US citizenship civics · Learn · 30 October 2026 · 6 min read

The 65/20 civics questions: the 20 questions for applicants 65 and over

How the 65/20 rule works on the 2025 US civics test, with all 20 asterisked questions and their official USCIS answers in one list.

Most naturalization applicants study the full list of 128 civics questions. Some older applicants do not have to. Under the 65/20 special consideration, applicants who qualify study a shorter list of 20 questions, marked with an asterisk in the official USCIS list.

This guide explains who the rule applies to and how the test works under it, and gives all 20 questions with their official answers. The rules can be updated, so always confirm them on uscis.gov before your interview.

Who the 65/20 rule applies to

According to USCIS, the 65/20 special consideration applies if you are:

65 years old or older, and
have been a lawful permanent resident of the United States for 20 years or more.

USCIS looks at your age and years as a permanent resident at the time you file your Form N-400. If you are close to either line, check the official guidance carefully rather than assuming.

How the test works under 65/20

For the 2025 version of the civics test:

	Standard test	65/20 test
Questions to study	128	20 (the asterisked ones)
Questions asked	Up to 20	10
Correct answers needed	12	6

USCIS also states that applicants who qualify for 65/20 may take the civics test in the language of their choice. Check uscis.gov for how interpreters work for your interview.

Which version applies to you? The 2025 test applies if you filed your N-400 on or after October 20, 2025. If you filed earlier, you take the 2008 test, which has its own, different list of 20 asterisked questions. Our guide to the 2008 and 2025 tests explains the difference.

The 20 questions and their official answers

The questions and answers below are from the USCIS list of 128 civics questions (2025 version), which is in the public domain. Numbers match the official list. Where several answers are listed, you need to give only one unless the question asks for more.

American government

2. What is the supreme law of the land?

(U.S.) Constitution

7. How many amendments does the U.S. Constitution have?

Twenty-seven (27)

12. What is the economic system of the United States?

Capitalism
Free market economy

20. Name one power of the U.S. Congress.

Writes laws
Declares war
Makes the federal budget

30. What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?

Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

36. The President of the United States is elected for how many years?

Four (4) years

38. What is the name of the President of the United States now?

Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the President of the United States.

39. What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?

Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the Vice President of the United States.

44. Who vetoes bills?

The President (of the United States)

52. What is the highest court in the United States?

Supreme Court

61. Who is the governor of your state now?

Answers will vary. [District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. does not have a governor.]

66. What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?

The United States
The flag

American history

74. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

American Indians
Native Americans

78. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

(Thomas) Jefferson

86. George Washington is famous for many things. Name one.

"Father of Our Country"
First president of the United States
General of the Continental Army
President of the Constitutional Convention

94. Abraham Lincoln is famous for many things. Name one.

Freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
Saved (or preserved) the Union
Led the United States during the Civil War
16th president of the United States
Delivered the Gettysburg Address

113. Martin Luther King, Jr. is famous for many things. Name one.

Fought for civil rights
Worked for equality for all Americans
Worked to ensure that people would "not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character"

115. What major event happened on September 11, 2001 in the United States?

Terrorists attacked the United States
Terrorists took over two planes and crashed them into the World Trade Center in New York City
Terrorists took over a plane and crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia
Terrorists took over a plane originally aimed at Washington, D.C., and crashed in a field in Pennsylvania

Symbols and holidays

121. Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

(Because there were) 13 original colonies
(Because the stripes) represent the original colonies

126. Name three national U.S. holidays.

New Year's Day
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Presidents Day (Washington's Birthday)
Memorial Day
Juneteenth
Independence Day
Labor Day
Columbus Day
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day

Words in parentheses are optional. For question 126, you must name three holidays.

Answers that change

Four of the 20 questions depend on who holds office when you take the test:

30: the Speaker of the House
38: the President
39: the Vice President
61: the governor of your state

You must give the name of the person serving at the time of your interview. Check uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates shortly before your interview, and again the day before if there has been a recent election or change. For question 61, look up your own state's governor on your state government's official website. Our guide to civics answers that change shows how.

How to study the 20 questions

Twenty questions is a manageable list, but you need 6 of 10 on the day, so aim to know every one.

Learn one answer per question first. Pick the shortest answer you can say clearly, such as "Jefferson" for question 78.
Say your answers out loud. The test is oral. Practice answering in the language you will use at the interview.
Group them. Study the government questions together, then history, then symbols and holidays.
Ask someone to quiz you in random order, the way the officer will.
Check the four changing answers in the week before your interview.

Our 65/20 questions drill on the US citizenship hub covers exactly these 20 questions. For background on each one, see the theme pages: principles of American government, system of government, rights and responsibilities, colonial period and independence, the 1800s, recent American history, symbols and holidays.

Before your interview

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Eligibility for the 65/20 consideration, interpreter arrangements and test procedures are set by USCIS and can change. Read your interview notice carefully and check uscis.gov for the rules that apply to you. Our guide to the naturalization interview explains what happens on the day.