One of the first questions people ask about the naturalization process is: how many questions are on the U.S. citizenship test? The answer is simple, but the details matter.
Total Questions vs. Questions Asked
There are 100 official civics questions in total. USCIS publishes all 100 so applicants can study them in advance. During your interview the officer asks you up to 10 of those 100 questions. The exam is entirely verbal β there is no written multiple-choice test.
What Score Do You Need to Pass?
You must correctly answer at least 6 out of the 10 questions asked. That is a 60 percent passing rate. If you reach 6 correct answers before all 10 questions are asked, the officer stops the test β you have passed and the remaining questions are not asked.
No Time Limit
There is no specific time limit for answering each question. The officer waits for you. If you need a moment to think, that is completely fine. If you genuinely do not know the answer, say so honestly and the officer moves on to the next question.
What Happens If You Do Not Pass?
USCIS will schedule a second interview within 60 to 90 days. At the second interview you only retake the portions you did not pass β the civics test, the English test, or both, depending on what you missed. If you fail the second interview, your N-400 application is denied. You can then file a new N-400 and start the process over, or appeal the denial.
The 65+ Modified Test
Applicants who are 65 or older and have been permanent residents for 20 or more years are eligible for the modified civics test. Only the 20 asterisk-marked questions apply. The officer still asks 10 and you still need 6 correct, but the 10 questions are drawn only from those 20 asterisk questions.
How to Maximize Your Score
Since you only need 6 of 10 correct, eliminating weak spots is the most efficient strategy. If you can confidently answer 85 or more of the 100 questions, the probability of passing any random set of 10 is extremely high. Use our free practice test at USCitizenship101 to identify and eliminate every area of weakness before your interview.