2008 or 2025 Civics Test? How to Tell Which One You'll Actually Take
You filed your citizenship application, you booked your interview, and now you are not sure which civics test you will face. The cutoff date everyone talks about is October 20, 2025, but the part that trips people up is simple: what counts is the date you filed your N-400, not the date of your interview. This guide makes it clear.
The one rule that decides it
USCIS ties your civics test version to your filing date, not your interview date. So even if your interview lands months after the cutoff, an earlier filing keeps you on the older test.
- Filed your N-400 before October 20, 2025 · you take the 2008 civics test.
- Filed on or after October 20, 2025 · you take the 2025 civics test.
That is the whole rule. A later interview does not move you to the new version if you filed early.
What the 2008 test looks like
The 2008 US civics test is the one most current applicants have been studying for years.
- The officer asks up to 10 questions drawn from a bank of 100.
- You need 6 correct to pass.
- The officer stops asking as soon as you reach 6 right.
It is short, oral, and most people who prepare clear it comfortably.
What the 2025 test looks like
The 2025 version is larger and asks more of you.
- The officer asks from a bank of 128 questions.
- You answer up to 20 questions.
- You need 12 correct to pass.
- The officer stops once you hit 12 correct or 9 wrong, whichever comes first.
More questions, a higher bar to pass, and a deeper bank to study from.
Myth-bust: the 2025 test is not "back to 2008"
This is the confusion worth clearing up. The 2025 test did not revert to the 2008 version. It is the revived 128-question format, closer in shape to a version used briefly in 2020.
- Most items carried over from the familiar pool.
- Some questions were added or reworded.
- The bank is larger (128, not 100) and the test is longer (up to 20 questions, not 10).
So if someone tells you "nothing really changed," that is only half true. The format and pass bar are different, and the question bank is bigger.
Side-by-side: 2008 vs 2025
| 2008 test | 2025 test | |
|---|---|---|
| Applies if you filed | Before Oct 20, 2025 | On or after Oct 20, 2025 |
| Question bank | 100 | 128 |
| Questions asked | Up to 10 | Up to 20 |
| Correct needed to pass | 6 | 12 |
| Officer stops at | 6 correct | 12 correct or 9 wrong |
| Format | Oral | Oral |
How to confirm your filing date
If you are unsure when you actually filed, check these:
- Your Form I-797C, Notice of Action (the receipt notice) shows a Received Date. That is your filing date.
- Your USCIS online account lists the date your case was received.
- The payment date on your filing receipt or bank statement is a useful cross-check.
When in doubt, treat the Received Date on your receipt notice as the answer, and confirm anything time-sensitive directly with USCIS, since policy and dates can change.
Why getting this right matters
Studying the wrong version wastes real effort.
- If you prepare the 128-question bank but actually qualify for the 2008 test, you over-study material the officer will never ask.
- If you prepare only the 100-question bank but filed on or after the cutoff, you walk in underprepared for the larger 2025 test and its higher pass bar.
A few minutes confirming your filing date saves you from studying the wrong set for weeks.
Practise the version that actually applies to you
Once you know whether you are on the 2008 or 2025 test, the smartest thing you can do is practise the exact version that applies to you, with the right question count and pass bar built in. That is what Citizen Pass is for: focused, no-jargon practice for the test you will actually sit.