F. The U.s. History and Government Exam

• Library: Becoming a U.S. Citizen (Nolo) (2021 Ed.)

F. The U.S. History and Government Exam

In order to become a U.S. citizen, you must pass a test showing your "knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of history, and of the principles and form of government, of the United States." (I.N.A. § 312(a)(2),8 U.S.C. § 1423(a)(2).) As a practical matter, this means you'll have to memorize the answers to 100 potential questions. We give you all the possible questions, and help you prepare for them, in Chapter 6.

At your interview, the examiner will choose up to ten questions from the 100 to quiz you on. To pass, you'll need to answer six out of the ten questions correctly.

There are some people who, for reasons of age or disability, will find it nearly impossible to learn the answers to these questions. See Section F1, below, for information on age-related waivers and Section F2, below, for information on disability-related waivers of the history and government exam requirement.

1. The 65/20 Exception for Applicants of Advanced Age

If you are older than age 65 and have lived in the United States as a permanent resident for at least 20 years (these don't need to be continuous...