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U.S. citizenship · interview day

The naturalization interview, step by step

As of October 25, 2026, there is no separate speaking test: the USCIS officer judges spoken English during the Form N-400 eligibility interview itself.

On the USCIS English reading test, the applicant must read aloud one of three sentences correctly.

The 2025 USCIS civics test is oral: an officer asks up to 20 of the 128 official questions, and the applicant needs 12 correct answers to pass (per uscis.gov, checked on Oct 25, 2026).

Updated Oct 25, 2026Rules checked against uscis.govHow we check

From the appointment notice to the oath

The order USCIS describes in its 10 steps to naturalization, from the interview onward.

  1. Show up with your appointment notice

    USCIS schedules the naturalization interview after the preliminary steps, and the applicant must come to the USCIS office at the time on the appointment notice and bring the notice. source, Oct 25, 2026

  2. The interview and the test

    One sitting with one officer. USCIS does not publish a fixed order for the parts below.

    • Speaking

      There is no separate speaking test: the USCIS officer judges spoken English during the Form N-400 eligibility interview itself. source, Oct 25, 2026

    • Reading

      On the USCIS English reading test, the applicant must read aloud one of three sentences correctly. source, Oct 25, 2026

    • Writing

      On the USCIS English writing test, the applicant must write one of three sentences correctly. source, Oct 25, 2026

    • Civics

      The 2025 USCIS civics test is oral: an officer asks up to 20 of the 128 official questions, and the applicant needs 12 correct answers to pass. source, Oct 25, 2026

  3. A decision on your Form N-400

    USCIS may continue, instead of deny, a Form N-400 when the applicant fails the English or civics test the first time. source, Oct 25, 2026

  4. The Oath of Allegiance

    An approved applicant may be able to take the Oath of Allegiance at a ceremony on the same day as the interview, and is not a U.S. citizen until the oath is taken. source, Oct 25, 2026

Exceptions by age, years as a resident or disability

Who gets a shorter civics list, who can skip the English test and who can test in another language.

65/20Age 65+, 20 years as a resident
Under the USCIS 65/20 special consideration, an applicant who is 65 or older and has been a permanent resident for 20 or more years may study only the 20 questions marked with an asterisk. source, Oct 25, 2026
An applicant tested under the 65/20 rule is asked 10 of the 20 asterisked questions, needs 6 correct answers to pass and may take the civics test in the language of their choice. source, Oct 25, 2026
50/2055/15Older, long-time residents
USCIS exempts applicants from the English test, but not from the civics test, when they are 50 or older with 20 years as a permanent resident (50/20) or 55 or older with 15 years (55/15). source, Oct 25, 2026
Applicants who use the 50/20 or 55/15 exception may take the civics test in their native language and must bring an interpreter fluent in English and that language. source, Oct 25, 2026
N-648Disability exception
Applicants with a physical or developmental disability or a mental impairment can ask for an exception to the English and civics requirements with Form N-648, completed by a licensed doctor or clinical psychologist. source, Oct 25, 2026

If a part of the test goes wrong

Rehearse the interview before the real one

Practice the civics part free on the practice test page. The pack adds a mock interview with every part in one sitting.

Inside the citizenship pack: a mock interview that reads each question aloud, runs the reading and writing sentences and stops the civics part at the same 12-right or 9-wrong point as the real test.

One-time payment

Citizenship practice pack

$19.951 year of access · no subscription

  • A mock interview that reads every question aloud
  • Reading and writing sentences from the USCIS lists
  • All 128 civics questions with spaced review
  • The 65/20 list as its own test, for a year

Refunds: Full refund within 7 days of purchase, no questions asked.

OneTryPass is not affiliated with USCIS. Official study materials are free at uscis.gov/citizenship.

Naturalization interview FAQ

What happens if I fail the citizenship test at my interview?

An applicant who fails the English or civics test at the first naturalization interview is retested only on the failed part, between 60 and 90 days after that interview. USCIS gives each applicant two attempts at the English and civics tests on one Form N-400. Source: official page "The Naturalization Interview and Test", checked on Oct 25, 2026.

Do I become a citizen on the day of the interview?

Not at the interview itself. An approved applicant may be able to take the Oath of Allegiance at a ceremony on the same day as the interview, and is not a U.S. citizen until the oath is taken. Source: official page "10 Steps to Naturalization", checked on Oct 25, 2026.

Can I take the citizenship test in my own language?

Only if you qualify for an exception. Applicants who use the 50/20 or 55/15 exception may take the civics test in their native language and must bring an interpreter fluent in English and that language. Source: official page "Exceptions and Accommodations", checked on Oct 25, 2026.

Is there a separate English speaking test?

There is no separate speaking test: the USCIS officer judges spoken English during the Form N-400 eligibility interview itself. Source: official page "The Naturalization Interview and Test", checked on Oct 25, 2026.

Every interview rule we checked

Each line is one rule from a uscis.gov page, with the date we read it.

Civics test format
The 2025 USCIS civics test is oral: an officer asks up to 20 of the 128 official questions, and the applicant needs 12 correct answers to pass. source, Oct 25, 2026
The USCIS officer stops the 2025 civics test as soon as the applicant reaches 12 correct answers or 9 incorrect ones, and 9 incorrect answers mean a fail. source, Oct 25, 2026
65/20 and other exceptions
Under the USCIS 65/20 special consideration, an applicant who is 65 or older and has been a permanent resident for 20 or more years may study only the 20 questions marked with an asterisk. source, Oct 25, 2026
An applicant tested under the 65/20 rule is asked 10 of the 20 asterisked questions, needs 6 correct answers to pass and may take the civics test in the language of their choice. source, Oct 25, 2026
USCIS exempts applicants from the English test, but not from the civics test, when they are 50 or older with 20 years as a permanent resident (50/20) or 55 or older with 15 years (55/15). source, Oct 25, 2026
Applicants who use the 50/20 or 55/15 exception may take the civics test in their native language and must bring an interpreter fluent in English and that language. source, Oct 25, 2026
Applicants with a physical or developmental disability or a mental impairment can ask for an exception to the English and civics requirements with Form N-648, completed by a licensed doctor or clinical psychologist. source, Oct 25, 2026
If you fail
An applicant who fails the English or civics test at the first naturalization interview is retested only on the failed part, between 60 and 90 days after that interview. source, Oct 25, 2026
USCIS gives each applicant two attempts at the English and civics tests on one Form N-400. source, Oct 25, 2026
English test
On the USCIS English reading test, the applicant must read aloud one of three sentences correctly. source, Oct 25, 2026
On the USCIS English writing test, the applicant must write one of three sentences correctly. source, Oct 25, 2026
There is no separate speaking test: the USCIS officer judges spoken English during the Form N-400 eligibility interview itself. source, Oct 25, 2026
Interview day
USCIS schedules the naturalization interview after the preliminary steps, and the applicant must come to the USCIS office at the time on the appointment notice and bring the notice. source, Oct 25, 2026
USCIS may continue, instead of deny, a Form N-400 when the applicant fails the English or civics test the first time. source, Oct 25, 2026
An approved applicant may be able to take the Oath of Allegiance at a ceremony on the same day as the interview, and is not a U.S. citizen until the oath is taken. source, Oct 25, 2026

Where this information comes from

Every rule on this page comes from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) pages at uscis.gov. OneTryPass reads each page, writes the rule in plain English and records the date; a rule that passes its re-check date leaves the page on its own.

How often each kind of rule is read again: civics test format, 90 days; 65/20 and other exceptions, 180 days; if you fail, 180 days; english test, 180 days; interview day, 180 days.

Something wrong on this page? Tell us at [email protected] and include the link to the official page that changed. See how we check.