Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test (2024)

US Citizenship Interview | N-400 Naturalization Interview Simulated Interview Questions & Answers

Citizenship interview question samples to help you prepare

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers typically draw naturalization interview questions directly from your responses on your Application for Naturalization (Form N-400). In some cases, they may also ask questions related to the contents of your “A-File.” The rest of the questions are those you studied for the citizenship exam.

This guide is intended to familiarize you with the questions that are typically asked by a USCIS Officer during the citizenship interview. It is not a comprehensive list of every possible interview question. Not sure how to start the citizenship process? Start by checking your eligibility.

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The following is a sample of possible naturalization interview questions (organized by category). You will not be asked all of these questions. Most will already be familiar to you because you’ve previously answered the same questions in your citizenship application.

Although some questions might seem unimportant, such as those in the first two categories, we have listed them in this guide because USCIS officers observe responses to every question, no matter how simple, as part of the citizenship speaking test.

  • How are you?
  • How are you feeling?
  • How are you doing today?
  • Do you promise to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
  • Do you understand what an “oath” means?
  • What is your name?
  • Have you used any other names?
  • Do you want to legally change your name?
  • When is your birthday?
  • Where were you born?
  • What is your race?
  • Are you Hispanic or Latino?
  • How tall are you?
  • What color are your eyes?
  • What color is your hair?
  • What is your mother’s name?
  • What is your father’s name?
  • Is your mother or father a U.S. citizen?
  • When did they become U.S. citizens?
  • Were they married before you turned 18 years old?
  • How many children do you have?
  • What are their names?
  • Where were your children born?
  • Where do they currently live?
  • Is your child your biological child, stepchild, or adopted child?
  • When are their birthdays?
  • Are you currently single, married, divorced, or widowed?
  • What is the name of your current spouse?
  • When and where were you married?
  • Is your spouse a U.S. citizen?
  • What is your spouse’s country of citizenship or nationality?
  • When is your spouse’s birthday?
  • Is your spouse in the military?
  • What is your spouse’s current job?
  • Where does your spouse currently work?
  • How many times have you been married?
  • When did your previous marriage end?
  • How many times has your spouse been married?
  • How did your spouse’s marriage to their previous spouse end?
  • Have you ever served in the U.S. military?
  • Have you ever left the United States to avoid being drafted into the military?
  • Have you ever applied for an exemption from military service?
  • Have you ever deserted from the military (left before discharge)?
  • Have you lived in the United States or received your green card at any time between the ages of 18 and 26? If so, did you register for Selective Service? (if you’re male)
  • When did you register with Selective Service? (if you’re male)
  • Why didn’t you register with Selective Service? (if you’re male)
  • Are you a citizen of [name of your home country]?
  • When were you approved for your green card (permanent residence)?
  • How long have you had your green card (permanent resident card)?
  • How many times have you left the United States since you became a green card holder/permanent resident?
  • Did any of your trips abroad last six months or longer?
  • What were the reasons you needed to take trips abroad?
  • When was your last trip outside the United States?
  • Which countries did you visit?
  • Do you remember the day you returned to the United States?
  • Where do you currently live?
  • How long have you lived there?
  • Where else have you lived in the past five (or three) years?
  • When did you live there?
  • Where do you currently work?
  • What is your current job?
  • Where else have you worked in the past five (or three) years?
  • When did you work there?
  • Where did you last attend school?
  • What is the name of your school?
  • When did you attend that school?
  • Have you ever not filed an income tax return since becoming a green card holder? If yes, did you consider yourself a “non-resident” of the United States?
  • Have you ever claimed to be a “non-resident” on a federal, state, or local income tax return since becoming a green card holder?
  • Do you owe any taxes to the federal government or to a state or local government?
  • Have you ever claimed to be a U.S. citizen?
  • Have you ever voted or registered to vote in a federal, state, or local election in the United States?
  • Have you ever attacked, discriminated against, or denied the rights of another person because of their nationality, race, religious beliefs, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion?
  • Do you support the U.S. Constitution and the U.S. government?
  • Will you obey the laws of the United States?
  • Do you understand and are you willing to take the Oath of Allegiance to the United States?
  • If necessary, would you be willing to defend the United States in a war?
  • If necessary, would you be willing to perform noncombatant (civilian) services in the U.S. military or work of national importance in a civilian capacity?
  • QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR AFFILIATIONS WITH OR MEMBERSHIPS IN CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS

  • Have you ever been a member of nobility in any country other than the United States? If so, would you be willing to give up your title of nobility upon swearing your allegiance to the United States?
  • Have you ever been associated with or a member of any organization, association, fund foundation, party, club, or similar group anywhere in the world? (If you answer “yes,” you may also be asked to the name the group, its purpose, and when you were involved.)
  • Have you ever been associated with or a member of the Communist Party, the Nazi Party, or a terrorist organization?
  • The questions related to legal issues are too numerous to list in this guide, but include, for example, questions related to:

  • Any previous arrests, citations, charges, convictions, and incarceration
  • Involvement in police, rebel, or vigilante groups
  • Immigration violations (such as unlawful entry or presence or overstaying)
  • All such questions can be found under “Part 12. Additional Information About You (Person Applying for Naturalization)” of Form N-400. Your responses to these questions are used to determine whether you have met the “good moral character” requirement of naturalization.

  • Do you understand why you are being interviewed?
  • Why do you want to become a U.S. citizen?
  • Have you ever been declared legally incompetent or been confined to a mental institution?
  • Questions you studied for the citizenship exam (see this guide for more details)
  • If you anticipate answering “yes” to any of the questions about legal issues or about affiliations with or memberships in certain organizations — except about a title of nobility — it’s essential to seek legal assistance before you apply for naturalization. The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) can help find a licensed immigration attorney. Alternatively, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) accredits certain nonprofit organizations that provide low-cost or free immigration legal services.

    Do you have confidential questions about how your personal history as a green card holder might affect your citizenship application? We’ve joined forces with RapidVisa and together we can guide you through the entire naturalization process and answer any questions you may have.

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    FAQ

    What questions are asked in a citizenship interview?

    The following is a sample of possible naturalization interview questions (organized by category).

    BASIC PERSONAL INFORMATION

    • What is your name?
    • Have you used any other names?
    • Do you want to legally change your name?
    • When is your birthday?
    • Where were you born?
    • What is your race?
    • Are you Hispanic or Latino?

    Can you fail N-400 interview?

    If you fail the English and/or civics test in your initial interview, USCIS will schedule you to come back for another interview within 60 to 90 days days of your first interview. USCIS will only retest you on the part of the test that you failed.

    How long is a N-400 interview?

    The interview itself usually lasts about 20 minutes. The officer will go over the N-400 that you filled out, and ask you questions about the same information that’s on the form. Part of the purpose here is to see whether you actually speak and understand English.

    What are the most asked questions for citizenship?

    Common Citizenship Test Questions & Answers

    • Who is currently the President of the U.S.? – …
    • What are the two primary political parties in the U.S.? – …
    • When (what month) do people vote for the President? – …
    • How often is a new president voted for? – …
    • What age do people have to be before they are allowed to vote in the U.S.? –

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    Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test (2024)

    FAQs

    Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test? ›

    The civics test is an oral test and the USCIS Officer will ask the applicant up to 10 of the 100 civics questions. An applicant must answer 6 out of 10 questions correctly to pass the civics portion of the naturalization test. On the naturalization test, some answers may change because of elections or appointments.

    Do you need to give all possible answers on the civics test for naturalization? ›

    There is a pool of 100 history and government questions that USCIS officers can ask, and officers may ask up to 10 questions. You must answer six out of 10 questions correctly to pass this part of the test. There's no written section of the civics part of the citizenship test – it's all oral.

    What is the hardest question on the naturalization test? ›

    The 10 Hardest U.S. Citizenship Test Questions
    • Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
    • Who was President during World War I?
    • What is the rule of law?
    • Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
    • Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.

    How many questions are on the civics naturalization test? ›

    The civics test covers important U.S. history and government topics. There are 100 civics questions on the naturalization test. During your naturalization interview, you will be asked up to 10 questions from the list of 100 questions.

    Is it 100 or 128 questions for citizenship? ›

    The civics test is an oral test and the USCIS officer will ask you to answer 20 out of the 128 civics test questions. You must answer at least 12 questions (or 60%) correctly to pass the 2020 version of the civics test. On the civics test, some answers may change because of elections or appointments.

    What happens if you fail the civics test for naturalization? ›

    If an applicant fails any portion of the English test, the civics test, or all tests during the initial naturalization examination, USCIS reschedules the applicant to appear for a second examination between 60 and 90 days after the initial examination.

    What is the 50 20 rule for citizenship? ›

    You are exempt from the English language requirement, but are still required to take the civics test if you are: Age 50 or older at the time of filing for naturalization and have lived as a permanent resident (Green Card holder) in the United States for 20 years (commonly referred to as the “50/20” exception).

    What is a big reason applicants fail the naturalization test? ›

    Good Moral Character Issues

    Naturalization applicants must show good moral character (GMC) during the five years before filing and additionally when USCIS issues a decision. Certain criminal convictions, false testimony, tax fraud, or other “bad acts” may be a disqualifying factor.

    How many Americans would fail the naturalization test? ›

    How the States Fared
    StateA (90-100)F (59 or less)
    California4%60%
    New York4%60%
    Hawaii3%60%
    Missouri3%61%
    47 more rows

    How hard is the U.S. naturalization test? ›

    The diagram below shows that 95.7% of all applicants pass the naturalization test. In fiscal year 2022, over 88% passed it during the initial interview, and another 7% of all applicants passed during a re-exam.

    Is the citizenship test changing in 2024? ›

    The USCIS will make a decision about implementing the new testing structure in 2024 based on the results and feedback from these pilot tests. While the redesigned test is not yet in effect, it's prudent to consider applying for naturalization sooner if you're already eligible.

    Can you pass the 100 question civics test? ›

    The USCIS officer will ask you up to 10 questions from the list of 100 civics test questions. You must answer 6 questions correctly to pass the civics test.

    What is the 6 requirements for naturalization civics? ›

    U.S. Citizenship Requirements
    • Minimum Age.
    • Continuous and Physical Presence.
    • Residency.
    • Good Moral Character.
    • English Proficiency and Civics Knowledge.
    • Military and Civil Service Registration.
    • Allegiance to the United States.
    • Related Information.

    What is the most asked questions on US citizenship interview? ›

    Some common citizenship interview questions include:
    • Do you have information on your personal character and values?
    • Do you have information on any criminal history you may have in the United States or any other country?
    • What is your opinion and views of the U.S. government and the U.S. Constitution?

    How many tries do you get to pass citizenship test? ›

    An applicant has two opportunities to pass the English and civics tests: the initial examination and the re-examination interview. USCIS denies the naturalization application if the applicant fails to pass any portion of the tests after two attempts.

    What version of the civics test is USCIS using? ›

    WASHINGTON— U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced today it is reverting to the 2008 version of the naturalization civics test beginning March 1, 2021. On Dec.

    Do you need to know every answer on the civics flashcards? ›

    An applicant must answer 6 out of 10 questions correctly to pass the civics portion of the naturalization test. Although USCIS is aware that there may be additional correct answers to the 100 civics questions, applicants are encouraged to respond to the civics questions using the answers provided on these flash cards.

    What are the civics requirements for naturalization? ›

    Civics Component

    To pass this component of the citizenship test, you must be able to demonstrate sufficient knowledge and understanding of U.S. history and government, by answering at least six out of 10 questions correctly.

    How many answers can you get wrong on the citizenship test? ›

    Here's how it works: Applicants are given a list of 128 potential questions in advance. When they sit down for the test, a USCIS officer will ask them 20 questions from that list. The whole process is verbal -- no multiple choice, no writing down your answers. You need to get 12 answers right to pass.

    What percent do you need to pass the naturalization test? ›

    Applicants for U.S. citizenship are asked 10 questions from a list of 100, and they must answer at least 6 correctly to pass. The average pass rate is 91 percent. How well would you do? Find out by answering these questions adapted from the actual citizenship test.

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