USCIS Announces Changes to Naturalization Civics Test

On November 13, 2020, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will implement changes to the naturalization civics test, effective December 1, 2020.

Applicants who apply for naturalization prior to December 1, 2020 will take the current version of the test, which requires candidates to answer 6 out of 10 questions correctly. 

Applicants who apply for naturalization on or after December 1, 2020 will take the new version of the test, which will require applicants to answer 12 out of 20 questions correctly.  The revised test will also include more possible questions testing the applicant’s understanding of U.S. history and civics (128 possible questions compared to the previous 100 possible questions). USCIS has posted the new possible civics test questions on its website.

USCIS has stated that its revision will ensure that the test “comprehensively assesses applicants’ knowledge of American history, government and civic values.”  Some immigration advocates, however, worry that the revised test may slow down the naturalization process and discourage people from seeking citizenship and immigration benefits.