U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is introducing a harder civics exam for applicants who file Form N-400 on or after Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, USCIS reports.
Under the 2025 version, officers can ask as many as 20 civics questions from a 128-question bank and applicants must correctly answer at least 12 to pass, according to USCIS. The interview can end early when an applicant reaches 12 correct answers or 9 incorrect, according to the agency’s test guidance. USCIS said the English-speaking, reading and writing components are unchanged and that the update is focused on U.S. history and government knowledge.
Filing date will determine which version applies. Applicants who filed before Oct. 20 will remain under the 2008 civics test—10 questions, six correct required—while those filing on or after Oct. 20 switch to the new format, per Federal Register and USCIS policy documents. One long-standing accommodation has remained constant for the “65/20” group—applicants age 65 or older with at least 20 years as lawful permanent residents—who take a simplified set of questions, with a passing standard of six correct, per USCIS.
The change represents the first major update to the civics test in years and widens the range of topics that could be covered according to USCIS. New study materials and the full question list are available on the agency’s resource page.
Applicants would need to check which test applies to their filing date and study accordingly. USCIS said it will publish guidance and study aids as the rollout continues.
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