Immigrants seeking U.S. citizenship will face a revamped path, as the government begins a “multi-step overhaul” of the naturalization process, with changes announced Wednesday to the citizenship test applicants must pass.
The naturalization test has existed in some form since the early 1900s, USCIS said, and has changed several times over the decades. The test has since been standardized, and the list of possible questions are publicly available so people can study in advance. The questions are not multiple choice, but some questions have multiple correct answers.
The updated 2025 Natural Civics Test will increase the pool of possible questions from 100 to 128 and will require applicants to answer 20 questions instead of the previous 10. To pass, candidates must now get at least 12 correct answers, up from the former requirement of six.
READ: U.S. visa applicants must now apply in their home country: State Department (September 7, 2025)
A comparison of the updated test with the earlier on reveals new questions on figures such as Dwight Eisenhower, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison, as well as the significance of the Federalist Papers, CBS News reported. The 2025 version also introduces a question on the 10th Amendment, which addresses the division of powers between the federal government and the states.
“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. 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. These critical changes are the first of many,” said USCIS Spokesperson Matthew Tragesser, as per the press release.
USCIS said roughly three-quarters of the questions remain the same or closely resemble previous ones, while about 25% are new. The test will continue to be administered orally by the officer during the citizenship interview.
USCIS has issued new guidance to officers on evaluating applicants’ good moral character, emphasizing positive contributions to American society rather than simply the absence of wrongdoing. The agency is also restarting neighborhood investigations to verify that applicants meet legal requirements and are deserving of citizenship. Recent policy updates further clarify that illegal voting, fraudulent voter registration, and false claims of U.S. citizenship can disqualify applicants from demonstrating good moral character.
Tragesser described the extended citizenship test as only the “first of many” updates to the naturalization process, noting that additional details will be shared “in the coming weeks and months.”
At the same time, President Donald Trump has sent out a letter to America’s newest citizens, offering a personal message of welcome and encouragement as they complete the naturalization process. He even shared it on X.
“This rich heritage is now yours to protect, promote and pass down to the next generation. Our history is now your history… And our Constitution is now yours to safeguard, honor and respect,” says the letter.
In the letter, new citizens are congratulated and reminded that their oath represents a promise to “forge a sacred bond with our Nation, her traditions, her history, her culture and her values.”
“The United States is now your homeland, and you stand as a part of one Nation under God,” Trump added. “You have pledged your heart to America—and in return, she offers the boundless promise of freedom and opportunity.”