100 questions
or 128?
The filing date on the N-400 decides it — not the interview date.
Last checked August 2026
Short answer: if Form N-400 was filed on or after October 20, 2025, your parent takes the 2025 civics test — 128 questions to study, up to 20 asked at the interview, 12 correct to pass. If it was filed before that date, they take the older 2008 test — 100 questions, 10 asked, 6 correct to pass.
This trips families up constantly, because the interview can be a year or more after filing. The interview date is irrelevant. Check the filing date on the receipt notice.
| Filed before Oct 20, 2025 | Filed on/after Oct 20, 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Version | 2008 civics test | 2025 civics test |
| Questions to study | 100 | 128 |
| Asked at interview | Up to 10 | Up to 20 |
| Needed to pass | 6 | 12 |
| Format | Spoken, during the interview | Spoken, during the interview |
| 65/20 applicants | Reduced set, 10 asked, 6 to pass | Reduced set of 20 designated questions, 10 asked, 6 to pass |
- The question bank grew from 100 to 128, adding coverage of geography, the structure of federal and state government, and more history
- The officer now asks up to 20 questions instead of 10, and the passing bar moved to 12 correct — the same 60 percent, but more questions to be ready for
- Some existing questions were reworded, so an old printed sheet can be subtly out of date even where the topic is unchanged
- The English reading, writing and speaking requirements did not change, and neither did the age-based exemptions
Practical consequence: study material printed before late 2025 is the wrong list for anyone who filed after October 20, 2025. Check the material, not just the teacher.
Is the citizenship test 100 questions or 128?
It depends entirely on when Form N-400 was filed. Filed on or after October 20, 2025 means the 2025 test: a bank of 128 questions, of which the officer asks up to 20, and 12 correct answers pass. Filed before October 20, 2025 means the 2008 test: 100 questions, 10 asked, 6 correct to pass. The interview date does not matter.
How do I find out which version my parent takes?
Look at the filing date on the N-400 receipt notice, not the interview appointment letter. That single date decides it. If the family used a lawyer or an agency to file, the receipt notice is the document to check.
How many questions do they have to get right?
On the 2025 test, 12 out of up to 20. The officer stops asking as soon as 12 correct answers are reached, so a strong start can end the civics portion early. On the older 2008 test it is 6 out of 10.
Is the test written or spoken?
Spoken. A USCIS officer asks the civics questions out loud during the naturalization interview and the applicant answers out loud. This is why studying silently from a printed list is not enough — recognising a question on paper and understanding it spoken aloud, at speed, by an unfamiliar voice, are different skills.
Do some answers change over time?
Yes. Answers that name current officeholders change with elections and appointments. USCIS asks that applicants give the name of the official serving at the time of their interview, and publishes updates for these. Verify those specific answers shortly before the interview rather than trusting study material printed months earlier.
What happens if they fail?
USCIS generally offers a second attempt, typically scheduled 60 to 90 days after the first interview, covering only the portion that was failed. It is not an automatic denial.
Your parent studies in Chinese. We built for that.
Every one of the 128 questions with Chinese phonetic spelling, so someone who cannot read English can still say the answer out loud. Plus a phone line they can call to practice — no app, no signup, no computer.
See the materials (in Chinese) →Questions in English or Mandarin: 347-443-8778, Mon–Fri 10am–6pm ET
Last checked August 2026. Rules change — confirm current requirements on the official USCIS study page or with a licensed immigration attorney. Gongminkao is a test-preparation service, not a law firm.