What Happens If You Fail the USCIS Civics Test

Failing the USCIS civics test at your naturalization interview does not result in an immediate denial. You are not turned away and told to start over. USCIS builds a second chance directly into the process, and most applicants who fail the first time pass on the retest.

The Pass Threshold

At your interview, the officer asks up to 10 questions drawn from the official 128-question civics list. You need to answer 6 correctly to pass. The officer stops asking once you reach 6 correct answers, so you do not have to answer all 10 if you pass early. If you answer 4 or fewer correctly before reaching 10 questions, you have failed the civics portion.

If you are 65 years or older and have been a permanent resident for at least 20 years, you qualify for the "65/20" exception. Under this rule, the officer only asks questions from a shorter list of 20 civics questions (marked with an asterisk in the official USCIS list), and you need to answer 6 of 10 correctly from that subset.

What Happens Right After You Fail

The officer will note the failure in your file and end the civics portion of the interview. If you also passed the English reading and writing portions, those results stand. You do not have to retake anything you already passed.

You will receive a written notice in the mail scheduling your retest date. USCIS typically schedules retests 60 to 90 days after the initial interview, though the exact timing depends on your field office's schedule.

The Retest

Your retest covers only the component you failed. If you passed the English test but failed civics, the retest is civics only. The retest works exactly like the original: the officer asks up to 10 questions from the 128-question list, and you need 6 correct to pass.

The questions at the retest are not necessarily the same ones from your first interview. The officer draws from the full civics question bank, so you should study all 128 questions before your retest, not just the ones you missed the first time.

If You Fail the Retest

If you fail the civics test a second time, USCIS will mail you a written denial of your naturalization application. At that point, you have two options.

Your first option is to request an administrative hearing by filing Form N-336 (Request for a Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings). You have 30 days from the date of the denial notice to file Form N-336. At the hearing, a different USCIS officer reviews your case and can reverse the denial if they find the original decision was wrong.

Your second option is to refile Form N-400. Refiling starts the process from the beginning, including a new filing fee, new biometrics, and a new wait for an interview. However, refiling gives you more time to study and prepare.

Civics vs. English Test Failures

The same retest policy applies if you fail the English reading or writing portion instead of, or in addition to, civics. Each component is tracked separately. You only retest what you failed.

How to Prepare Before Your Retest

The time between your first interview and your retest is the most important study window you have. Do not wait until the week before. Start reviewing the full 128-question list immediately after your first interview. Use spaced repetition: review questions daily rather than in one long session the night before.

Common reasons people fail the civics test include confusing numbers (the number of senators, representatives, or amendments), not knowing the answers to "current official" questions like the President or Speaker of the House, and mixing up similar concepts. Focus your study time on the categories where you know you struggled.

Practice answering questions out loud, not just in your head. At the interview, you must give a verbal answer. Reading silently and saying the answer aloud engage different memory pathways, and practicing verbally better simulates the real interview environment.