: The Senate and House of Representatives

Question: How many U.S. Senators are there? 

Answer: 100

Question: We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years? 

Answer: 6

Question: Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now? 

Answer: Will vary by state. District of Columbia residents and residents of U.S. territories should answer that D.C. (or the territory where the applicant lives) has no U.S. Senators. Find your state’s Senators on the United States Senate website.

Question: How many voting members does the House of Representatives have? 

Answer: 435

Question: We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years? 

Answer: 2

Question: Name your U.S. Representative. 

Answer: Will vary by state. Residents of territories with nonvoting Delegates or Resident Commissioners may provide the name of that Delegate or Commissioner. Also acceptable is any statement that the territory has no (voting) Representatives in Congress. Find your state’s Representatives on the United States House of Representatives website.

Question: Who does a U.S. Senator represent? 

Answer: All people of the state

Question: Why do some states have more Representatives than other states? 

Answer: Due to the state’s population or because the state has more residents, otherwise called constituents.

Question: We elect a president for how many years? 

Answer: 4

Question: In what month do we vote for president? 

Answer: November

Question: What is the name of the current President of the United States? 

Answer: Will vary depending on who the current U.S. president is when you take the U.S. citizenship test.

Question: What is the name of the current Vice President of the United States? 

Answer: Will vary depending on who the current U.S. president is when you take the U.S. citizenship test.

Question: If the president can no longer serve, who becomes president?

Answer: The vice president

Question: Who becomes president if the president and vice president can no longer serve?

Answer: The Speaker of the House

Who is the Commander-in-Chief of the military? 

Question: Answer: The president

Question: Who signs bills to become laws? 

Answer: The president

Question: Who vetoes bills? 

Answer: The president

Question: What does the president’s Cabinet do? 

Answer: Advises the president

Question: Name two Cabinet-level positions. 

Answer (any two of the following):

• Secretary of Agriculture
• Secretary of Commerce
• Secretary of Defense
• Secretary of Education
• Secretary of Energy
• Secretary of Health and Human Services
• Secretary of Homeland Security
• Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
• Secretary of the Interior
• Secretary of Labor
• Secretary of State
• Secretary of Transportation
• Secretary of the Treasury
• Secretary of Veterans Affairs
• Attorney General
• Vice President

Question: What does the judicial branch do? 

Answer (any of the following):

• Reviews laws
• Explains laws
• Resolves disputes
• Decides if a law goes against the Constitution

Question: What is the highest court in the United States? 

Answer: The Supreme Court

Question: How many justices are on the Supreme Court? 

Answer: 9

Question: Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?

Answer (any of the following):

• To print money
• To declare war
• To create an army
• To make treaties

Question: Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?

Answer (any of the following):

• Provide schooling and education
• Provide protection (police)
• Provide safety (fire departments)
• Issue a driver’s license
• Approve zoning and land use

Question: Who is the Governor of your state now? 

Answer: Will vary by the state where the test taker lives. District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. does not have a Governor. Find a list of state Governors on USA.gov.

Question: What is the capital of your state? 

Answer: Will vary by the state where the test taker lives. District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. is not a state and has no capital. Residents of U.S. territories should name the capital of the territory.

Question: What are the two major political parties in the United States? 

Answer: Democratic and Republican

Question: There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.

Answer (any of the following):

• Citizens 18 and older can vote
• You don’t have to pay a poll tax to vote
• Women can vote
• A male citizen of any race can vote

Question: What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens? 

Answer: Serving on a jury, voting in a federal election

Question: Name one right only for United States citizens. 

Answer: Voting in a federal election, running for federal office

Question: What are the two rights of everyone living in the United States?

Answer (any of the following):

• Freedom of expression
• Freedom of speech
• Freedom of assembly
• Freedom to petition the government
• Freedom of religion
• The right to bear arms

Question: What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance? 

Answer: The United States and the flag

Question: What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen? 

Answer (any of the following):

• Give up loyalty to other countries
• Defend the Constitution and laws of the United States
• Obey the laws of the United States
• Serve in the U.S. military (if needed)
• Serve the nation (if needed)
• Be loyal to the United States

Question: How old do citizens have to be to vote for President? 

Answer: At least 18 years old

Question: What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy? 

Answer (any two of the following):

• Vote
• Join a political party
• Help with a campaign
• Join a civic group
• Join a community group
• Give an elected official your opinion
• Call Senators and Representatives
• Publicly support or oppose an issue
• Run for office
• Write to a newspaper

Question: When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms? 

Answer: April 15

Question: When must all men register for the Selective Service? 

Answer: Within 30 days after turning 18

What is one reason colonists came to America?

Answer (any of the following):

• Freedom
• Political liberty
• Religious freedom
• Economic opportunity
• Practice their religion
• Escape persecution

Question: Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived? 

Answer: American Indians or Native Americans

Question: Why did the colonists fight the British?

Answer (any of the following):

• Because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
• Forced quartering, which required colonists to house and feed British soldiers in their private homes
• Because they didn’t have self-government

Question: Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? 

Answer: (Thomas) Jefferson

Question: When was the Declaration of Independence adopted? 

Answer: July 4, 1776

Question: There were 13 original states. Name three. 

Answer (any three of the following):

• New Hampshire
• Massachusetts
• Rhode Island
• Connecticut
• New York
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• Delaware
• Maryland
• Virginia
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Georgia

Question: What happened at the Constitutional Convention?

Answer: The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution

Question: When was the U.S. Constitution written? 

Answer: 1787

The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.

Answer (any one of the following):

• James Madison
• Alexander Hamilton
• John Jay

What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for? 

Answer (any one of the following):

• U.S. diplomat
• Oldest member of the Constitutional Convention
• First Postmaster General of the United States
• Writer of “Poor Richard’s Almanac”
• Started the first free libraries

Question: Who is the “Father of Our Country”? 

Answer: (George) Washington

Question: Who was the first U.S. President?

Answer: (George) Washington

Question: What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803? 

Answer: The Louisiana Territory or Louisiana

Question: Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.

Answer (any of the following):

• War of 1812
• Mexican-American War
• American Civil War
• Spanish-American War

Question: Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.

Answer: The Civil War, or The War between the States

Question: Name one problem that led to the Civil War. 

Answer (any of the following):

• Slavery
• Economic reasons surrounding slavery
• States’ rights to continue slavery

Question: What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did? 

Answer (any of the following):

• Freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
• Saved (or preserved) the Union
• Led the United States during the Civil War

Question: What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

Answer: Freed slaves in the Confederate (southern) states

Question: What did Susan B. Anthony do? 

Answer: Fought for women’s rights and civil rights

Question: What was the primary war fought by the United States in the 1900s?

Answer: The (Persian) Gulf War

Question: Who was the President during World War I?

Answer: (Woodrow) Wilson

Question: Who was the President during the Great Depression and World War II? 

Answer: (Franklin) Roosevelt

Question: Who did the United States fight in World War II? 

Answer: Japan, Germany, and Italy

Question: Before he became president, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?

Answer: World War II

Question: What was the United States’ primary concern during the Cold War? 

Answer: Communism

Question: What movement tried to end racial discrimination? 

Answer: Civil rights movement

Question: What major event happened in the United States on September 11, 2001?

Answer: Terrorists attacked two New York skyscrapers/buildings called the World Trade Center

Question: Name one federally recognized American Indian tribe in the United States. 

Answer (any of the following):

• Cherokee
• Navajo
• Sioux
• Chippewa
• Choctaw
• Pueblo
• Apache
• Iroquois
• Creek
• Blackfeet
• Seminole
• Cheyenne
• Arawak
• Shawnee
• Mohegan
• Huron
• Oneida
• Lakota
• Crow
• Teton
• Hopi
• Inuit

Question: Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States. 

Answer (either of the following): Missouri River or Mississippi River

Question: What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States? 

Answer: Pacific Ocean

Question: What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States? 

Answer: Atlantic (Ocean)

Name one U.S. territory. 

Answer (any of the following):

• Puerto Rico
• U.S. Virgin Islands
• American Samoa
• Northern Mariana Islands
• Guam

Question: Name one state that borders Canada. 

Answer (any of the following):

• Maine
• New Hampshire
• Vermont
• New York
• Pennsylvania
• Ohio
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• North Dakota
• Montana
• Idaho
• Washington
• Alaska

Question: Name one state that borders Mexico. 

Answer (any of the following):

• California
• Arizona
• New Mexico
• Texas

Question: What is the capital of the United States? 

Answer: Washington, D.C.

Question: Where is the Statue of Liberty? 

Answer: New York (Harbor) or Liberty Island

Question: Why does the flag have 13 stripes? 

Answer: Because there were 13 original colonies or because the stripes represent the original colonies

Question: Why does the flag have 50 stars? 

Answer (any of the following): Because each star represents one of the 50 states

Question: What is the name of the national anthem?

Answer: The Star-Spangled Banner

Question: When do we celebrate Independence Day? 

Answer: July 4

Question: Name two national U.S. holidays. 

Answer (any two of the following):

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Presidents’ Day
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Columbus Day
• Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas