On Wednesday, September 17th, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), also known as the Immigration Agency, announced in the Federal Register that they will soon implement the 2025 version of the “Naturalization Civics Test”.
The new “Naturalization Civics Test” will assess the understanding of foreign nationals regarding American history and government in accordance with legal requirements. This is one of several measures aimed at restoring the integrity of the naturalization process and reflecting the legislative intent of Congress.
According to the announcement, naturalization is a privilege that allows foreign nationals to become formal members of American society, enjoying important rights and obligations, which all citizens must fulfill and respect.
Matthew Tragesser, a spokesperson for USCIS, emphasized that “American citizenship is the most sacred citizenship in the world and should only be granted to foreign nationals who truly embrace the values and principles of our country. By ensuring that only foreign nationals who meet all eligibility requirements, including English language proficiency and understanding of U.S. government and civic knowledge, can naturalize, the American people can rest assured that these new citizens have fully integrated into society and will contribute to the greatness of America.”
He stressed that “these key changes are just the beginning of a series of reforms.”
As of now, USCIS has announced several adjustments, including a reinstatement of rigorous scrutiny for all naturalization applicants, as well as strict review of exemption applications for English and civic knowledge requirements for individuals with disabilities.
USCIS has also provided immigration officers with guidelines to ensure that foreign nationals seeking naturalization possess good moral character and can make positive contributions to American society, rather than merely meeting the standard of “no adverse behavior”.
Furthermore, USCIS will reintroduce neighborhood investigations to ensure that naturalization applicants meet the statutory requirements and qualify for U.S. citizenship.
Recent policies issued also explicitly state that individuals who engage in illegal voting, illegal voter registration, or make false statements to obtain American citizenship will be deemed to lack good moral character.
In the coming weeks and months, USCIS will continue to announce further measures to further enhance the integrity of the naturalization process.