US Citizenship Test 2026: The Questions and Answers

Twenty questions. Twelve right answers. One officer, a small table, and roughly ten minutes that decide whether your naturalization case moves forward. Since October 20, 2025, USCIS uses a longer civics test — 128 possible questions instead of 100 — and anyone interviewed in 2026 will almost certainly meet that version. Below are the questions themselves, the answers that count as correct, and the handful that quietly change after every election.

What the 2026 test looks like across the table

The civics portion is oral. The officer reads a question, you answer out loud, and there are no multiple-choice options to fall back on. A few questions accept more than one correct answer, and some are state-specific — your governor, your senators, your capital. That is why two neighbors can study the same list and still need different flashcards.

Version	Questions to study	Asked	Needed correct	Who takes it
2025 civics test	128	20	12	Applications filed on or after Oct 20, 2025
2008 civics test	100	10	6	Applications filed before Oct 20, 2025
65/20 shortened version	20	10	6	Age 65+ and 20+ years as a lawful permanent resident

The English test runs alongside it: a reading sentence, a writing sentence, and a speaking section that USCIS standardized in the same 2025 update. Instead of a loose conversation, the officer typically shows you a few everyday images and asks questions about them. Practice describing a simple scene out loud — a kitchen, a bus stop, a family at dinner. Confirm the current walkthrough on the official USCIS site before your appointment, since procedures get fine-tuned.

American government: the answers you cannot fumble

Principles of democracy

• What is the supreme law of the land? The Constitution.
• What does the Constitution do? Sets up the government, defines the government, protects basic rights of Americans.
• The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are they? We the People.
• What is an amendment? A change or addition to the Constitution.
• What do we call the first ten amendments? The Bill of Rights.
• Name one right or freedom from the First Amendment. Speech, religion, assembly, press, or the right to petition the government.
• How many amendments does the Constitution have? Twenty-seven (27).
• What did the Declaration of Independence do? Announced our independence from Great Britain.
• Name two rights in the Declaration of Independence. Life and liberty (also the pursuit of happiness).
• What is the economic system in the United States? A capitalist or market economy.
• What is the rule of law? Everyone must follow the law — including leaders and the government. No one is above it.

System of government

• Name one branch of government. Congress, the President, or the courts.
• What stops one branch from becoming too powerful? Checks and balances, and separation of powers.
• Who is in charge of the executive branch? The President.
• Who makes federal laws? Congress — the Senate and House of Representatives.
• What are the two parts of Congress? The Senate and the House of Representatives.
• How many U.S. Senators are there? One hundred (100).
• How long is a Senate term? Six (6) years.
• How many voting members are in the House? Four hundred thirty-five (435).
• How long is a House term? Two (2) years.
• Why do some states have more Representatives? Because of their population.
• How long is a presidential term? Four (4) years.
• In what month do we vote for President? November.
• Who becomes President if the President can no longer serve? The Vice President.
• Who is Commander in Chief of the military? The President.
• Who signs bills into law, and who vetoes them? The President.
• What does the President’s Cabinet do? Advises the President.
• Name two Cabinet-level positions. Secretary of State, Secretary of Labor, Attorney General, Secretary of Defense.
• What does the judicial branch do? Reviews and explains laws, resolves disputes, and decides whether a law goes against the Constitution.
• What is the highest court? The Supreme Court.
• How many justices sit on the Supreme Court? Nine (9).
• Name one power of the federal government. To print money, declare war, create an army, or make treaties.
• Name one power of the states. Provide schooling, police protection, fire departments, driver’s licenses, or zoning rules.
• What are the two major political parties? Democratic and Republican.

Several answers depend on who currently holds office — the President, Vice President, Speaker of the House, Chief Justice, your governor, your senators, and your state capital. Those are the ones worth re-checking the week of your interview.

Rights and responsibilities

• Name one responsibility that is only for U.S. citizens. Serving on a jury, or voting in a federal election.
• Name one right only for U.S. citizens. Voting in a federal election, or running for federal office.
• Name two rights of everyone living in the United States. Freedom of expression, speech, assembly, worship, or the right to a speedy trial.
• What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance? The United States and the flag.
• Name one promise you make when you become a citizen. To give up loyalty to other countries, defend the Constitution, obey U.S. laws, or serve the country if needed.
• How old must citizens be to vote for President? Eighteen (18) and older.
• Name two ways Americans can participate in democracy. Vote, join a civic group, help with a campaign, or write to a newspaper.
• When is the last day to send federal income tax forms? April 15.
• When must men register for Selective Service? Between 18 and 26.

American history: dates, names, and one recurring president

• Name one reason colonists came to America. Freedom, religious freedom, political liberty, or economic opportunity.
• Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived? Native Americans, also called American Indians.
• What group was taken to America and sold as slaves? Africans.
• Why did the colonists fight the British? High taxes, the British army staying in their homes, and a lack of self-government.
• Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? Thomas Jefferson.
• When was it adopted? July 4, 1776.
• Name one of the 13 original states. New York, Virginia, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and others.
• What happened at the Constitutional Convention? The Constitution was written.
• When was the Constitution written? 1787.
• Name one writer of the Federalist Papers. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, or John Jay.
• Name one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for. U.S. diplomat, first Postmaster General, writer of Poor Richard’s Almanac, or founder of the first free libraries.
• Who is the Father of Our Country? George Washington.
• Who was the first President? George Washington.
• What territory did the U.S. buy from France in 1803? Louisiana.
• Name the war between the North and the South. The Civil War.
• Name two important things Abraham Lincoln did. Freed the slaves and saved the Union.
• What did Susan B. Anthony do? Fought for women’s rights and civil rights.
• Name one war fought by the U.S. in the 1900s. World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, or the Persian Gulf War.
• Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II? Franklin Roosevelt.
• During the Cold War, what was the main concern? Communism