The 100 civics questions are the question bank for the 2008 version of the naturalization test, and it is still very much in use. You take this version if you filed Form N-400 before 20 October 2025 — regardless of when your interview is scheduled. The officer asks up to 10 of the 100 out loud and you need 6 correct to pass.
If you filed on or after that date, you need the 128-question 2025 list instead.
The cutoff is your N-400 filing date, not your interview date. Applications filed before 20 October 2025 are tested on the 2008 version. Because naturalization applications can take many months to reach interview, people are still being tested on the 100 well into 2026.
If you are not sure which applies to you, check the receipt notice for your N-400 — the filing date is on it.
| Section | Sub-section | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| American Government | Principles of American Democracy | 1–12 |
| System of Government | 13–47 | |
| Rights and Responsibilities | 48–57 | |
| American History | Colonial Period and Independence | 58–70 |
| The 1800s | 71–77 | |
| Recent American History | 78–87 | |
| Integrated Civics | Geography | 88–95 |
| Symbols | 96–98 | |
| Holidays | 99–100 |
Note the Geography sub-section — questions about the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, states bordering Canada and Mexico, and naming a US territory. These exist only on the 2008 list. They were removed from the 2025 version.
The officer asks up to 10 questions out loud and stops as soon as you reach 6 correct. In practice a well-prepared applicant is often finished after six questions. There is no multiple choice, no writing, and no partial credit on the civics portion.
The civics test is one part of the interview. There is also an English test — read 1 of 3 sentences correctly, write 1 of 3 sentences correctly, and demonstrate spoken English through the interview itself — plus a review of your N-400 answers under oath.
If you have been studying with older materials or a study partner on a different version, these are the differences that matter:
All 128 questions of the 2025 version and all 100 of the 2008 version, offline, with mastery tracking per category and study in your own language. Free on iPhone and Android.
Fifty-seven of the 100 questions are American Government, so that is where the marks are. Within it, the reliable trouble spots are the numbers — 27 amendments, 100 senators, 435 representatives, 6-year and 2-year and 4-year terms, 18 as the voting age, April 15 as the tax deadline, November as the month we vote for President.
Then handle the ten questions that no list can answer for you: your senators, your representative, your governor, your state capital, the President, the Vice President, the Speaker, the Chief Justice, the number of Supreme Court justices, and the President's political party. The first four depend on where you live; the rest are published on the official USCIS test updates page.
Use the practice test above to work through the bank, and set the version switch to 2008 · 100 questions so you are never shown a question that will not be asked. The iPhone app has the same switch under Settings → Quiz Version.
The complete 2008 list, copied from the official USCIS list, rev. 08/21. Starred questions are the 65/20 questions. Questions about current officials show the names USCIS lists, with the date we checked them; questions about where you live point to your state page. Practise them by section on the topic pages, or print them as flashcards. Lista en español →
What is the supreme law of the land?
What does the Constitution do?
The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
What is an amendment?
What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment? 65/20
How many amendments does the Constitution have?
What did the Declaration of Independence do?
What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
What is freedom of religion?
What is the economic system in the United States? 65/20
What is the "rule of law"?
Name one branch or part of the government. 65/20
What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
Who is in charge of the executive branch?
Who makes federal laws?
What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? 65/20
How many U.S. Senators are there?
We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
Who is one of your state's U.S. Senators now? 65/20
Answers will vary. [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.]
See your two U.S. senators on our state-by-state answers — every name there is dated and sourced.
The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
Name your U.S. Representative.
Answers will vary. [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.]
See how to find your representative on our state-by-state answers — every name there is dated and sourced.
Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?
We elect a President for how many years?
In what month do we vote for President? 65/20
What is the name of the President of the United States now? 65/20
This can change. Check uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates shortly before your interview — you must name whoever holds the office on that day.
What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
This can change. Check uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates shortly before your interview — you must name whoever holds the office on that day.
If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?
Who signs bills to become laws?
Who vetoes bills?
What does the President's Cabinet do?
What are two Cabinet-level positions?
What does the judicial branch do?
What is the highest court in the United States?
How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
This can change. Check uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates shortly before your interview — you must name whoever holds the office on that day.
Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
This can change. Check uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates shortly before your interview — you must name whoever holds the office on that day.
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?
Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?
Who is the Governor of your state now?
Answers will vary. [District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. does not have a Governor.]
See your governor on our state-by-state answers — every name there is dated and sourced.
What is the capital of your state? 65/20
Answers will vary. [District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. is not a state and does not have a capital. Residents of U.S. territories should name the capital of the territory.]
See your state capital on our state-by-state answers — every name there is dated and sourced.
What are the two major political parties in the United States? 65/20
What is the political party of the President now?
This can change. Check uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates shortly before your interview — you must name whoever holds the office on that day.
What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
This can change. Check uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates shortly before your interview — you must name whoever holds the office on that day.
There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens? 65/20
Name one right only for United States citizens.
What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen?
How old do citizens have to be to vote for President? 65/20
What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms? 65/20
When must all men register for the Selective Service?
What is one reason colonists came to America?
Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
Why did the colonists fight the British?
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
There were 13 original states. Name three.
What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
When was the Constitution written?
The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
Who is the "Father of Our Country"?
Who was the first President? 65/20
What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did? 65/20
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
What did Susan B. Anthony do?
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s. 65/20
Who was President during World War I?
Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
Who did the United States fight in World War II?
Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do? 65/20
What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?
Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
USCIS Officers will be supplied with a list of federally recognized American Indian tribes.
Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.
What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?
Name one U.S. territory.
Name one state that borders Canada.
Name one state that borders Mexico.
What is the capital of the United States? 65/20
Where is the Statue of Liberty? 65/20
Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
Why does the flag have 50 stars? 65/20
What is the name of the national anthem?
When do we celebrate Independence Day? 65/20
Name two national U.S. holidays.
Yes. Anyone who filed Form N-400 before 20 October 2025 takes the 100-question 2008 version, whenever their interview happens. Only applications filed on or after that date use the 128-question 2025 version.
The officer asks up to 10 questions and you must answer 6 correctly to pass. The officer stops as soon as you reach 6.
The 128-question 2025 version adds 28 questions, asks 20 instead of 10, requires 12 correct instead of 6, adds material on the Federalist Papers, the Electoral College and American innovation, and removes the Geography section that exists on the 100-question list.
USCIS publishes the full 100-question list with accepted answers free on uscis.gov. It is the source for every question and answer used on this site.
More free guides built from the same official question lists.
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