2008 CIVICS TEST GUIDE

The 2008 Civics Test: 100 Questions, Scoring and How to Study

The 2008 civics test applies if USCIS received your Form N-400 before October 20, 2025. A USCIS officer asks you up to 10 questions from an official list of 100, and you pass with 6 correct answers.

The officer stops as soon as you reach 6 correct answers or 5 incorrect answers. This page breaks the 100 questions down by topic, lists the 20 starred questions for applicants aged 65 or older, and shows which answers change.

Checked against official USCIS pages on Nov 2, 2026. Visa Current is independent of USCIS and all government agencies.

Key takeaways

Who takes it: applicants who filed Form N-400 before Oct. 20, 2025.
Format: oral test, up to 10 questions from 100, selected at random by a USCIS system.
Pass mark: 6 correct. Fail mark: 5 incorrect. The officer stops at either point.
Topics: 57 American Government, 30 American History and 13 Integrated Civics questions.
Age 65+ with 20 years as a permanent resident: 10 questions from the 20 starred questions, 6 correct to pass.
Changing answers: 10 questions depend on current officials, the current number of Supreme Court justices or where you live.
Retest: if you fail civics, USCIS retests civics 60 to 90 days after your first interview.

Who still takes the 2008 civics test?

USCIS gives the 2008 civics test to applicants who filed Form N-400 before October 20, 2025. If you filed on or after that date, you take the 2025 civics test instead. Your filing date is on your Form N-400 receipt notice.

Not sure which version applies to you? Our citizenship test guide compares the 2008 and 2025 versions side by side.

How is the 2008 civics test scored?

You need at least 6 correct answers out of 10. USCIS says the passing percentage is 60 percent for both versions of the civics test.

Question selection: a USCIS system randomly selects the questions from the bank of 100, and the officer asks them out loud.
Stopping rule: the officer stops once you answer 6 correctly or 5 incorrectly.
Alternative phrasing: the USCIS Policy Manual counts a correct answer or an alternative phrasing of the correct answer.
Not answering: the Policy Manual treats failing to respond the same as an incorrect answer.

The civics test is one part of the naturalization test. You also take an English test unless you qualify for an exemption.

What topics are on the 2008 civics test?

The 100 official questions fall into three sections and nine topics. The table counts them from the official USCIS list.

The 100 questions of the 2008 civics test, by topic
Topic	Section	Question numbers	Questions
Principles of American Democracy	American Government	1–12	12
System of Government	American Government	13–47	35
Rights and Responsibilities	American Government	48–57	10
Colonial Period and Independence	American History	58–70	13
1800s	American History	71–77	7
Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information	American History	78–87	10
Geography	Integrated Civics	88–95	8
Symbols	Integrated Civics	96–98	3
Holidays	Integrated Civics	99–100	2

System of Government is the largest topic, with 35 of the 100 questions. Give it substantial study time, but prepare across all topics. The questions are selected by a USCIS system, and this topic breakdown does not predict which questions you will receive.

Which questions are starred for the 65/20 test?

If you are 65 or older and have been a lawful permanent resident for 20 or more years, USCIS asks 10 questions from a special set of 20. You need 6 correct to pass, and you may take the test in the language of your choice. These are the 20 starred questions on the 2008 list, with the official answers.

6. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment? speech; religion; assembly; press; petition the government
11. What is the economic system in the United States? capitalist economy; market economy
13. Name one branch or part of the government. Congress; legislative; President; executive; the courts; judicial
17. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? the Senate and House (of Representatives)
20. Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now? Depends on where you live. District of Columbia residents and residents of U.S. territories should answer that D.C. (or the territory where the applicant lives) has no U.S. Senators.
27. In what month do we vote for President? November
28. What is the name of the President of the United States now? Can change. Check the USCIS test updates page before your interview.
44. What is the capital of your state? Depends on where you live. District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. is not a state and does not have a capital. Residents of U.S. territories should name the capital of the territory.
45. What are the two major political parties in the United States? Democratic and Republican
49. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens? serve on a jury; vote in a federal election
54. How old do citizens have to be to vote for President? eighteen (18) and older
56. When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms? April 15
70. Who was the first President? (George) Washington
75. What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did? freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation); saved (or preserved) the Union; led the United States during the Civil War
78. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s. World War I; World War II; Korean War; Vietnam War; (Persian) Gulf War
85. What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do? fought for civil rights; worked for equality for all Americans
94. What is the capital of the United States? Washington, D.C.
95. Where is the Statue of Liberty? New York (Harbor); Liberty Island [Also acceptable are New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson (River).]
97. Why does the flag have 50 stars? because there is one star for each state; because each star represents a state; because there are 50 states
99. When do we celebrate Independence Day? July 4

Where several answers are listed, any one of them is accepted. Anyone can use this list to start studying, but most applicants must prepare for all 100 questions.

Which 2008 civics answers change?

Some answers depend on who holds office on the day of your interview, on current law or on where you live. USCIS says you must answer with the official serving at the time of your interview.

20. Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now? (starred)
23. Name your U.S. Representative.
28. What is the name of the President of the United States now? (starred)
29. What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
39. How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
40. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
43. Who is the Governor of your state now?
44. What is the capital of your state? (starred)
46. What is the political party of the President now?
47. What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?

Check the USCIS test updates page for the current 2008 answers shortly before your interview. Look up your own senators, representative, governor and state capital as well.

How to study the 100 questions

Download the official list. Use the free USCIS 100-question PDF as your master copy.
Study by topic. Work through one topic at a time, starting with System of Government.
Answer out loud. The test is oral, so practise saying each answer, not just reading it.
Learn one answer well. Many questions accept any one listed answer. Pick the one you can say clearly.
Use the 2008 materials. The USCIS study page lists free 2008 resources, including “A More Perfect Union”, a guide to the National Mall monuments written for the 2008 test.
Refresh the changing answers. Recheck current officials and your local answers in the week before your interview.

What if you fail the 2008 civics test?

You get two attempts. If you fail the civics test at your first interview, USCIS retests you on civics only, between 60 and 90 days after that interview. Exceptions, including medical disability exceptions, are explained on the USCIS exceptions and accommodations page.

Practise the 2008 questions in Visa Current

Create a free Visa Current account to practise with flashcards built from the official USCIS list of 100 questions. Read a question, answer out loud, then reveal the official answers and mark yourself. Nothing is graded, and practising here does not predict your interview result.

Free includes the first 10 questions from each official civics set. Essential costs $20/month and unlocks all 100 questions from the 2008 test and all 128 questions from the 2025 test. Visa Current also offers separate interview practice prompts written by Visa Current, not USCIS.

Start practising free View membership plans

Official sources and last verification

All facts on this page were checked against these official pages on Nov 2, 2026. If anything here differs from USCIS, the USCIS page is correct.

Visa Current (visacurrent.com) is an independent online preparation workspace for people going through the U.S. immigration process. It organizes official Visa Bulletin dates, form roadmaps, case check-in reminders and practice flashcards in one place. It does not file applications, does not provide legal advice and is not affiliated with USCIS or any government agency. This page is information, not legal advice, and does not guarantee a test result or naturalization decision.