Just Released: A More Challenging U.S. Citizenship Test

The USCIS recently released an updated version of the Civics Test, an exam that all people seeking naturalization must pass in order to become U.S. Citizens.

How long is the new test?

The new test is now 128 questions, compared to the old 100-question test. Furthermore, there will be 20 questions asked orally, compared to the previous test where the USCIS officer only asked 10 questions orally. Another change is that the USCIS officer will be required to ask all 20 questions, even after you answer 12 questions correctly.

What do I need to get to pass the new test?

Despite the increase in test questions, the passing score remains at 60%.

Who has to take the new test?

Anyone who filed his or her application for naturalization on or after December 01, 2020 will be required to take the 2020 version of the civics test.

For those whose naturalization application filing date is before December 01, 2020, they will still be allowed to take the 2008 version of the civics test.

What do the new test questions look like?

Some of the new test questions are more challenging than those of the previous test. For example, instead of asking, “What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?” the new test asks, “What does the Bill of Rights protect?”

There is some contention regarding the accuracy of the suggested answers on the exam, where one answer to the question asking, “Who does a U.S. Senator represent?” changed from “all people of the state” to “citizens of their state.”

Furthermore, some of the new test questions have a political undertone. For example, two new test questions ask, “Why did the United States enter the Korean War?” and “Why did the United States enter the Vietnam War?” For both of these questions, there is only one suggested answer: “To stop the spread of communism.”

What happens if I fail the civics test?

Each person is given the opportunity to take the civics test twice. If you fail a portion of the test on your first attempt, you will be given the opportunity to retake only the failed portion a second time between 60 and 90 days from the date of your initial interview with a USCIS officer.

If a person fails the 2020 version of the civics test, he or she will take the 2020 version again at the second appointment. If a person fails the 2008 version of the civics test, he or she will take the 2008 version again at the second appointment.

What does this all mean in the long run?

Because the tests being administered are more lengthy, it is reasonable to expect that the processing times on determining whether people will be naturalized will take longer, therefore increasing the longstanding backlogs. Even further, it is reasonable to expect that people will have a more difficult time passing this new test since some of the answers are more involved and at times, contentious or political.