The 20 Civics Questions for the 65/20 Senior Exemption
If you are 65 years of age or older and have been a permanent resident (Green Card holder) for at least 20 years, you are eligible to study only the 20 questions marked with an asterisk (∗).
Official 65/20 Naturalization Privileges
- Only 20 Questions to Study: You do not need to memorize all 100 questions. Your test questions will come exclusively from the 20 items listed below.
- Passing Score: The officer will ask up to 10 questions from this 20-question pool. You must answer 6 correctly to pass.
- Native Language Interpreter: You are exempt from the English reading and writing test. You may bring an interpreter to translate the 10 civics questions into your native language.
Practice 65/20 Flashcard Deck
What is the supreme law of the land?
All 20 Designated Senior Exemption Questions
- Speech
- Religion
- Assembly
- Press
- Petition the government
Why this matters: The First Amendment protects five foundational freedoms: religion, speech, press, assembly, and petitioning the government.
- Capitalist economy
- Market economy
Why this matters: The U.S. operates on a free market capitalist system where private individuals and businesses produce goods based on supply and demand.
- Congress
- Legislative
- President
- Executive
- The courts
- Judicial
Why this matters: The U.S. government is split into three branches: Legislative (Congress), Executive (President), and Judicial (Courts).
- The Senate and House of Representatives
Why this matters: Congress is bicameral: the Senate (equal representation per state) and the House of Representatives (proportional to population).
- Answers will vary. (District of Columbia and U.S. territories have no voting Senators).
Why this matters: This is a state-specific question. Look up your state's current senators using our interactive State Lookup tool.
- November
Why this matters: Federal Election Day is the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every four years.
- Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for current officials.
Why this matters: Always confirm the active sitting President at your interview date. Answers are updated automatically.
- Answers will vary. (District of Columbia residents should answer that DC is not a state and has no capital).
Why this matters: Know your specific state's capital city (e.g., Albany for NY, Sacramento for CA, Austin for TX).
- Democratic and Republican
Why this matters: The modern American party system has been dominated by the Democratic and Republican parties since the mid-19th century.
- Serve on a jury
- Vote in a federal election
Why this matters: Only U.S. citizens are eligible and required to serve on federal/state trial juries and vote in federal elections.
- 18 and older
- Eighteen (18) and older
Why this matters: The 26th Amendment, ratified in 1971 during the Vietnam War, lowered the national voting age from 21 to 18.
- April 15
Why this matters: April 15 is standard Tax Day for filing federal individual income tax returns (Form 1040) with the IRS.
- (George) Washington
Why this matters: George Washington served as the first U.S. President from 1789 to 1797, setting crucial precedents for executive power.
- Freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
- Saved (or preserved) the Union
- Led the United States during the Civil War
Why this matters: Lincoln preserved the United States as one nation through the Civil War and issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.
- World War I
- World War II
- Korean War
- Vietnam War
- (Persian) Gulf War
Why this matters: Major 20th-century conflicts include WWI (1917-18), WWII (1941-45), the Korean War (1950-53), Vietnam War (1964-73), and the Gulf War (1991).
- Fought for civil rights
- Worked for equality for all Americans
Why this matters: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was the most prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement, famous for his 'I Have a Dream' speech and dedication to nonviolent action.
- Washington, D.C.
Why this matters: Washington, District of Columbia, is the permanent federal capital created by the Residence Act of 1790.
- New York (Harbor)
- Liberty Island
- [Also acceptable: New Jersey, near New York City, on the Hudson (River)]
Why this matters: A gift of friendship from France dedicated in 1886, Lady Liberty stands in New York Harbor on Liberty Island.
- Because there is one star for each state
- Because each star represents a state
- Because there are 50 states
Why this matters: The American flag features 50 white stars on a blue union, with each star representing one of the 50 current states in the Union.
- July 4
Why this matters: Celebrated annually on the Fourth of July to commemorate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.