Can you retake the naturalization civics test after failing it?

 Posted on September 01, 2022 in naturalization & citizenship

If you meet the eligibility requirements to become a U.S. citizen, you may be itching to get through the process. After all, applying for naturalization can be both stressful and expensive. To improve your chances of sailing through your naturalization interview, it is important to study for the civics exam.

Individuals who want to become U.S. citizens must have a general knowledge of American civics, history and government. To test this knowledge, officials with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services give naturalization applicants an oral examination. Regrettably, it is not uncommon for legal permanent residents to fail this exam.

How does the civics exam work?

According to the USCIS, it is entirely possible to prepare for the civics exam, as immigration officials publish the 100 possible questions they may ask you. You do not have to ready yourself to answer 100 separate questions, though. Indeed, the officer will only ask you 10 of them. Because you do not know which 10 to prepare for, however, you should try to learn the answers to all 100.

What does it take to pass the exam?

To successfully pass the civics portion of your naturalization exam, you must provide at least six correct answers. This means you can miss up to four questions. If you miss more than that, you have an opportunity to retake the exam at a later date. The USCIS officer should schedule another naturalization interview within 90 days for you to try again.

Ultimately, even though many adults have some anxiety when it comes to standardized tests, you should not let your fear of failing the civics portion discourage you from doing what it takes to become a U.S. citizen.