65/20 civics questions, 2025 version

The 20 questions marked with an asterisk in the official 2025 list, for applicants aged 65 or older who have been permanent residents for 20 years or more.

Who can use this short list

USCIS gives special consideration to an applicant who, when filing Form N-400, is 65 years old or older and has lived in the United States as a lawful permanent resident for at least 20 years. Such applicants study only these 20 questions. The officer asks 10 of them, and 6 correct answers (60 percent) are a pass. The test may be taken in the language of your choice, with an interpreter. Both conditions must be met: age 65 and 20 years of permanent residence. Age alone is not enough.

The 65/20 list comes from the version of the test that your filing date gives you. If you filed on or after October 20, 2025, it is this list. If you filed before that date, use the 2008 version.

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The 20 questions

The numbers are the question numbers in the full official list.

1. 2 What is the supreme law of the land? 65/20

   • (U.S.) Constitution

   Every law, court and official in the country must follow the Constitution. If another law conflicts with it, the Constitution wins.

2. 7 How many amendments does the U.S. Constitution have? 65/20

   • Twenty-seven (27)

   The first ten came together as the Bill of Rights. The 27th, about pay for members of Congress, was ratified in 1992.

3. 12 What is the economic system of the United States? 65/20

   • Capitalism
   • Free market economy

   In a market economy, people and private businesses, not the government, decide what to make, buy and sell.

4. 20 Name one power of the U.S. Congress. 65/20

   • Writes laws
   • Declares war
   • Makes the federal budget

   The Constitution gives Congress these powers in Article I. One answer is enough.

5. 30 What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now? 65/20

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

   The Speaker leads the House of Representatives and is chosen by its members. The name changes over time: check the USCIS test updates page before your interview. See what the USCIS updates page listed.

6. 36 The President of the United States is elected for how many years? 65/20

   • Four (4) years

   Presidential elections are held every four years, in November.

7. 38 What is the name of the President of the United States now? 65/20

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

   Give the name of the president serving on the day of your interview. USCIS lists the accepted answers on its test updates page. See what the USCIS updates page listed.

8. 39 What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now? 65/20

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

   Give the name of the vice president serving on the day of your interview. Check the USCIS test updates page. See what the USCIS updates page listed.

9. 44 Who vetoes bills? 65/20

   • The President (of the United States)

   To veto is to refuse to sign a bill. Congress can override a veto with a two-thirds vote in both chambers.

10. 52 What is the highest court in the United States? 65/20

    • Supreme Court

    Its decisions are final, and all other courts must follow them.

11. 61 Who is the governor of your state now? 65/20

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

    The governor is the head of your state's government. Find the name on your state's official website. Washington, D.C. has no governor. Where to find your answer.

12. 66 What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance? 65/20

    • The United States
    • The flag

    The Pledge is a promise of loyalty to the flag and to the country it stands for.

13. 74 Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived? 65/20

    • American Indians
    • Native Americans

    Native peoples had lived across the continent for thousands of years before Europeans came.

14. 78 Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? 65/20

    • (Thomas) Jefferson

    Jefferson, from Virginia, wrote the first draft in 1776 at the age of 33. He later became the third president.

15. 86 George Washington is famous for many things. Name one. 65/20

    • “Father of Our Country”
    • First president of the United States
    • General of the Continental Army
    • President of the Constitutional Convention

    Washington led the Continental Army to victory and was then elected the first president, serving from 1789 to 1797.

16. 94 Abraham Lincoln is famous for many things. Name one. 65/20

    • 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

    Lincoln was the 16th president. He led the country through the Civil War and was killed in 1865.

17. 113 Martin Luther King, Jr. is famous for many things. Name one. 65/20

    • 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”

    King led peaceful protests for equal rights. He was killed in 1968. A national holiday honours him in January.

18. 115 What major event happened on September 11, 2001 in the United States? 65/20

    • 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

    Hijacked planes struck the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon near Washington; a fourth crashed in Pennsylvania.

19. 121 Why does the flag have 13 stripes? 65/20

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

    The 13 red and white stripes stand for the 13 original colonies.

20. 126 Name three national U.S. holidays. 65/20

    • 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

    This question asks for three. Easy ones to remember are Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Tips for this list

• Twenty questions can be learned in a week at three a day. Go over all of them aloud every day after that.
• 4 of the 20 have an answer that depends on who is in office or on your state. Look those up shortly before the interview: answers that change.
• If you will use an interpreter, practise with that person, so the questions sound familiar in your own language.
• Other exceptions for older applicants, 50/20 and 55/15, are about the English test. They are explained on the exceptions page.

Independent study site. Citizenship Test is not a government website and is not connected with USCIS or any agency. Questions and accepted answers are quoted from the official USCIS lists; the notes are ours. Rules were read on uscis.gov on 12 November 2026. Always confirm with uscis.gov/citizenship before your interview.