The United States is preparing to introduce its toughest citizenship test in almost two decades, restoring the 2020 version that was rolled back under Biden administration. Beginning in mid-October 2025, applicants for naturalisation will be tested on a broader syllabus covering 128 civics questions instead of the current 100. The oral test will still require 12 correct answers out of 20 to pass, but the expanded pool of questions will demand more comprehensive preparation.
Testing officers can now stop the exam once an applicant has either reached 12 correct responses or nine incorrect answers. 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 and does not provide multiple-choice answers. Each candidate gets two chances to pass. If both attempts are unsuccessful, the naturalisation application is denied. In 2024, more than 94 percent of applicants passed the test, showing that the majority of candidates were well prepared.
The civics component is a statutory requirement under the Immigration and Nationality Act, which obliges applicants to demonstrate a sound knowledge of US history, government and civic principles. The English-language parts of the naturalisation process remain unchanged, so applicants must still show they can read, write, speak and comprehend English adequately to qualify.
Why the change now
The revision stems from 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.” The administration has argued that the 2020 version of the civics test, which briefly replaced the 2008 version before being scrapped under Biden, introduced important improvements and offered a more meaningful assessment of civic knowledge.
By restoring it, officials say the process becomes more rigorous and ensures that only individuals who fully meet eligibility requirements and understand US government and civics can naturalise. “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,” Tragesser said.
What changes under the 2025 version
The most significant change is the re-expansion of the civics question bank to 128, which covers broader topics such as the Federalist Papers, the 10th Amendment, Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and major American cultural and scientific achievements. Applicants will be asked up to 20 oral questions and must answer 12 correctly to pass. Unlike in 2020, officers are no longer required to ask all 20 questions. Instead, they may stop once an applicant reaches the pass or fail threshold, a modification meant to balance thorough assessment with the time limits of naturalisation interviews.
Special accommodations remain for older or long-term residents. Applicants aged 65 and above who have lived in the United States as permanent residents for at least 20 years will still need to study only a reduced pool of 20 questions and answer six out of 10 correctly. Some may also take the test in a language other than English.
Impact on Indian applicants
Indians form one of the largest groups of lawful permanent residents and naturalisation seekers in the United States. For these applicants, the 2025 version of the test means preparing for a significantly larger bank of civics questions and more detailed topics. Although the passing score remains unchanged, the expanded syllabus raises the level of preparation required.
Indian applicants who file their applications before 20 October 2025 will continue to take the existing 2008 test, while those filing on or after that date will have to take the tougher 2025 version. Older Indian applicants with long-term residency will still benefit from the simplified test. USCIS has said that the full set of 128 questions and answers will be made available in advance, giving Indian applicants the opportunity to plan and study early for the new requirements.
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