U.S. Citizenship Test 2026: Every Step from Form N-400 to the Oath Ceremony

The U.S. citizenship test is an interview with a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officer: the officer goes over the answers on your Form N-400, then tests your English (speaking, reading and writing) and your civics knowledge (U.S. history and government). If you filed Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025, the civics part is the 2025 test: the officer asks up to 20 of 128 questions, and you must answer 12 correctly to pass. Passing the interview is not the end: you become a U.S. citizen only after you take the Oath of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony.

This guide walks through the whole process in order, with a link to the official USCIS page for each step. More detailed articles are linked in each section.

How many steps are there in the naturalization process?

There are six main steps, based on USCIS guidance:

1. Check your eligibility (how long you have had a green card, time spent in the U.S., good moral character, and so on).
2. File Form N-400 (Application for Naturalization) online or on paper, with the fee or a request for a reduced fee or fee waiver.
3. Biometrics (fingerprints and photo) at an Application Support Center, if USCIS asks for them.
4. The interview, which covers your N-400, the English test and the civics test.
5. Your interview result on Form N-652.
6. The oath ceremony: you return your green card, take the Oath of Allegiance and receive your Certificate of Naturalization.

Processing times vary by USCIS office. You can check the current time for your office on the USCIS Processing Times page.

Step 1: Who can apply for U.S. citizenship?

According to USCIS, the most common case is a green card holder (lawful permanent resident) of 5 years or more. The page I Am a Lawful Permanent Resident of 5 Years lists the general requirements:

• Be at least 18 years old when you file Form N-400.
• Have been a permanent resident for at least 5 years.
• Have continuous residence in the U.S. for at least 5 years immediately before filing.
• Have physical presence in the U.S. for at least 30 months of those 5 years.
• Have lived for at least 3 months in the state or USCIS district where you apply.
• Show good moral character for the 5 years before filing and until the oath.
• Read, write and speak basic English, and know the basics of U.S. history and government.
• Be attached to the principles of the U.S. Constitution.

If you are married to a U.S. citizen, you may be able to apply after 3 years as a permanent resident if you have been living in marital union with your U.S. citizen spouse during those 3 years and have been physically present in the U.S. for at least 18 months of them (USCIS page for spouses of U.S. citizens).

The Form N-400 instructions say you can generally file up to 90 days before you reach the 5-year (or 3-year) continuous residence requirement, as long as you meet every other requirement (N-400 Instructions, edition 01/20/25). USCIS has an Early Filing Calculator to find the earliest date you can file.

Every case is different (long trips outside the U.S., past arrests, unpaid taxes and so on). Those situations call for a licensed immigration attorney, not conclusions drawn from an article. See also: What Is Form N-400? Eligibility, Fees and the Parts of the Form.

Step 2: File Form N-400 and pay the fee

The current Form N-400 is the 01/20/25 edition and has 16 parts, from personal information, addresses, employment and trips outside the U.S. to Part 9, with its Yes/No questions about moral character and allegiance.

Fees according to the USCIS N-400 page (checked October 15, 2026):

How you file	Fee
Online	$710
Paper	$760
Reduced fee (paper only)	$380
Fee waiver (Form I-912, paper only)	$0

According to the USCIS Poverty Guidelines page (in effect from January 13, 2026), the reduced fee is for households with income at or below 400% of the federal poverty guidelines (for example, a 1-person household: $63,840; a 4-person household: $132,000 in the 48 contiguous states). A fee waiver on Form I-912 is based on receiving a means-tested benefit, income at or below 150% of the poverty guidelines (1-person household: $23,940), or financial hardship. Applicants asking for a reduced fee or a waiver must file on paper.

Fees can change. Always check uscis.gov/n-400 and the G-1055 Fee Schedule on the day you file.

Step 3: Biometrics

According to the USCIS N-400 page, N-400 applicants generally have to provide fingerprints and a photo unless USCIS waives it. If you need to go to an Application Support Center, you will get an appointment notice by mail. Your fingerprints are used for background checks.

Step 4: What happens at the citizenship interview?

The interview has three parts, according to The Naturalization Interview and Test (updated October 31, 2025):

1. Questions about your Form N-400 and background. The officer reviews your application and asks about the information in it.
2. The English test: speaking, reading and writing.
3. The civics test: oral questions about U.S. history and government.

Applicants exempt from the English test (see below) still take the civics test, but in the language of their choice with an interpreter.

The English speaking test

There is no separate speaking test. According to USCIS, your speaking ability is assessed while the officer asks about your N-400. Under the USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 12, Part E, Chapter 2, you pass if you can generally understand and respond meaningfully to questions relevant to your case.

The reading and writing tests

• Reading: you are given up to 3 sentences and must read 1 correctly.
• Writing: the officer reads up to 3 sentences aloud and you must write 1 correctly, in a way the officer can understand.

The Policy Manual is explicit: abbreviating a word in the dictated sentence counts as a fail. So when you practice writing, write every word in full and capitalize correctly.

The civics test: the 2025 test or the 2008 test?

Which test you take depends on the date you filed Form N-400:

N-400 filing date	Test	Questions asked	Needed to pass	Stops early when
Before Oct 20, 2025	2008 test (100 questions)	Up to 10	6	6 correct or 5 wrong
On or after Oct 20, 2025	2025 test (128 questions)	Up to 20	12	12 correct or 9 wrong

Sources: The Naturalization Interview and Test and Policy Manual Vol. 12, Part E, Ch. 2 (checked October 15, 2026).

The passing rate is still 60%, the same as the old test. The full list of 128 questions with the official answers is in The 128 Civics Questions (2025 Test) and How to Study Them.

Some answers change over time (the President, Vice President, Speaker of the House, Chief Justice) or depend on where you live (your senators, representative, governor and state capital). USCIS requires the name of the person in office on the day of your interview; the current list is at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.

What if I don't pass the first time?

According to USCIS, you get two chances to pass the English and civics tests. If you fail one part, you are rescheduled to retake that part 60 to 90 days after your first interview, and you retake only the part you failed. If you fail a second time, your application is denied.

Who is exempt or gets an easier test?

According to Policy Manual Vol. 12, Part E, Ch. 2:

• 50/20: age 50 or older with a green card for at least 20 years (at the time of filing) → exempt from the English test; you still take the civics test, in the language of your choice.
• 55/15: age 55 or older with a green card for at least 15 years → exempt from the English test; you still take the civics test, in the language of your choice.
• 65/20: age 65 or older with a green card for at least 20 years → exempt from the English test, and you take the civics test from a special set: the officer asks 10 of the 20 marked questions and you need 6 correct.
• Form N-648: applicants who cannot meet the English and/or civics requirement because of a medical disability can request an exception with Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions.

More for older applicants, including the 20 questions for 65/20: The Citizenship Test for Applicants 65 and Older.

The N-400 review and the Yes/No questions

The part people most often underestimate is the review of your application. Part 9 of Form N-400 has 37 items of Yes/No questions, from whether you have ever voted or owe taxes to criminal history and allegiance to the Constitution. At the interview you are under oath to tell the truth, and the officer can go back over these questions.

N-400 Yes/No Questions: What Each One Asks explains each group of questions. That article only explains what the questions mean; the answers are yours and must be truthful. If anything is unclear for you (for example, a past arrest, even one that was expunged), talk to a licensed immigration attorney before you file.

Step 5: Your interview result (N-652)

At the end of the interview, the officer gives you Form N-652, Notice of Examination Results. According to Policy Manual Vol. 12, Part B, Ch. 4, there are three possible outcomes:

• Granted: USCIS has found you eligible; the next step is the oath ceremony.
• Continued: more documents are needed, or you need to retake the English or civics test.
• Denied: the denial notice explains how to ask for a review.

USCIS has 120 days from your first interview to make a decision.

Step 6: The oath ceremony

According to Naturalization Ceremonies (updated February 12, 2026):

• You are not a U.S. citizen until you take the Oath of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony.
• You may be able to attend a ceremony on the day of your interview; if not, USCIS mails you a Form N-445 notice.
• You answer the questions on Form N-445 before you arrive, and return your green card when you check in.
• After the ceremony you receive your Certificate of Naturalization. Check every detail and tell USCIS about any error before you leave.
• If you cannot attend, return Form N-445 with a letter asking for a new date. Missing more than one ceremony may lead to your application being denied.

Is the U.S. citizenship test hard?

The latest figures on the USCIS Naturalization Test Performance page are for fiscal year 2022: 95.7% of applicants passed (including retests), and more than 88% passed on the first try. These figures predate the 2025 test, so they do not yet reflect the new 20-question test. Is the U.S. Citizenship Test Hard? looks at the parts where people most often fail.

How should I study?

A simple plan for busy people:

1. Confirm which test you will take from your filing date (2008 or 2025), and whether you qualify for 50/20, 55/15 or 65/20.
2. Study the civics questions by group (government, history, symbols and holidays), a little every day, and review the ones you miss.
3. Practice reading and writing short English sentences, writing every word in full with no abbreviations.
4. Reread your own Form N-400 carefully, because the officer will ask about it.
5. Take a full mock interview before the real one.

N400 Ready is a free app from Manna One Solution for citizenship test practice in English and Vietnamese: study the civics questions with explanations, practice reading, writing and speaking, and take mock interviews. It helps you practice; the official answers are still the list on uscis.gov.

When should I get help?

You can fill out Form N-400 yourself. If you would like someone to prepare the paperwork for you, Manna One Solution's immigration document preparation service works online with 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 the state you live in before taking your case. For questions about your own eligibility, ask a licensed immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited organization.

Sources

• 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 Policy Manual — Vol. 12, Part B, Ch. 4: Results of the Naturalization Examination (checked October 15, 2026)
• USCIS — N-400, Application for Naturalization (checked October 15, 2026)
• USCIS — N-400 Instructions (edition 01/20/25) (checked October 15, 2026)
• USCIS — Poverty Guidelines (checked October 15, 2026)
• USCIS — I Am a Lawful Permanent Resident of 5 Years (checked October 15, 2026)
• USCIS — I Am Married to a U.S. Citizen (checked October 15, 2026)
• USCIS — Naturalization Ceremonies (checked October 15, 2026)
• USCIS — Naturalization Test Performance (checked October 15, 2026)
• USCIS — Civics Test Updates (checked October 15, 2026)