In a recent move, the Trump administration has suggested making changes to the US Citizenship Test, with the new director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services pointing out that the current test is too easy.
Donald Trump has characterized naturalization as a significant honor and a gift. Yet, under his administration, the process may soon become more challenging.
USCIS director Joseph Edrow remarked, as reported by The New York Times, that the existing tests really aren’t that tough.
He stated, “The tests are laid out for now so it’s not that difficult. It’s very easy to memorize the answers. I don’t think we really embody the spirit of the law; perhaps it needs to be complicated more.” The statistics show that around 90% of applicants pass on their first try.
What is the current US citizenship test?
The current examination consists of an English component and a civics section, where candidates must verbally answer six out of ten questions related to US history from a bank of 100 questions.
Edrow has expressed a plan to revert to the 2020 Citizenship Test format, which includes 128 questions—raising the number of required correct responses to 12 out of 20.
Additionally, USCIS is considering adding a speaking section to assess English proficiency. Applicants might be asked to describe typical scenarios, like daily activities or food, based on pictures shown.
Edrow believes these revisions will help applicants better understand what it means to be an American citizen, though some questions may still be challenging for anyone, regardless of their background.
If you’re curious to test your own knowledge, you can check out the current questions and answers.
Concerns regarding changes to the citizenship test
Last year, USCIS reported that about 820,000 immigrants became US citizens, an increase from over a million in 2022. It’s a privilege that many foreign nationals aspire to achieve through diligent study.
One new citizen expressed, “I’m extremely proud of it. I think it’s a huge achievement and a significant milestone in my life.”
Mechelle Perrott, who coordinates citizenship programs at the College of Continuing Education in California, mentioned that changes to the test format could pose more challenges for those who struggle with test-taking.
She commented, “We have many students who are refugees who come from war-torn countries. It’s tougher to learn reading and writing if you don’t know how to do it in your own language first. That’s my main concern with multiple-choice tests; they involve a lot of reading.”
Edrow indicated that revisions would be coming soon, although a specific timeline for these changes hasn’t yet been established.
