About you submit your application forms, you will be called in for an interview. During the interview, you will be asked questions about your application and take a brief test on U.S. history and civics. The resources on this page can help you prepare.
The USCIS officer will ask you questions based on the N-400 form you submitted. Be sure to review your application and become very familiar with the questions and answers. These questions will serve as the ‘speaking’ portion of your English language test.
Some people are exempt from taking the English exam. To learn if you qualify for exemption, review these guidelines.
The officer also needs to know that you obtained your green card properly. Be sure to review your entire immigration history.
You will need to demonstrate that you can read and write English at a basic level. Both the reading and writing tests are usually conducted using a tablet provided by the USCIS officer conducting the interview. Review here the possible vocabulary used in these tests.
During the reading test, you must read 1 out of 3 sentences aloud correctly.
During the writing test, you must write 1 out of 3 sentences in English correctly.
Some people are exempt from taking the English exam. To learn whether you qualify for an exemption, review these guidelines.
While speaking is not directly part of the reading and writing tests, those who do not qualify for a language exemption will have their interview conducted in English. Therefore, the USCIS officer will also assess your ability to speak and understand English throughout the interview process.
We recommend that you:
You will also be tested on your knowledge of U.S. civics and history. If you applied before October 20, 2025, your test is based on the list of 100 questions. If you applied on or after October 20, 2025, your test will be based on the 128 questions.
For the 100-question test, you will be asked up to 10 questions. You must answer 6 out of 10 questions correctly to pass. The test is given verbally.
For the 128-question test, you will be asked up to 20 questions. You must answer 12 out of 20 questions correctly to pass. The test is given verbally.
If you are at least 65 years old and have been a lawful permanent resident for at least 20 years, you may qualify to study a shortened list of 20 questions. Which set of 20 questions you study will depend on when you submitted your application:
Depending on your age and how long you have been a lawful permanent resident, you may qualify to take the civics test in your native language. You will need to bring your own in-person interpreter. Learn more about the 50/20 and 55/15 rule exemptions.
There are several resources available to help you prepare for your naturalization interview, including classes, websites, mobile apps, study guides, and more. We have compiled a list of some helpful resources to help you get started
Classes are offered across the state to help you prepare for your English language and civics exams. We recommend checking in your local library, or a community college or nonprofit organization in your area. Below are links to help you find a location near you
For the civics test, the main materials you should use to study are the 100 questions and the 128 questions. To learn more about the difference between these two tests, see the section above titled “Civics Test,” where we explain the differences in more detail.
The lists of questions are sufficient to study for the test. If you prefer, you can use only these questions to prepare, and you will have everything you need to study for the civics portion of the interview.
However, the list below includes a variety of resources to complement your studies, as well as resources in other languages for those who qualify for an exemption.
Below, you can find other official materials that USCIS, the agency that conducts these interviews, has provided on its website.
Non-official resources:
USCIS has created several videos to give you an example of what to expect during your naturalization interview. You can review them through the Naturalization & Interview Test playlist on YouTube.
While USCIS is the official agency conducting the interview, other non-official community organizations have also created videos that you may find helpful when preparing for the test. See them below:
