U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has officially published a Federal Register notice announcing the implementation of the 2025 Naturalization Civics Test. The notice was published on September 18, 2025, and the new test will be administered to individuals who file their naturalization applications on or after October 20, 2025.
This change marks a significant shift from the 2008 Naturalization Civics Test that is currently in use and is a reimplementation of the 2020 Naturalization Civics Test. The agency believes the new test will better assess an applicant’s knowledge of U.S. history and government.
The new test will increase the number of civics questions asked during the naturalization interview from 10 to 20, and applicants will need to answer at least 12 questions correctly to pass. The overall pool of possible questions will also increase from 100 to 128.
While the English language components of the test—speaking, reading, and writing—will remain the same, the new civics questions are designed to move beyond simple memorization and require more comprehensive thought. For instance, instead of asking only “What is the supreme law of the land?”, a new question will ask, “Why is the Declaration of Independence important?”. USCIS has already made study materials for the new test available on its website, including the full bank of 128 questions and their answers.
“This 2025 Naturalization Civics Test satisfies the statutory requirement for aliens to demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of American history, and of the principles and form of government of the United States in pursuit of naturalization. This notice does not change the English language parts of the naturalization test (reading, writing, speaking, and understanding),” the Federal Register notice reads.
During the interview, an officer will stop administering the test once the applicant has either passed by answering 12 questions correctly or failed by answering 9 questions incorrectly. This is a procedural change from the 2020 version, where all 20 questions were asked regardless of the applicant’s performance.
The Federal Register notice explains this: “USCIS, however, is making a modification in the administration of the test. When USCIS initially implemented the 2020 Naturalization Civics Test, officers were required to orally ask all 20 test questions regardless of whether the alien had already answered a sufficient number to either pass or fail the test. This was a change from the 2008 Naturalization Civics Test where the officers were only required to orally ask questions until the alien either passed or failed the test.”
“In implementing the 2025 Naturalization Civics Test, officers will only be required to ask questions until the alien either passes or fails the test. This is the only difference from the 2020 Naturalization Civics Test. Therefore, when an alien answers 12 questions correctly, the officer will stop administering the test. Similarly, when an alien answers nine questions incorrectly, thus failing the test, the officer will stop administering the test. The implementation of the 2025 Naturalization Civics Test, as discussed in this notice, is a procedural change and will not change the passing score,” the Federal Register notice further clarifies.
For applicants who are 65 or older and have been lawful permanent residents for at least 20 years, a simplified test will continue to be administered. These applicants will be asked 10 questions from a special bank of 20 and must answer six correctly to pass.
“With respect to aliens who qualify for special consideration because they are age 65 or older and have resided in the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident for at least 20 years, USCIS will continue to administer a test with 10 questions from a specially selected bank of 20 test questions from either the 2008 or 2025 Naturalization Civics Test,” the Federal Register notice reads.
According to the Federal Register notice, all applicants who file their naturalization application less than 30 days after the notice’s publication will take the 2008 test.
The Federal Register notice states, “Specifically, aliens who have already filed a naturalization application, or who file a naturalization application less than 30 days after this notice is published in the Federal Register, will be administered a test with questions from the 2008 Naturalization Civics Test, while aliens who file a naturalization application 30 days or more after this notice is published in the Federal Register will be administered a test with questions from the 2025 Naturalization Civics Test. Regardless of their filing date, these aliens will only need to answer six questions correctly to achieve a passing score.”
The Federal Register notice states, “Demonstration of English and civics knowledge is essential to showing an alien’s commitment to fulfill the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship and to actively assimilate into American society. Understanding the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, engaging with the government, and fully contributing to the democratic process all rely on a basic understanding of U.S. government and civics.”
USCIS Spokesperson Matthew Tragesser said, “American citizenship is the most sacred citizenship in the world and should only be reserved for aliens who will fully embrace our values and principles as a nation.” He added that these changes are the “first of many” in an ongoing effort to ensure those who become citizens are “fully assimilated and will contribute to America’s greatness.”
Support NepYork – Your Nonprofit News Media for the Nepali Community
NepYork, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is the Showcase of Nepalis in New York, delivering timely local news and vital resources on immigration, housing, taxes, health, business, and more. Our mission is to safeguard community journalism, amplify the voices of Nepali immigrants in NYC, and foster understanding, solidarity, and empowerment.
By donating to NepYork, you help us enhance participation in democracy, improve access to essential resources, and share authentic stories that reflect the vibrant, diverse experiences of Nepali New Yorkers. Together, we can connect, inform, and empower our community. Every contribution ensures these voices are heard and valued.
Donate today to keep Nepali stories alive and thriving in New York!
Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
