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yesterday

USCIS Reinstates Expanded Civics Test for Citizenship Applicants Filing After Mid-October

USCIS calls the change the first step in a broader naturalization overhaul focused on tighter vetting.

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A participant wears flags on their coat during a naturalization ceremony for new U.S. citizens at Seattle Center on July 4, 2025 in Seattle, Washington.
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Overview

  • The agency is restoring the 2020-format civics exam with a 128-question study pool and an oral test of up to 20 questions, requiring 12 correct answers to pass.
  • Officers may end the exam early once an applicant reaches 12 correct or 9 incorrect answers, replacing the requirement to ask all 20 questions.
  • The revised test applies to naturalization applications filed after mid-October 2025, while earlier filers remain under the 2008 version.
  • USCIS links the move to a wider tightening of naturalization reviews, including neighborhood checks, heightened social‑media scrutiny, stricter disability‑exception reviews, and updated guidance on assessing good moral character.
  • The Biden administration had reverted to the 2008 test in 2021 over barrier concerns; USCIS now cites a Federal Register notice disputing that rationale and notes a FY2024 pass rate above 94%.