Overview
- The updated civics exam will ask 20 oral questions drawn from 128 and requires at least 12 correct answers to pass, up from the prior 6 of 10.
- The test is administered orally without multiple choice, and applicants who fail receive one retest before a denial.
- USCIS characterizes the move as restoring the integrity of naturalization, reviving the 2020 test used under President Trump and later relaxed under President Biden.
- The 65/20 exception remains in place, allowing applicants 65 or older with 20 or more years as permanent residents to study 20 starred questions and test in their preferred language.
- Community groups, libraries and community colleges are offering free preparation resources, while a study reported by outlets found only about 36% of U.S.-born adults would pass a simulated civics test.