The 2026 US Citizenship Test: 128 Questions, Answered

There is a moment in every naturalization interview when the small talk stops. The officer looks up from your N-400, sets down the pen, and says, “Now I’m going to ask you some questions about American government and history.” Whatever you memorized — or didn’t — decides the next few minutes. If your interview lands in 2026, those questions come from the newest version of the civics test, and the flashcard set your cousin used in 2018 will leave gaps.

Here is what you will actually face, with real questions and the answers that count.

Which Test Version Lands on Your Desk in 2026

USCIS introduced a new naturalization civics test on October 20, 2025, retiring the 2008 version that most applicants have studied for the past fifteen years. The version you get depends on when you filed, not when you interview. Filed on or before October 20, 2025? You will almost certainly be tested on the older 100-question list. Filed after that date? The new 128-question test is yours, even if your interview happens in late 2026.

The scoring changed along with the question count. The old test asked up to 10 questions, with 6 correct answers needed to pass. The new test runs up to 20 questions and requires 12 correct answers. It sounds brutal. Mostly it just takes longer to prepare for.

One caution before you build your whole study plan around a blog post: USCIS has revised this test three times in six years, and details like the exact length of the senior exemption have shifted with each version. Treat this as your map, then confirm the specifics on uscis.gov the week you file.

The 128 Questions, Decoded

The new list is broader, not sneakier. Questions cluster into nine topics: principles of American democracy, the system of government, rights and responsibilities, colonial history, the 1800s, recent American history, geography, symbols, and holidays. Each question has a fixed set of answers USCIS accepts, and you only need to give one of them.

Here is what the questions actually sound like: