US Citizenship Interview Questions 2026 (N-400 + Civics)
What happens at the naturalization interview: N-400 questions, the 2025 civics test (20 questions, 12 to pass), the English test, and how to practise.
What is asked at the citizenship interview?
A USCIS officer places you under oath and reviews your N-400: residence, travel, work and the 'have you ever' questions. Your spoken English is judged through that conversation. You then read and write one of three sentences, and answer up to 20 civics questions; 12 correct passes if you filed on or after 20 October 2025.
Most study guides stop at civics flash cards. The N-400 review is the longer part of the interview, and it is where consistency matters. This guide covers both, and links to the official USCIS materials rather than copying them.
It is general information, not legal advice. Answer truthfully, bring your own records, and check USCIS: the naturalization interview and test for the current rules.
2025 or 2008 civics test: which one you take
Your N-400 filing date decides it, not your interview date.
| Aspect | 2025 test | 2008 test |
|---|---|---|
| Who takes it | N-400 filed on or after 20 October 2025 | N-400 filed before 20 October 2025 |
| Question pool | 128 questions | 100 questions |
| Questions asked | Up to 20, orally | Up to 10, orally |
| To pass | 12 correct (the officer stops at 12 correct or 9 wrong) | 6 correct (fail at 5 wrong) |
| 65/20 special consideration | 10 of the 20 asterisked questions; 6 correct to pass; any language | Also available; see the 2008 study materials |
Sources: USCIS on the 2025 civics test and the 128 questions and answers. Some answers change with elections and appointments, such as the names of current officials. USCIS says you must give the name of the official serving at the time of your interview, and lists changes on its test updates page.
N-400 questions the officer goes through
The officer reviews your written answers and asks follow-ups to resolve anything unclear.
| Section | What the officer asks | Prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | Your full name, other names used, date of birth, and whether you want to change your name | Have every name you have used, with dates. |
| Residence | Your current address and how long you have lived there; addresses during the statutory period | Dates should match the form exactly. |
| Trips abroad | How many trips, the dates, and any trip of six months or more | Count from your passport stamps and travel records, not memory. |
| Employment and school | Employers and schools, with dates | Include gaps and self-employment. |
| Marital history | Current and previous marriages, your spouse's status | Bring marriage and divorce records. |
| "Have you ever" questions | Arrests, citations, claims to be a citizen, voting, taxes, unlawful work and more | Answer truthfully. Bring court dispositions for any arrest. |
| Oath questions | Whether you support the Constitution and are willing to take the Oath of Allegiance | Know the plain meaning of "oath" and "allegiance". |
The Policy Manual says the officer places you under oath at the start, examines your answers and evidence, and asks questions to resolve open issues (USCIS Policy Manual, naturalization examination). Learn the plain meaning of words that appear in the questions, such as "oath", "allegiance", "citation" and "claimed". If you do not understand a word, ask the officer to rephrase.
The English speaking, reading and writing test
Three parts, and the first one is the interview itself.
- Speaking. The officer judges your spoken English through the N-400 conversation. It is fine to ask for a question to be repeated or rephrased.
- Reading. You must read aloud one of three sentences correctly.
- Writing. You must write one of three sentences correctly.
USCIS publishes reading and writing vocabulary lists on its study for the test page. If you qualify for an age-and-residence or disability exception, see exceptions and accommodations.
How to study the 128 civics questions
The test is oral, so study out loud.
Use the official list
Download the USCIS 128-question list. USCIS encourages applicants to use the answers it provides.
Group by topic
The list is organised into American government, American history and symbols and holidays. Study one group a day.
Say answers aloud
Have someone read questions to you in random order. Answer in a few words, as you would to the officer.
Check current officials
Before the interview, check the test updates page for names that changed.
Documents to bring and possible outcomes
Your notice is the authority on what to bring. This is the usual core.
- Your interview notice
- Your Permanent Resident Card (green card)
- A government-issued photo ID, such as a state driver's licence
- All passports and travel documents used since you became a permanent resident
- Name-change, marriage and divorce records, where they apply
- Certified court dispositions for any arrest or citation
- Anything else your notice lists
At the end, the officer gives you a notice of results whatever the outcome. The application may be granted, continued (for example for more evidence, or a retest of a failed part 60 to 90 days later) or denied. A denial can be challenged by requesting a hearing (Policy Manual). You become a citizen only at the oath ceremony, which is sometimes the same day (USCIS: naturalization ceremonies).
Practise the whole interview out loud
Flash cards cover civics. Only a spoken rehearsal covers the N-400 review.
Practising this with an AI counterpart lets you rehearse both halves. The VirtualInterview.ai citizenship interview casts a courteous, formal and methodical immigration officer. It opens with "Do you promise that everything you tell me today is the truth?", asks your address and how long you have lived there, asks about trips of six months or more, puts a civics question in plain words, and asks whether you have ever claimed to be a citizen. Say you are not sure and it asks what you remember and whether it is on your application.
The report scores Consistency (the heaviest weight), Civics knowledge, Clarity and Honesty, and names any civics answer you missed with the correct answer. Tell it your country and application basis, and keep your N-400 in front of you. The practice officer does not announce a decision; in a real interview you get a written notice of results before you leave.
Its limits: it does not replace the official USCIS study materials, the score is an estimate and not a prediction of a decision, and nothing here is legal advice. The camera self-view is not recorded or analysed, and the tool does not feed answers in a real interview. A free account includes 2 practice interviews a month. For nerves, see the interview anxiety guide; for the earlier step, the green card interview guide; and for every interview compared, the immigration interview hub. You can also start from the visa interview practice page.
Frequently asked questions
- How many civics questions are on the 2026 citizenship test?
- If you filed your N-400 on or after 20 October 2025, you take the 2025 civics test: the officer asks up to 20 questions from a list of 128, and you pass with 12 correct. The test stops once you reach 12 correct or 9 incorrect.
- What if I filed my N-400 before October 20, 2025?
- You take the 2008 civics test. The officer asks up to 10 questions from the list of 100, and you need 6 correct to pass. Study the version that matches your filing date.
- How long does the naturalization interview take?
- USCIS does not publish a fixed length. The interview covers your N-400, the English test and the civics test in one sitting, and waiting time is often longer than the interview. Plan for most of a morning or afternoon.
- What happens if I fail the civics test?
- You get two attempts. If you fail any part of the test at the first interview, USCIS retests you on that part between 60 and 90 days after the first interview.
- Can I take the citizenship interview in my language?
- Only if you qualify for an English exception. Applicants who are 50 or older with 20 years as a permanent resident, or 55 or older with 15 years, are exempt from the English test and may take civics in their own language with an interpreter. A disability exception uses Form N-648.
- What are the 'have you ever' questions?
- They are the questions in the N-400 about your conduct, such as arrests, citations, claims to US citizenship, voting and taxes. The officer reviews them with you under oath. Answer truthfully and bring records for anything you answer yes to.
- When do I become a citizen after the interview is approved?
- Only when you take the Oath of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony. Some applicants can take the oath the same day; otherwise USCIS mails a notice with the ceremony date. You hand in your green card at check-in.