USCIS Plans More Questions Stricter 2025 Citizenship Test

The U.S. government, under the Trump administration, is reinstating a more rigorous civics test for citizenship applicants, effective for those filing after mid-October 2025. The new 2025 Naturalization Civics Test expands the question pool from 100 to 128, requiring applicants to answer 12 out of 20 orally administered questions correctly, compared to the previous 6 out of 10. The updated test includes more comprehensive questions designed to assess deeper knowledge of U.S. history, government, and values, moving beyond rote memorization. Additionally, the test administration process has been refined so that officers will stop testing once an applicant passes or fails based on the set thresholds. Alongside the test changes, USCIS has introduced stricter guidelines for demonstrating good moral character, requiring applicants to show positive attributes such as community service, education, and tax compliance, not just the absence of disqualifying acts. These reforms aim to restore integrity to the naturalization process and ensure applicants have a thorough understanding of American civics and character standards.