What happens if you fail the citizenship test?

Right after the interview

Before you leave, the officer gives you a written notice of your results. If you failed a part, the notice explains the next steps. USCIS then schedules your retest.

How the retest works

• It’s scheduled 60 to 90 days after your first interview.
• Only the part you failed is tested. If you passed English but failed civics, you only do civics again.
• Your civics version stays the same. If you filed before October 20, 2025, your retest is still the 2008 test.

What counts as a fail the second time

Failing the same part again ends the application. So does not showing up for the retest, or refusing to answer.

If your application is denied, the denial letter explains how to ask for a hearing on the decision.

Using the 60 to 90 days well

Look at which questions tripped you up and start there. Then go through the whole list for your version again, out loud, because the next officer may ask different questions.

If it was reading or writing, practice with the official vocabulary lists. Read sentences out loud and write them by hand while someone reads them to you.