Proposed Changes to US Citizenship Test: What You Need to Know

Immigrants and advocates express concerns over potential disadvantages faced by individuals with limited English skills as the U.S. citizenship test undergoes revisions.

The US Citizenship test, which requires years of legal permanent residency and has recently been made more challenging and lengthy, has prompted apprehension among those seeking citizenship.

In response to these concerns, President Joe Biden signed an executive order to remove barriers to citizenship and revert to the previous version from 2008. However, a new update to the test is scheduled for release next year, with authorities deeming it necessary after 15 years.

Expected Changes to US Citizenship Test

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is anticipated to introduce a speaking section to the test. Under this update, officers would present applicants with photos depicting everyday scenarios and ask them to verbally describe the images.

Currently, the speaking ability is assessed through personal questioning by the officer.

However, this change has raised concerns among immigrants, such as Heaven Mehreta from Ethiopia, who found the prospect of describing photos more challenging than answering personal questions due to the difficulty of English pronunciation.

Similarly, an immigrant from Israel expressed concerns that the new format could increase stress levels for applicants, especially when English is not their first language.

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Changes to the Civics Section

Another proposed change is to the U.S. History and government civics section, which would transition from an oral short-answer format to multiple-choice questions.

This alteration aims to elevate the difficulty level of the test and requires a broader knowledge base. For example, instead of simply naming a war fought by the U.S. in the 1900s, applicants would need to select the correct answer from a list of options.

Bill Bliss, a citizenship textbook author, emphasized that this modification would demand a higher level of language proficiency and test-taking skills.

Currently, applicants must answer six out of ten civics questions correctly, selected from a bank of 100 questions, in order to pass.

Increase in Naturalization and Reduction in Backlog

In fiscal year 2022, over 1 million people achieved U.S. citizenship, marking one of the highest numbers recorded since 1907.

Furthermore, the USCIS report released in December revealed that the backlog of naturalization applications was reduced by more than 60% compared to the previous year.

By incorporating these revisions, the USCIS aims to shape a citizenship test that aligns with the changing needs and requirements of the country.

However, concerns persist among immigrants and advocates, who fear that these changes may disproportionately impact individuals with limited English skills, adding further challenges to the path of citizenship.

(With inputs from agencies)