What is the pass rate for the 2025 civics test?

As of October 15, 2026, the USCIS naturalization test data page has no separate pass rate for the 2025 test. The latest figures on the page are for fiscal year 2022.

Is the 2025 test harder than the old one?

The 2025 test has 128 questions (instead of 100) and asks up to 20 (instead of 10), with 12 correct needed. The share you need right is still 60%, but there are more questions to learn.

Which part do people fail most often?

USCIS does not publish reasons for failing by question. In the 2022 figures, English comprehension had the lowest first-try pass rate of the English parts (93%). Civics had a first-try pass rate of 92.4%.

Can I retake the citizenship test if I fail?

Yes. You get two chances. You retake the part you failed 60–90 days after your first interview; if you fail again, your application is denied.

How long should I study?

It depends on the person. The most reliable approach is to study a little every day, review the questions you miss and take mock tests until you pass comfortably and consistently.

Is the U.S. Citizenship Test Hard? Pass Rates and Where People Fail

The U.S. citizenship test is not hard for well-prepared applicants: according to the latest figures USCIS has published, 95.7% of applicants passed in fiscal year 2022 (including retests), and more than 88% passed on the first try. Still, the 2025 civics test (for applications filed on or after October 20, 2025) has a larger question bank and asks more questions than the old test, and USCIS has not yet published a pass rate for the new test. Beyond the 128 civics questions, the part that needs the most preparation is understanding the English questions about your own Form N-400.

What is the U.S. citizenship test pass rate?

According to the USCIS Naturalization Test Performance page (updated October 5, 2023, checked October 15, 2026), figures for fiscal year 2022:

Measure (fiscal year 2022)	Rate
Overall pass rate (first try + retest)	95.7%
Passed at the first interview	More than 88%
Passed on the retest	About 7%
Civics, first try, all applicants	92.4%
English speaking, first try	94%
English comprehension, first try	93%
English writing, first try	94%
English reading, first try	97%

First-try civics pass rates for applicants exempt from English because of age (fiscal year 2022): 88.7% for 50/20, 85.9% for 55/15 and 91.2% for 65/20.

Important: these figures predate the 2025 test. The USCIS page has no figures yet for the new 20-question test. Treat them as a general picture, not a prediction for your test.

How is the 2025 test different from the old one?

According to The Naturalization Interview and Test and the USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 12, Part E, Chapter 2 (checked October 15, 2026):

	2008 test	2025 test
Applies to applications filed	Before Oct 20, 2025	On or after Oct 20, 2025
Question bank	100 questions	128 questions
Questions asked	Up to 10	Up to 20
Needed to pass	6	12
Stops early	6 correct or 5 wrong	12 correct or 9 wrong

The share you need right is still 60%. The main differences are that you have more questions to learn (128 instead of 100) and must stay focused longer (up to 20 questions). The Policy Manual says the questions are chosen at random by the USCIS system, so there are no "favorite" questions to bank on.

The full list: The 128 Civics Questions (2025 Test) and How to Study Them.

Which part of the interview do people fail most?

USCIS does not publish reasons for failing by question. Based on how the test is structured and the official rules, these are the parts to watch:

1. Understanding questions about your Form N-400

There is no separate speaking test. According to USCIS, your speaking is assessed while the officer asks about your N-400 and background. The Policy Manual says you pass if you can generally understand and respond meaningfully to questions relevant to your case. In the 2022 figures above, "English comprehension" had a first-try pass rate of 93%, the lowest of the English parts.

The questions about your application use words that rarely come up in daily life, especially in the Part 9 Yes/No questions ("ever", "arrested", "overthrow", "totalitarian"…). N-400 Yes/No Questions: What Each One Asks explains each group of questions in plain language.

2. Writing: abbreviations and capitalization

You need to write 1 of up to 3 dictated sentences correctly. Under the USCIS Policy Manual, abbreviating a word in the dictated sentence counts as a fail. When you practice, write every word in full (for example "United States", not "U.S.", if the sentence says "United States"), and capitalize names, holidays and months.

3. Civics answers that change

Some answers change over time or depend on where you live: the President, Vice President, Speaker of the House, Chief Justice, your senators and representative, your governor and state capital. USCIS requires the person in office on the day of your interview. Memorizing names from old materials is a common mistake. The current list is at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.

4. "Name two", "name three", "name five" questions

Some questions ask for several answers, for example question 81, "Name five of the 13 original states," or question 126, "Name three national U.S. holidays." Practice giving the full number the question asks for.

5. Nerves and not recognizing the question

Many people know the answer but don't recognize the question when it is spoken. The fix is to practice listening and answering out loud, not just reading silently.

What happens if I fail?

According to USCIS, you get two chances to pass the English and civics tests. If you fail a part, you are rescheduled to retake it 60–90 days after your first interview, and you retake only the part you failed. If you fail a second time, your application is denied. Under the Policy Manual, missing the retest without a reason USCIS accepts also counts as a failed attempt.

Who gets an easier test?

65/20 (age 65 or older, green card for 20 years or more): exempt from English, civics in the language of your choice, only 20 questions to study, 6 of 10 correct to pass.
50/20 and 55/15: exempt from English; you still take the full civics test, in the language of your choice.
Form N-648: an exception from English and/or civics because of a medical disability.

Details: The Citizenship Test for Applicants 65 and Older.

How do I pass on the first try?

Know which test you will take (2008 or 2025) from your filing date, and check whether you qualify for an English exemption.
Study civics a little every day, reviewing the questions you miss more often than the ones you know.
Practice writing short sentences, every word in full, with correct capitals.
Reread your own Form N-400 and make sure you understand every question in it.
Take full mock interviews covering the N-400 questions, reading, writing and 20 civics questions, so the length of the test feels normal.

N400 Ready is Manna One Solution's free app for these steps, in English and Vietnamese: study the civics questions, review the ones you miss, and practice reading, writing, speaking and mock interviews. The official answers are still the list on uscis.gov.

See the whole process in U.S. Citizenship Test 2026: Every Step from Form N-400 to the Oath Ceremony and the eligibility and fees in What Is Form N-400?.

Need someone to prepare your application?

If you would like someone to prepare Form N-400 for you, Manna One Solution's immigration document preparation service works online with clients across the U.S., in English or Vietnamese. Manna One Solution is not a law firm and does not give legal advice; some states require non-attorney immigration document preparers to register with the state, so we confirm the state you live in before taking your case.

Sources

USCIS — Naturalization Test Performance (fiscal year 2022 figures; page updated October 5, 2023; checked October 15, 2026)
USCIS — The Naturalization Interview and Test (checked October 15, 2026)
USCIS Policy Manual — Vol. 12, Part E, Ch. 2: English and Civics Testing (checked October 15, 2026)
USCIS — 128 Civics Questions and Answers (2025 version), M-1778 (09/25) (checked October 15, 2026)
USCIS — Civics Test Updates (checked October 15, 2026)

We prepare USCIS forms online for clients across the U.S. Manna One Solution is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. Some states require non-attorney immigration document preparers to register with the state, so we confirm your state before taking your case.