65/20 Exemption: 10 Questions
If you are 65 or older and have been a lawful permanent resident for 20 or more years, USCIS does not ask you the full civics test. It asks 10 questions drawn from a shorter bank of 20, and you need 6 of those 10 correct.
Do you qualify?
Both parts have to be true at the time you file Form N-400:
- You are 65 or older.
- You have been a lawful permanent resident for 20 or more years.
USCIS decides eligibility from your age and how long you have held permanent residence. If your dates are close to the line, confirm with USCIS or an accredited representative before you rely on this page.
How the test works
- USCIS marks 20 of the civics questions with an asterisk as the 65/20 bank.
- The officer asks 10 questions from that bank.
- You pass the civics test by answering 6 of the 10 correctly.
This works the same way on the 2008 test and the 2025 test. Which version you are given depends on the date USCIS received your Form N-400, not your interview date. If you are not sure which one applies, start with which civics test you will take.
What else the exemption changes
The same age and residency status also waives the English test, and it lets you take the civics test in your native language with an interpreter. The English test page lists the rules, including the 50/20 and 55/15 statuses that also waive English.
The 20 questions to study
The 2025 starred questions are listed together, each with every answer USCIS accepts, on the 65/20 question list. If you filed Form N-400 before October 20, 2025, use the 2008 65/20 list instead.
Practice the starred set
The 65/20 quiz asks only these 20 questions and shows every accepted answer, with a short explanation. The question about your state's governor cannot be graded, so it is left out of the quiz but still on the question list.
For the full set, use the 2025 question list or the 2008 question list, and for practice across every topic start at the civics practice quizzes.
The other two age-based exemptions
Two more statuses waive the English test. Neither one shortens the civics test, so you still prepare the full question set:
- 50/20 — age 50 or older and 20 or more years as a lawful permanent resident.
- 55/15 — age 55 or older and 15 or more years as a lawful permanent resident.
The civics test in Spanish page covers the interpreter rules that apply to all three age exemptions, and the civics test exemptions page compares every exemption, including the disability exception.
This page describes the rule as USCIS publishes it. Requirements can change, so confirm the current wording on uscis.gov before your interview.