October 26, 2025

Get ready, citizenship seekers! The US citizenship test is turning up the heat starting October 20, 2025. The number of questions you’ll have to answer just doubled from 10 to 20. But wait, the bar has also risen — you must get at least 12 questions correct to pass. That’s twice the old passing score of just six! But here’s a twist: if you manage to answer 12 questions correctly before the test ends, the interview is over. On the other hand, if you get nine questions wrong, the test ends early too. Talk about a roller-coaster ride! Why these changes? The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) explained that the old test was “just too easy.” Joseph Edlow, the USCIS director, said, “We need to make it a little bit more challenging. We’ve got to make sure that people are actually understanding what it means to be a U.S. citizen, what it means to get that benefit.” The question pool has exploded from 100 to 128 questions. They cover everything from the US Constitution, Congress’s role, Presidents, US history, and the rights found in the Declaration of Independence. You might also need to name original US states, national holidays, and even know about the pre-European people of America! Who feels the heat? Only applicants who apply on or after October 20, 2025, will take this tougher test. Those who applied before this date will stick to the older 2008 version. Also, folks aged 65 or older with 20 years as lawful permanent residents have a special break—they get a simplified 10-question test from either the old or new question sets. Besides civics, applicants must still prove they can read, write, speak, and understand English well. The whole update is designed to create a “unified American identity” and ensure new citizens truly grasp the country’s founding principles. So, if you’re planning to take the test soon, time to dust off those history books and get serious. The citizenship exam is no walk in the park anymore—it’s a thrilling challenge to show your love and knowledge of America!

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Tags: Us citizenship test, Civics questions, Naturalization, Uscis, Citizenship interview, Test changes,