In news from The Epoch Times on December 3, 2025: Nearly 120,000 residents in the New York metropolitan area became U.S. citizens in 2024. However, starting next year, applicants will face a more challenging citizenship test. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that applicants submitting citizenship applications after October 20 this year will be required to take a new version of the exam, which will have more complex content and a greater number of questions, demanding a deeper understanding of American history and governmental systems.
The new citizenship test will increase the question bank from the current 100 questions to 128 questions. Many questions will require an understanding of “reasons,” “how systems work,” and the spirit of the Constitution, rather than just memorization of answers. For example: Why is it necessary to pay federal taxes? Why is the President limited to two terms? What is the significance of the Tenth Amendment?
The test will still be conducted orally, but the passing standard will be raised from answering 6 out of 10 questions correctly to answering 12 out of 20 questions accurately. Some standard answers to old questions have also been modified, for instance, while previously only mentioning three of the 13 U.S. territories was required, the new version demands naming five.
This reform has prompted citizenship assistance organizations in New York City to quickly adjust their programs to prepare community residents for the new requirements. The Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) offers free citizenship preparation courses for community residents. These courses begin every quarter, assisting individuals in familiarizing themselves with the exam content and providing guidance on interviews, language, and historical knowledge.
The Brooklyn Public Library has also started updating relevant programs. Caton McFadden, the program director, mentioned that in order for students to more effectively meet the new requirements, their citizenship course will now extend from 11 weeks to 12 weeks. She emphasized that the focus of many new questions lies in understanding the “reasons” and “operation methods” of American governance.
Carmen Gutierrez, the immigrant services director at Queens Community House, pointed out that the new test is no longer just about rote memorization, stating, “They want to know whether the applicants truly understand the questions and their responses.” She added that students with stronger language skills are more likely to adapt to this change.
USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser emphasized that the new citizenship test system will reassure the American people that new citizens will truly integrate into the United States and make meaningful contributions to the country. He stated, “American citizenship is the most sacred citizenship in the world and should be reserved for those willing to fully embrace American values and principles.”
Immigrant advocacy groups have reacted strongly to this change. Nicole Melaku, the Executive Director of the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), told Gothamist that the new test questions represent “the latest systemic barrier designed to exclude rather than educate,” criticizing some questions for involving “subjective historical viewpoints” and language abilities.
NPNA’s statistics show that during the latter half of the Biden administration, the naturalization failure rate was 8%; however, in the first six months of the Trump administration, the failure rate has risen to 10%.