Overview
- Effective October 20, 2025, the naturalization civics test now draws from 128 rewritten questions with officers asking up to 20 during the interview.
- Applicants must answer at least 12 correctly to pass, and officers must stop the exam once an applicant reaches nine incorrect answers or achieves 12 correct.
- USCIS confirms many questions were rewritten to be more complex and to require longer, more specific responses.
- Those who filed Form N-400 on or after October 20 take the 2025 test, while earlier filers may take the 2008 version, with USCIS keeping the 2008 study materials available temporarily.
- Special rules for applicants age 65+ with 20 years as permanent residents remain in place, and the agency has resumed neighborhood checks and issued stricter guidance on eligibility and good conduct, with additional integrity measures signaled as forthcoming.