The naturalization process for soon-to-be U.S. citizens is expected to get harder after Homeland Security’s citizenship office unveiled an overhaul of citizenship standards. The revision included new questions on the civics test, making the assessment longer to “restore integrity” to the naturalization process, the office said.
A new citizenship test rolled out Monday for Green Card holders seeking naturalization. The assessment has new questions that the Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office said would help to meet the congressional intent of the test. The overhaul is part of an effort by USCIS Director Joseph Edlow, who said in July the test was “not very difficult.”
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President Donald Trump’s first administration amended the test in 2018 to 128 questions, according to the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). The Biden administration reversed the change in February 2021. FAIR is a think tank focused on stricter immigration legislation.
“By ensuring only those aliens who meet all eligibility requirements, including the ability to read, write, and speak English and understand U.S. government and civics, 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,” USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser said.
Rozas Law, an immigration law firm based in Louisiana, said in September the changes made the oral civics test longer by 28 questions, added 20 interview questions and made it so applicants must get 12 out of the 20 correct in order to pass.
None of the 128 questions is a surprise for applicants. USCIS has a copy of the test on its website so people can study ahead of time.
“Preparation is key,” the office said. “The good news is that resources are available, and with consistent practice, you can still pass the new test. What matters is how you approach your preparation.”
New questions on civics test
The 2025 version of the civics exam tests immigrants’ knowledge on the foundation of the U.S. government, the checks and balances system and major historical events in the country’s history.
The new test rephrased many questions from the 2008 exam, which included what the phrase “We the people” meant, the purpose of the Declaration of Independence, what influenced the Constitution, changes such as the Department of Defense to the Department of War, the purpose of the Supreme Court and others.
The new test also removed a question asking what one problem led to the Civil War, with slavery, economic reasons and states’ rights listed in the 2008 version. Other removed questions included naming U.S. territories and states that border Canada and Mexico.
Not everyone is required to take all 128 questions in the exam. People aged 65 or older who have lived in the country as a lawful permanent resident for at least 20 years — or the 65/20 rule — are required to answer only 20 questions denoted on the exam, according to the test. A USCIS officer will ask a person 10 of those questions, and they need to answer six of them correctly to pass.
Those questions concerned the Constitution, amendments, economic system of the country, Congress, the executive office, the Supreme Court, a person’s current governor, the Pledge of Allegiance and the country’s colonial and post-colonial history.
Beyond the test, NPR reported that immigrants would need to convince officers they have “good moral character” and explain their positive contributions to society. Amanda Frost, an immigration law professor at the University of Virginia, told the radio station she hasn’t seen evidence that the previous policies allowed for people who didn’t share the nation’s values or participated in democracy.
“Those who naturalize, and their children, thrive in the United States, and have benefited this country,” she told NPR.
Check out a sample version of the test below.
