USCIS unveils 2025 civics test: New hurdles for Green Card holders on the path to US citizenship

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a new version of the naturalization civics test, set to take effect in 2025, that will require immigrants applying for American citizenship to answer more questions on US history and government. 

According to a Federal Register notice, the updated test will apply to foreign nationals — including green card holders, or lawful permanent residents — who submit citizenship applications after mid-October 2025. 

The new civics test is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to tighten legal immigration pathways. It reinstates a 2020 version introduced during the former Trump presidency but later scrapped by the Biden administration, which argued that additional questions created unnecessary hurdles for legal immigrants. 

Higher bar for citizenship 

Currently, applicants study a pool of 100 civics questions and must answer 6 out of 10 correctly. Under the 2025 version, candidates will need to prepare from 128 questions and correctly answer 12 out of 20 during an oral interview. Most questions allow for multiple acceptable answers. 

Applicants aged 65 or older who have lived in the US as permanent residents for at least 20 years will still be allowed to study from a smaller pool of 20 questins, with the option to take the test in their preferred language. 

Among the new additions are questions on the 10th Amendment, the Federalist Papers, former President Dwight D Eisenhower, Founding Fathers Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, and examples of American innovation. 

Part of wider immigration crackdown 

The Trump administration has recently expanded measures scrutinizing citizenship applicants. These include: 

• "Good moral character" reviews with broader criteria. 
• Neighborhood checks, reviving a long-dormant practice of interviewing neighbors and co-workers to assess eligibility. 
• Social media vetting to probe what officials describe as "anti-American" views. 

The Department of Justice has also stepped up efforts to revoke citizenship for naturalised Americans accused of fraud or misrepresentation in their applications. A DOJ memo authorizes civil proceedings for denaturalisation, even in cases such as underreporting income on tax returns. 

What’s Next 

USCIS has indicated more initiatives will follow to “enhance the integrity of the naturalisation process,” signaling a stricter landscape for immigrants seeking to become US citizens.