Special consideration
A shorter civics list for applicants 65 and over.
If you are 65 or older and have held a green card for 20 years or more, USCIS cuts your civics list down to 20 questions. The rest of the interview runs the same way it does for everyone else.
Updated August 21, 2026. Both question lists below match the current USCIS study materials.
Do you qualify?
USCIS calls this the 65/20 special consideration. Guides often call it the senior exemption, or the shorter citizenship test for applicants 65 and older. Whatever the name, two things have to be true on the day you file your Form N-400:
- You are 65 years or older.
- You have been a lawful permanent resident for 20 or more years.
If either one is not true, the standard civics test applies: all 100 questions on the 2008 version, or all 128 on the 2025 version.
Which set of 20 you study follows the same filing date that sets your test version. Applications filed before October 20, 2025 use the 20 designated questions on the 2008 list. Applications filed on or after October 20, 2025 use the 20 on the 2025 list. Either way it is 20 questions to study, 10 asked at the interview, and 6 correct to pass.
A different accommodation exists for disability. Form N-648, the Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions, can exempt you from the English and civics tests entirely when a licensed medical professional certifies a physical or developmental disability or mental impairment. That one runs through your doctor and USCIS rather than a shorter study list.
What changes
You study 20 designated questions, a fixed subset marked with an asterisk in the official USCIS study materials. On the 2008 test that is 20 of the 100 questions; on the 2025 test, 20 of the 128. At the interview the officer asks 10 of those 20, and you pass by answering 6 correctly, the same score as the standard test.
Those 20 come from the same subject areas as the full list, so the format of the interview does not change. There is simply less to memorize.
The 20 questions, both lists
Here are the designated questions themselves, taken from the official USCIS study materials for each version. Every question links to its accepted answers and explanation on the full list, so you can study the 20 without wading through the rest.
The 2008 list: your 20 of the 100
- 6 What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
- 11 What is the economic system in the United States?
- 13 Name one branch or part of the government.
- 17 What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?
- 20 Who is one of your state's U.S. Senators now?
- 27 In what month do we vote for President?
- 28 What is the name of the President of the United States now?
- 44 What is the capital of your state?
- 45 What are the two major political parties in the United States?
- 49 What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?
- 54 How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?
- 56 When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?
- 70 Who was the first President?
- 75 What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?
- 78 Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.
- 85 What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?
- 94 What is the capital of the United States?
- 95 Where is the Statue of Liberty?
- 97 Why does the flag have 50 stars?
- 99 When do we celebrate Independence Day?
The 2025 list: your 20 of the 128
- 2 What is the supreme law of the land?
- 7 How many amendments does the U.S. Constitution have?
- 12 What is the economic system of the United States?
- 20 Name one power of the U.S. Congress.
- 30 What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
- 36 The President of the United States is elected for how many years?
- 38 What is the name of the President of the United States now?
- 39 What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
- 44 Who vetoes bills?
- 52 What is the highest court in the United States?
- 61 Who is the governor of your state now?
- 66 What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
- 74 Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
- 78 Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
- 86 George Washington is famous for many things. Name one.
- 94 Abraham Lincoln is famous for many things. Name one.
- 113 Martin Luther King, Jr. is famous for many things. Name one.
- 115 What major event happened on September 11, 2001 in the United States?
- 121 Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
- 126 Name three national U.S. holidays.
Studying the 20 in the app
Turn on 65/20 mode and the whole app narrows to the 20 designated questions on the 2008 list. Every one of them can be read aloud, which helps if you would rather listen than read.
What narrows to 20
- The flashcard deck
- Your 20 cards, still grouped by category.
- The category list
- Any category with nothing designated in it drops out.
- The practice tests
- Drawn from the short list, in the real interview format.
- The progress ring
- Counts how many of the 20 you have mastered.
If your filing date puts you on the 2025 list, you can still study your 20 designated questions in the app as part of the full 2025 set, with the same read-aloud audio on every one.
65/20 mode and read-aloud audio are always free. We do not put accessibility features behind the paywall.
We are not affiliated with or endorsed by USCIS. This page explains the special consideration in plain English; USCIS decides whether it applies to your application. Confirm your eligibility against the current official guidance or with your officer.
Common questions
Who qualifies for the 65/20 special consideration?
Applicants who are 65 years or older at the time of filing and who have been a lawful permanent resident for 20 or more years. Both have to be true.
How many questions do I have to study under 65/20?
Twenty. They are a designated subset marked with an asterisk in the official USCIS study materials, 20 of the 100 questions on the 2008 test or 20 of the 128 on the 2025 test. The officer asks 10 of those 20 and you pass by answering 6 correctly.
Can I take the test in my own language?
That is a separate accommodation from 65/20. The 50/20 rule (50 or older and 20 years a resident) and the 55/15 rule (55 or older and 15 years) exempt you from the English reading and writing test and let you bring an interpreter, and anyone who qualifies for 65/20 is covered as well. You still take the civics test. Check the current USCIS guidance for your own situation.
Does 65/20 apply to the 2025 civics test?
Yes, with its own set of 20 asterisked questions. The officer asks 10 and you pass with 6 correct, the same as on the 2008 test. Your N-400 filing date decides which list your 20 questions come from.
Do I have to pay for 65/20 mode in the app?
No. It is free and it stays free.
How do I claim the 65/20 exemption?
There is no extra form for it. Your date of birth and the date you became a permanent resident are already on your Form N-400, which is what the consideration is based on. If you want to be sure it was applied, raise it with your officer at the interview.
Are the 20 questions easier than the rest?
They come from the same official list, so the questions themselves are ordinary civics facts. What changes is the load: 20 to remember instead of 100 or 128, and you can answer in the language you prefer.
What if I fail the civics test under 65/20?
The standard retest rule applies. USCIS retests you on the failed portion between 60 and 90 days after your interview, still under the same consideration: 10 questions drawn from your 20.
The 20 questions, read aloud.
65/20 mode will be free at launch. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is out.
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