If you are in line for a coveted American passport, prepare for a tougher road ahead. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced an overhaul of the naturalization test, raising the difficulty level from “pop quiz” to something closer to a graduate school entrance exam.
“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,” USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser said in a statement. “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.”
The update introduces major changes, requiring naturalization applicants to prepare for denser material and a deeper understanding of U.S. history, government, and political offices.
Abhinav Tripathi, founder and principal attorney at Protego Law Group, LLP, said: “The redesigned naturalization test is the clearest sign that citizenship is being pushed further out of reach. By expanding the civics question bank from 100 to 128 items and doubling the required correct answers from 6 to 12, the government has imposed significantly greater demands on those least equipped to handle them.”
There is some relief for older applicants. Those over 65 with at least 20 years of U.S. residency may take 20 questions in their preferred language, such as Punjabi or Spanish.
READ: USCIS neighborhood checks return in naturalization cases: What’s at stake? (August 28, 2025)
Does the new test give USCIS more leeway to deny applicants?
The million-dollar question remains: Does making the citizenship test resemble a tougher curriculum actually create “informed citizens,” or is it simply about moving the goalposts?
As for what signals the current administration is sending with these frequent policy changes, immigration attorney Chris Prescott, a partner at Texas-based PSBP Law, said: “The message is clear: U.S. citizenship is not automatic, but a privilege reserved for those who can demonstrate good moral character. At the same time, the changes grant USCIS significantly greater discretion to scrutinize and potentially deny applications.”
A test that can stump most natives
As soon as the new policy update was rolled out, questions surged within immigrant communities. Many Indian Americans who sponsor family-based green cards for relatives now have reason to be anxious—especially if those relatives have limited knowledge of English or American history.
On whether the new rule disproportionately affects certain groups, Tripathi explained: “Elderly immigrants who do not qualify for exemptions now face a larger and more complex pool of questions to memorize. Communities with limited English or lower education must navigate more academic content, covering topics like federalism, separation of powers, and constitutional interpretation, that many native-born citizens would struggle to explain.”
Tripathi highlighted another overlooked demographic: “Refugees coping with trauma, people with disabilities whose accommodations will face heightened scrutiny, and low-income applicants who cannot afford tutors or classes all face higher barriers to success.”
Many in immigrant communities with naturalization on the horizon say they are setting aside dedicated time to study the new questions before their test. Experts, however, argue that the government is unfairly raising standards.
Tripathi says, “The government insists this is about civic knowledge. Yet native born Americans are not required to pass any test to vote or participate in democracy, and surveys show large portions of the public cannot identify their elected representatives. Holding immigrants to a stricter academic standard does not measure civic engagement, it raises barriers.”
READ: Over 50% Americans say H-1B visas threaten their jobs: New survey exposes sharp divide over Indian talent in US (September 10, 2025)
Is the test turning U.S. citizenship into an obstacle course?
This test isn’t happening in a vacuum. Paired with renewed neighborhood checks and vague requirements to prove “attachment” to American values, attorneys say the strategy is clear.
Prescott says, “This administration’s goal is to limit immigration at any cost. Requiring positive contributions means that many people will be denied citizenship that were otherwise eligible.”
Tripathi adds, “This is not about creating informed citizens. It is about making citizenship more exclusive, more invasive, and more discouraging.”
On whether limiting naturalization helps America economically, socially, or otherwise, Prescott says, “In my view limiting immigration doesn’t help America. In fact, it’s quite the opposite, as immigration creates more jobs. But, maybe the President has to fulfil his promise to his voters.”