US President Donald Trump’s government tightened the criteria for acquiring US citizenship. Applicants will have to answer up to 20 questions from the extended questionnaire, which now contains 128 items. At least 12 correct answers are needed for successful completion. This was announced on Wednesday by the Citizenship and Immigration Office (USCIS), TASR informs, referring to DPA.
Previously, only ten questions from a questionnaire with 100 questions had to be answered, with six answers being correct. A new feature is that the new test can be completed as soon as the applicant is answered correctly to 12 questions or has nine incorrect answers.
According to USCIS, a stricter test applies to applications submitted from mid -October 2025; Applications filed previously will be assessed according to the current procedure. The test is based on a version introduced in 2020 during the Trump’s first term, which was canceled in 2021 by its successor Joe Biden. The aim of the reform is to “better assess the knowledge of the applicants about the history and the United States government”.
The test takes the form of an oral examination aimed at basic knowledge of history, politics and civic doctrine. USCIS stresses that questions cover topics that are the basis for understanding the functioning of American society. Among the 128 possible questions are, for example:
– List one function of the US Constitution.
– List one war that the United States waged in the 19th century.
– Thomas Jefferson is known for many things. Indicate one of them.
– Why did the United States enter the First World War?
“US citizenship is the most sacred citizenship in the world and should only be reserved for foreigners who fully accept our values and principles,” said USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser for the US Daily Signal news portal.
According to USCIS, the reform of the naturalization process began in January by the accession of Trump into the office. Include stricter examinations in case of exemption from an English or knowledge test testfor example, due to disability, as well as a more thorough examination process. In the future, the applicants will be required not only for a net criminal record, but also to demonstrate a “good nature” and positive benefits for society.
More than 94 percent of applicants successfully completed the process of obtaining US citizenship in 2024. The ability to pass a test in a language other than English will only be available in very exceptional cases, for example for the elderly.
