Earlier this year, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it would be implementing a new 2025 Naturalization Civics Test. This test is a revised version of the 2020 Naturalization Civics Test, which was rescinded in 2021. To support programs as they navigate this transition, SABES has compiled a summary of the changes and recent discussion on the new test.

Key Changes to the Civics Test

• Effective Date: These new requirements apply to anyone who filed their naturalization application (Form N-400) on or after October 20, 2025.
• Test Length: The total number of questions for the general test pool has increased from 100 to 128.
• Scoring: Applicants must now answer 12 out of 20 questions correctly (up from 6 of 10). The exam concludes once a passing or failing score is reached. (Note that applicants do not have to respond to all 20 questions: the test ends once the applicant correctly answers 12 questions or incorrectly answers 9 questions.)
• 65/20 Rule: Applicants aged 65+ with 20+ years of residency will still be tested on a 20-question subset, from either the 2008 or 2025 version of the test.

Advocacy groups have noted that the new test features more complex, explanation-based questions. This shift may create additional barriers for learners with limited English proficiency or lower literacy levels. To learn more about the new test and advocacy around it, please review the resources below. 

Further Reading

• Study for the Test (USCIS Citizenship Resource Center)
• 128 Civics Questions and Answers (2025 version) (USCIS Citizenship Resource Center)
• How Trump Is Changing the U.S. Citizenship Test by Chad de Guzman (TIME)
• Considering the New 2025 U.S. Civics Exam by Bill Bliss, author of the Voices of Freedom citizenship textbook (Medium)
• Concerns Regarding USCIS Implementation of the 2025 Naturalization Civics Test from citizenship advocacy groups and 124 partner organizations opposing the 2025 civics test