Updated
· 6 min read · Built from the official USCIS question lists
Most applicants must take the citizenship test in English — but there are real exemptions,
and if you qualify for one you may take the civics test in Spanish with an interpreter. The
three rules that matter are 50/20, 55/15 and 65/20, and they depend on your age and how long you have
been a lawful permanent resident.
If you do not qualify, you still have to answer in English. The most effective way to prepare in that
case is bilingual study: learn what each question means in Spanish, then drill the English wording you
will actually have to say.
You are 50 or older and have been a lawful permanent resident for 20+ years
No English test. Interview and civics test in your language, with an interpreter. Full civics bank.
55/15
You are 55 or older and have been a lawful permanent resident for 15+ years
Same as 50/20.
65/20
You are 65 or older and have been a lawful permanent resident for 20+ years
Civics test in your language, and only the 20 starred questions — 10 asked, 6 to pass.
Age and residence are both counted as of the date you file Form N-400. If you qualify, you bring your
own interpreter to the interview.
What the exemption does and does not cover
Under 50/20 and 55/15 you are exempt from the English requirement — the reading test,
the writing test and the spoken English assessment. You are not exempt from civics. You
still answer the full set of civics questions, just in your own language.
Under 65/20 you get both benefits: your language, and a reduced bank of 20 questions.
No exemption? Then it is English
If you do not meet one of these rules, the entire interview is in English, including the civics answers.
Studying only in Spanish will not prepare you for that.
Studying bilingually if you must answer in English
The trap for Spanish-speaking applicants is understanding a question perfectly in Spanish and then
freezing on the English wording. The fix is to always study both at once:
Read the question in Spanish so you genuinely understand what is being asked.
Read the accepted answer in English and say it out loud.
Cover the Spanish and answer from the English question alone.
Pay particular attention to the civics vocabulary that has no everyday equivalent — amendment
(enmienda), branch (rama or poder), Bill of Rights (Carta de Derechos),
Commander in Chief (Comandante en Jefe), rule of law (estado de derecho). You need to
recognise these words when the officer says them.
Study the whole bank on your phone
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.
En español: el examen de ciudadanía
El examen de civismo es oral. Un oficial de USCIS le hace las preguntas en voz alta y
usted responde en voz alta. No es de opción múltiple y no hay examen escrito de civismo.
Si presentó el Formulario N-400 el 20 de octubre de 2025 o después, le corresponde la
versión 2025: 128 preguntas posibles, el oficial le hace hasta 20 y usted debe responder
12 correctamente. Si lo presentó antes de esa fecha, le corresponde la
versión 2008: 100 preguntas posibles, hasta 10 preguntas y 6 correctas
para aprobar.
Puede tomar el examen de civismo en español si cumple con la regla 50/20, 55/15 o 65/20 explicada
arriba. Con la regla 65/20 solo estudia las 20 preguntas marcadas con asterisco.
Las preguntas que nadie puede contestar por usted: su gobernador, la capital de su
estado, sus dos senadores federales y su representante. Búsquelas para su propia dirección. Las
respuestas sobre el Presidente, el Vicepresidente, el Presidente de la Cámara y el Presidente del Tribunal
Supremo cambian — verifíquelas en
uscis.gov
poco antes de su entrevista.
Si no califica para una exención, tiene que responder en inglés. Practique en voz alta: reconocer la
respuesta correcta entre cuatro opciones es mucho más fácil que producirla de memoria frente a un oficial.
Studying in your own language in the app
The iPhone app was built for exactly this problem. Set Settings → App Language to
Spanish — or Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Portuguese, Italian, Greek, Japanese, Swedish and others — and
every question is shown in your language alongside the English wording and the English answer
you will need to say at the interview.
That side-by-side layout is the difference between understanding the test and being able to pass it.
You learn the meaning in the language you think in, and rehearse the answer in the language you will be
graded in.
Frequently asked
Can I take the US citizenship test in Spanish?
Only if you qualify for an exemption. Under the 50/20 rule (50 or older with 20 years as a lawful permanent resident) or the 55/15 rule (55 or older with 15 years) you may take the interview and the civics test in Spanish with an interpreter. Under the 65/20 rule you also study only 20 questions instead of the full bank.
Do I still take the civics test if I am exempt from English?
Yes. The 50/20 and 55/15 exemptions remove the English reading, writing and speaking requirements, but you still take the full civics test — just in your own language with an interpreter.
¿Cuántas preguntas tiene el examen de ciudadanía americana?
Depende de cuándo presentó el Formulario N-400. Si lo presentó el 20 de octubre de 2025 o después, hay 128 preguntas posibles, le hacen hasta 20 y necesita 12 correctas. Si lo presentó antes, hay 100 preguntas posibles, le hacen hasta 10 y necesita 6 correctas.
Who brings the interpreter to the interview?
You do. If you qualify for a language exemption, you are responsible for bringing your own interpreter to the naturalization interview.
