Common questions, answered plainly.
About the 2025 test, about the course, and about what happens on interview day. If your question is not here, contact us.
About the test itself
What changed with the 2025 citizenship test?
For Form N-400 applications filed on or after October 20, 2025, USCIS uses a civics test with 128 possible questions. At the interview the officer asks up to 20 of them and you must answer 12 correctly. The older 2008 test had 100 possible questions, 10 asked, 6 to pass. The English test (reading, writing, speaking) did not change.
Which test will I take?
It depends on the date USCIS received your N-400. Filed on or after October 20, 2025: the 2025 test with 128 questions. Filed before that date: the 2008 test with 100 questions. Check your receipt notice for the date. This course is designed for the 2025 test. About three-quarters of the material overlaps with the 2008 test, but the older test has questions this course does not cover — use USCIS's free 2008 study materials for it.
Does the officer ask all 20 questions?
Not always. On the standard 2025 test the officer stops as soon as you have answered 12 correctly — or 9 incorrectly. So the test can end after 12 questions or after as many as 20.
I am 65 and have had my green card for more than 20 years. Is my test different?
Yes, if you meet both conditions on the day you file your N-400. You study a shorter list of 20 designated questions, the officer asks up to 10, and you need 6 correct. You may also take the civics test in your own language. Lesson 21, in the Interview Ready plans, covers this and the other exceptions.
Do I have to take the English test?
Most applicants do. You are exempt if, when you file Form N-400, you are 50 or older and have been a permanent resident for 20 years (the “50/20” rule), or 55 or older with 15 years (the “55/15” rule). Exempt applicants still take the civics test, in their own language with an interpreter. There is also a medical exception (Form N-648) for certain disabilities.
What is on the English test?
Three parts. Reading: you must read one of up to three sentences correctly. Writing: you must write one of up to three sentences the officer dictates. USCIS publishes the vocabulary lists for reading and writing, and Lesson 11 teaches them. Speaking is different: the officer assesses your spoken English through questions and conversation about your application — there is no word list for it.
Some questions have answers that change, like the President or the Speaker. How does the course handle that?
We teach you to check the current answer and tell you exactly where to look. Those few questions are flagged in the lessons and the pocket guide so you can confirm your answers are current before the interview.
What happens if I fail?
You get one more chance, usually 60 to 90 days later, on only the part you failed. If you fail a required part twice, USCIS denies the application. You may be able to request a hearing on the denial (Form N-336) or apply again — read the denial notice promptly, because the deadline to request a hearing is short. The course also offers practice for applicants preparing for a second test.
About CitizenshipPASS
Who teaches the course?
Stephen M. NeSmith, Jr., a practicing immigration attorney in Montgomery, Alabama, and the founder of CitizenshipPASS. He recorded every lesson himself. More about Stephen.
USCIS gives the questions away for free. Why pay for a course?
You should use the free USCIS materials — they are the official list. CitizenshipPASS adds video explanations of every answer, an organized study plan, practice answering out loud, the English test, both languages, and optional coaching.
Will this course teach me English?
It prepares you for the English test — reading, writing and speaking — and gets you used to hearing and answering interview questions in English. It is not an English class. If you are starting with very little English, take an English (ESL) class alongside the course; many libraries and community colleges offer them free or at low cost.
Is every lesson really in Spanish?
Yes. All video lessons are recorded in both English and Spanish and you can switch at any time. Live practice interviews in the Coaching plan are conducted in English, like the real interview.
How long is each lesson? How long does the course take?
Lessons are about 10–15 minutes. There are 15 core lessons, plus 8 more in the Naturalization Process module (Interview Ready plans). A realistic schedule is three to six weeks for the core course, with time left for the practice drills.
What do I need to take the course?
A phone, tablet or computer with internet, and an email address. Nothing to install. The workbook is a PDF you can print or use on screen.
What is the difference between the three plans?
Self-Study ($97) is the full 15-lesson course with workbook, quizzes and recorded civics drills. Interview Ready ($147) adds the Naturalization Process module, a recorded N-400 practice interview, and 10 mock civics exams spoken by 10 different people. Interview Ready + Coaching ($247) adds two live practice interviews with a coach, a recording of each session, a written feedback report after each, and 24 months of access. Compare them side by side.
What is the “N-400 practice interview”? What are the 10-voice mock civics exams?
The N-400 practice interview is a recording of a full interview — the kinds of questions officers ask about your Form N-400 plus civics questions — with pauses for you to answer out loud. The 10 mock civics exams each cover 20 civics questions and are each read by a different person — men and women, different ages and accents — because you will not know who your officer is until you walk in. Practicing with ten voices means the real one will not throw you. We explain the civics answers. Questions about your own history must be answered truthfully using your own facts — there is no single model answer, and the recordings do not tell you what to say about your case.
What are the “live practice interviews”?
In the Coaching plan, a CitizenshipPASS coach meets you by video call twice — once early, for practice, and once in the week before your real interview, as a rehearsal. Each is a realistic practice interview in English, about 30 minutes, followed by a written report on the three things to fix. Coaches are trained by Stephen. They are not attorneys: they do not review your eligibility, advise you on your N-400, or tell you how to answer questions about your immigration history.
How long do I have access?
12 months from the day you enroll, or 24 months in the Coaching plan. If your interview is scheduled after that, email us about your options.
Can I get a refund?
Yes — email us within 14 days of purchase for a full refund. Coaching sessions already delivered are not refundable. See the Terms of Use.
Is the course legal advice? Can you tell me if I qualify?
The course is educational and cannot evaluate your individual case. If you want an attorney to look at your situation, see Attorney Services: a $197 red-flag review call or a $497 N-400 packet review.
Still have a question?
Email us in English or Spanish and a real person will answer.