Naturalization Interview Questions
What happens at the interview, which questions are published, and which are not.
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How to use the interview facts
- Read the guide text for the question you came with.
- Use the table of USCIS statements under the tool: each row gives the statement, a link to the USCIS page it comes from, and the date we checked it.
- Open the link when a number matters to your case, such as a pass mark, a deadline or an exception.
- Use the related tools to practise the part you need.
- Check the source page again close to your interview, because USCIS can update its pages.
Statements are quoted from USCIS pages and the Policy Manual and kept short; the explanations around them are ours. The page is information and not legal advice.
Rows in the table are quoted statements, kept short. When a page below the table explains a rule in our own words, the matching row shows the exact USCIS wording so that you can compare the two. USCIS updates these pages from time to time, which is why each row carries a checked date. Say each answer aloud once. Check the source link when a number matters to your case. Come back to anything you were unsure about the next day. Nothing you do here is sent to a server. Keep a note of any question you have to look up twice.
Which civics test applies to my N-400?
The version depends on the date you filed the N-400, not the date of your interview. Filings before 20 October 2025 take the 2008 test, and filings on or after that date take the 2025 test. Both versions are oral and use a 60 percent pass mark.
| 2008 civics test | 2025 civics test | |
|---|---|---|
| Filing date | Before 20 October 2025 | On or after 20 October 2025 |
| Question list | 100 questions | 128 questions |
| Questions asked | Up to 10 | Up to 20 |
| Correct answers to pass | 6 | 12 |
| Officer stops at | 6 correct or 5 incorrect | 12 correct or 9 incorrect |
What happens during the civics test and if you fail?
The officer reads each civics question, and you answer out loud. The test runs in this order:
- The officer asks a question from the list for your version.
- The officer may repeat or rephrase a question until satisfied that you understand it. A wrong answer still counts as wrong.
- Each correct and each incorrect answer is counted.
- The test ends at the stop point in the table above.
- Whatever the result, the officer gives you a notice of results at the end of the interview.
Missing the pass mark means you have not passed the civics part. The retest rules are covered in the FAQ below.
What do the English reading and writing parts ask for?
You read aloud one of three sentences and write one of three sentences to show you can read and write English. One correct sentence in each part is enough. The officer also decides whether you can speak and understand English during the eligibility interview, so practise speaking as well as the written tasks.
More questions about this topic
What happens after the interview?
The officer gives you a notice of results at the end of the interview, whatever the outcome. USCIS has 120 days from the initial interview to issue a decision. You may also be able to take part in a naturalization ceremony on the same day as your interview.
How this tool works and where the numbers come from
Statements are quoted from USCIS pages and the Policy Manual retrieved 2026-10-26, each kept to a short quote with its source link and checked date.
Sources
Check yourself: common questions
What is the n-400 interview like?
The interview is your meeting with a USCIS officer after you file the N-400. The officer asks about your application and background, checks your English speaking and understanding, and runs the reading, writing and civics tests. The officer may ask questions to clarify or confirm what you wrote.
What else does the USCIS naturalization interview cover beyond civics?
At the interview an officer asks about your application and background, reviews your N-400 answers with you and may ask questions to clarify or confirm them. Unless you qualify for an exception, you also take the English test (reading, writing, and speaking judged during the interview) and the civics test (USCIS, The Naturalization Interview and Test, reviewed 10/31/2025).
Do I need to bring documents to the interview?
Bring your appointment notice, because USCIS asks you to, and every document the notice lists for your case.
What Happens If You Don’t Pass?
You get two attempts at the English and civics tests. If you fail a portion at the first interview, you are retested on only that portion between 60 and 90 days after the first interview. Failing the same portion a second time means the officer must deny the application (USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 12 Part E).
What do they ask you in a naturalization interview?
The questions come from your own N-400 answers about your application and background. The civics questions come from the list for your version, and the reading and writing tasks use the USCIS vocabulary lists. USCIS does not publish a set of N-400 questions to memorize.
Which citizenship test questions do I use to study?
Use the list that matches your filing date: the 100 questions for the 2008 test, or the 128 questions for the 2025 test. The other list does not apply to your case. This tool drills both lists so you can practise the right one.
What is the hardest question in a citizenship interview?
USCIS publishes no miss rates, so no single question is provably the hardest. The pass mark is 60 percent in both versions (6 of 10 or 12 of 20) and the officer stops once the result is decided. By our own rules, 26 of the 128 questions on the 2025 list and 22 of the 100 on the 2008 list are flagged as harder; see hardest civics test questions.
Related tools
- N-652 naturalization interview results: Use it to understand the form that records the outcome of your naturalization interview.
- Citizenship test passing score: Use it to check how many civics answers you need to pass.
- Citizenship test and oath on the same day: Use it to learn whether your interview and oath could fall on one day.
- Civics test practice: Use it to drill the civics questions for your test version.
- Naturalization reading test: Use it to prepare for reading one of three sentences aloud.
- Naturalization writing test: Use it to prepare for writing one of three sentences correctly.