US Rolls Out Stricter Citizenship Test, Adds More Civics Questions: Here's What Changes

The US government is set to introduce a tougher citizenship test from mid-October 2025, reviving the 2020 version that was scrapped under Joe Biden. According to a notice published in the Federal Register, applicants will now have to study 128 civics questions- up from 100- before facing an oral exam.

The passing score remains the same, with applicants needing 12 correct answers out of 20, but the expanded pool will demand broader preparation. Testing officers can stop the exam once an applicant reaches 12 correct responses or nine incorrect ones. US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) spokesperson Matthew Tragesser said, “American citizenship is the most sacred citizenship in the world and should only be reserved for aliens who will fully

embrace our values and principles as a nation.”

What The Citizenship Test Involves?

The civics test is conducted orally without multiple-choice options. Candidates get two attempts and failure in both results in denial of the naturalisation application. In 2024, more than 94% of applicants passed the test. The civics component is a statutory requirement under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Applicants must demonstrate knowledge of US history, government, and civic principles. The English-language portions- reading, writing, speaking and comprehension- remain unchanged.

Why The Change Now?

The revision follows US President Donald Trump’s January 2025 executive order directing federal agencies to ensure immigration programmes promote “a unified American identity and attachment to the Constitution.”

Matthew Tragesser said, “By ensuring only those aliens who meet all eligibility requirements … are able to naturalize, the American people can be assured that those joining us as fellow citizens are fully assimilated and will contribute to America’s greatness.”

What Changes In The 2025 Version?

The new test re-expands the civics question bank to 128, covering topics such as the Federalist Papers, the 10th Amendment, Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and American cultural and scientific achievements. Applicants will be asked up to 20 oral questions and must answer 12 correctly to pass. Unlike in 2020, however, officers will not be required to ask all 20 questions, allowing the test to stop once the pass or fail threshold is reached.

Special accommodations remain for older applicants: those aged 65 or older with at least 20 years of permanent residency must study only 20 questions and answer six out of 10 correctly and some older or long-term residents may also take the test in another language.