Green card holders: Answer 20 civics questions or fail citizenship test

US green card holders applying for citizenship after October 20 must answer double the civics questions correctly as part of a new naturalisation test

Green card holders applying for US citizenship after October 20 will face a tougher civics test. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed through a Federal Register notice that the new 2025 naturalisation civics test will come into effect for applicants filing Form N-400, Application for Naturalisation, on or after that date.

 

Those filing before October 20 will continue under the 2008 version of the test. The revised format is part of a broader move by the Trump administration to tighten citizenship assessments for lawful permanent residents seeking naturalisation.

 

How will the new test work?

 

The 2025 civics test will feature 20 oral questions drawn from a pool of 128. Applicants must correctly answer at least 12 to pass. If nine answers are wrong, the interview ends and the test is failed.

 

For example:

 

• If you answer 12 correctly, the test stops and you pass.

• If you reach nine incorrect answers first, the officer stops the test.

 

Those aged 65 or older who have lived as lawful permanent residents for 20 years or more will still take a shorter version — 10 questions from a special set of 20 — and can answer in their preferred language.

 

What kind of questions will be asked?

 

The new test delves deeper into American history, politics, and governance. Here are a few examples from the 2025 question list:

1. What is the form of government of the United States?

(Constitution-based federal republic, representative democracy)

 

2. What is the supreme law of the land?

(The Constitution)

 

3. What are the three branches of government?

(Legislative, executive, and judicial)

 

4. How many US senators are there?

(100)

 

5. What are three rights of everyone living in the United States?

(Freedom of speech, freedom of religion, right to bear arms)

 

Why has the US made this change?

 

The government says the change is part of broader efforts to ensure citizenship applicants are fully aligned with American values and legal standards. USCIS has also resumed neighbourhood investigations to verify whether applicants meet the statutory requirements for good moral character.

 

Officials said that unlawful voting, false claims to citizenship, and unpaid taxes could disqualify applicants. Additional “integrity measures” are expected to be rolled out in the coming weeks.

 

What does 'good moral character' now mean?

 

Immigration attorney Moumita Rahman said the new evaluation standard gives officers greater discretion in judging who qualifies as a “good” citizen.

 

“Good moral character was handled like a simple checklist. Officers looked for issues like criminal convictions, unpaid taxes, or child support. If you stayed clear of these, you were usually fine. But now it’s become far more subjective,” said Rahman in a video post.

 

She added that officers may now look into a person’s financial discipline, employment history, community involvement, or even online activity. “They can bring up things from decades ago and weigh the good versus the bad — based entirely on their judgement,” she said.

 

Where can applicants find study materials?

 

Sample questions, preparation guides, and the full 128-question list are already available on the USCIS Citizenship Resource Center. The agency has advised applicants to familiarise themselves early to avoid confusion once the new system takes effect.