The citizenship process in the U.S. is continuing to change in the last few months of Donald Trump’s presidency. In mid-November, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the test to become a U.S. citizen is expanding significantly on December 1, with more than two dozen new questions and new requirements to pass. Here’s what you need to know about the new citizenship test and how to prepare if you are applying for citizenship.
How many more questions are on the new test?
The citizenship test created by the Obama administration in 2008, which has been used until now, had 100 possible questions. The civics portion of the citizenship test, which is given orally, included 10 questions (they could be any of the 100 possible) and in order to pass applicants had to get six right.
Now, the civics test has a total of 128 possible questions. Applicants will be given 20 questions orally, and they have to get 12 right to pass.
What subjects are on the new test?
The 128-question citizenship test is extensive. It is given in English, unless applicants qualify for a special exemption called the 65/20 rule (more on that below).
The questions cover 5 major categories: American symbols and holidays, American history, civil rights and responsibilities, principles of American government, and systems of American government. The full 128 questions, and the acceptable answers to pass, are available here. If you fail the test on your first try, you will have one more chance to pass. You will be retested between 60 and 90 days after your first interview.
The new version of the test includes new questions, like “Why is the Electoral College Important?”, as well as changes to the acceptable answers on the old test. For example, the answer to the question “Who does a U.S. Senator Represent?” has been changed from “all the people of their state” to “all the citizens of their state”.
Although the USCIS says that the new test is “fair and transparent”, it has been widely criticized by immigration advocates. Doug Rand, an advisor to the Obama administration and a vocal immigration advocate, called the new test “overly complex” and “shamelessly ideological” and called upon President-Elect Biden to restore the old test.
Has the language portion of the test changed?
The citizenship test has two sections: the civics section, and the English language portion. The English language portion tests applicant's abilities to speak and read “basic English”, according to the USCIS. The language portion hasn’t changed. Here’s what’s included on it:
- Speaking: A USCIS officer will determine your ability to speak and understand English during the naturalization interview.
- Reading: You will be asked to read English sentences aloud, and must read one out of three correctly.
- Writing: You will be asked to write English sentences down, and must write one out of three correctly.
What if I qualify for the 65/20 exemption?
The 65/20 exemption is a rule that makes the citizenship test easier for certain applicants: those that have been permanent residents of the U.S. for at least 20 years and are 65 years old or older. If you qualify for the 65/20 exemption, you will get certain privileges in the naturalization test. Here’s what the 65/20 exemption grants:
- 65/20 applicants don’t have to take the citizenship test in English. They can take it in the language of their choice.
- 65/20 applicants will only be asked 10 questions, and only have to get 6 of them correct.
- The questions USCIS will ask 65/20 applicants will be pulled from a smaller pool of only 20 questions, not the full 128 questions. The possible questions asked on a 65/20 interview are available here.
Conclusion: Prepare for the New Citizenship Test
Although the Biden administration could restore the old citizenship test, it’s likely that for the next few months the naturalization interview will utilize the new, 128-question test. That means that the citizenship test will be more challenging and span more coverage areas, like new questions on history and government. Take time to study the questions and answers on the new test here, and follow along with the Skip blog for more news about U.S. government services, from healthcare to immigration.
