Citizenship Test Exemption Checker: 50/20, 55/15, 65/20
Enter your age and years as a permanent resident at filing and see which exception fits.
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How to use the exemption checker
- Enter your age on the day you file (or filed) Form N-400.
- Enter the number of years you have lived in the United States as a lawful permanent resident on that day.
- Read the result: 50/20, 55/15, 65/20 or none, with the official wording of what it means for the English and civics tests.
- Check the source link under the result and the date it was checked.
- If your case is not simple, for example because of long stays abroad, ask a lawyer or an accredited representative; the checker is information only.
Age and years are measured when you file, so a later birthday does not change the result for an application already filed.
What the result means: with 65/20 you still take a civics test, 10 questions from the specially marked list of 20, and you need 6 correct; you may take it in the language of your choice with an interpreter you bring. With only 50/20 or 55/15 you skip the English test but take the regular civics test, which you may take in your own language with an interpreter you bring.
The lookup works in your browser and nothing you enter is sent anywhere. Because these rules are about legal status, treat the result as information that points you to the official page, and confirm anything important with USCIS or with a lawyer or accredited representative. Check the source link when a number matters to your case.
Am I exempt from the English test?
You are exempt from the English test if you meet one of the age and residence combinations below at the time you file, or if a medical disability exception applies to you. The 50/20, 55/15 and 65/20 exceptions each exempt you from English, and the medical exception may excuse English, civics, or both.
| Exception | Age at filing | Years as a permanent resident | English test | Civics test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50/20 | 50 or older | 20 or more | Exempt | Still required |
| 55/15 | 55 or older | 15 or more | Exempt | Still required |
| 65/20 | 65 or older | 20 or more | Exempt | Special consideration |
What is 65/20?
The 65/20 exception applies if you were 65 or older and had been a lawful permanent resident for at least 20 years when you filed. It gives you special consideration on the civics test. You study 20 marked civics questions, the officer asks you 10 of them, and you need at least 6 correct. You may take the civics test in your language of choice, with your own interpreter.
Which exception applies at each age and year boundary?
The exceptions depend on both numbers, so a small change can switch the result. The checker’s outputs at the boundaries are shown below.
| Age | Years as permanent resident | Checker result | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 52 | 21 | 50/20 | Meets 50/20 |
| 55 | 15 | 55/15 | Meets 55/15 |
| 66 | 20 | 65/20 | Also meets 50/20 |
| 49 | 25 | None | Too young for 50/20 |
| 50 | 19 | None | One year short of 20 |
| 55 | 14 | None | Under 15 years; 55 with 20 years would meet 50/20 |
More questions about this topic
Does the 65/20 exception also waive the civics test?
No. The 65/20 exception gives you special consideration on civics rather than removing it. You answer 10 questions from a bank of 20, and you need 6 correct.
How does the checker decide which exception applies?
It takes your age and your years as a lawful permanent resident at filing, then matches them to 50/20, 55/15, 65/20, or none. It then shows what each result means for the English and civics tests.
Does the checker count time I spent outside the U.S.?
The exceptions count the years you have lived in the United States as a permanent resident. If you have spent long periods abroad, ask a lawyer or accredited representative how they count.
Which USCIS sources define the groups?
The 50/20 and 55/15 groups come from the USCIS Exceptions and Accommodations page (reviewed 01/09/2026), which says that even with those exemptions you must still take the civics test. The 65/20 group comes from the same page and from the Policy Manual, Vol. 12 Part E Chapter 2, which says that age and time requirements must be met at the time of filing. The 65/20 list of 20 questions is in its own USCIS PDF for the 2008 test and is marked with asterisks in the 128-question PDF for the 2025 test.
How this tool works and where the numbers come from
Rules and wording are taken from USCIS pages and the Policy Manual, retrieved 2026-10-26; official links were fetched and kept only if they returned HTTP 200 on 2026-10-26.
Sources
Check yourself: common questions
What are citizenship exemptions?
Citizenship exemptions are exceptions to parts of the naturalization test for certain permanent residents. The 50/20, 55/15, and 65/20 exceptions depend on age and years of residence, and the medical disability exception depends on a qualifying condition.
Can the citizenship test be waived?
Not in general. Age-and-residence exceptions waive only the English part. The route to waiving civics is the medical disability exception, which requires Form N-648 and may excuse the English test, the civics test, or both.
What is Form N-648?
The full title of N-648 is Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions. A licensed medical doctor, osteopathic doctor, or clinical psychologist completes it to support a disability exception.
Who is exempt from the U.S. citizenship test?
Based on the age and residence rules, you may be exempt from the English test under 50/20, 55/15, or 65/20, or under a medical disability exception. The civics test is still required under 50/20 and 55/15.
How do I qualify for the 50/20 age exemption?
The 50/20 group needs both an age of 50 or more and 20 years as a Green Card holder, counted when you file. Both conditions must be met at filing.
Does the 50/20 or 55/15 exception reduce the question bank?
No. Only the 65/20 group gets the shorter 20-question list. Applicants who qualify for 50/20 or 55/15 are exempt from the English test but take the full civics test for their version, and may take it in their own language with an interpreter.
Can I bring an interpreter to my citizenship interview?
For the civics test taken in another language, the rules allow an interpreter. The interpreter must be fluent in English and in that language. This checker does not cover interview arrangements, so confirm those with USCIS.
Do I need an interpreter for a civics test in another language?
Taking the civics test in another language means arranging your own interpreter, fluent in English and that language.
Related tools
- 65/20 civics questions: Use this when you have the 65/20 exception and want to study the 20 marked civics questions.
- Citizenship test in Spanish and other languages: Use this to learn how the test works when you take it in another language.
- Naturalization reading test: Use this to check what the reading part of the English test involves.
- Naturalization interview questions: Use this to prepare for what happens at your interview.
- Which civics test do I take?: Use this to find out which civics question list matches your case.
- Citizenship test passing score: Use this to see how many civics questions you must answer correctly to pass.