U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has abruptly halted its plans to roll out a new naturalization test, responding to widespread feedback that the proposed changes could impose unwarranted difficulties on applicants seeking U.S. citizenship.
Background on the Test
The naturalization test is a crucial final step toward becoming a U.S. citizen, assessing applicants’ English proficiency and understanding of U.S. government and history. In 2022, after consultation with subject matter experts, USCIS launched a trial version of an overhauled test. During the testing phase, however, public comments raised substantial concerns.
In a Federal Register notice, USCIS acknowledged that the trial test might introduce new hurdles. The agency received over 1,300 public comments, most opposing the proposed modifications. The official notice stated that the redesign could ultimately discourage applicants and fail to accomplish the agency’s intended goal of reducing barriers.
What were the proposed changes?
Speaking Test
- Proposed: Applicants would be asked to describe three color photographs depicting everyday scenarios.
- Current: Applicants engage in an oral interview about their application and eligibility, allowing officers to gauge speaking skills through conversation.
- Concerns: Critics argued that describing photographs adds extra preparation demands and may be less effective in evaluating real-world communication skills.
Civics Test
- Proposed: Applicants would answer 10 multiple-choice questions on a tablet.
- Current: Applicants verbally respond to 10 officer-read questions, requiring six correct answers to pass.
- Concerns: The new format could demand higher-level language comprehension, an unfamiliar testing style for some adult learners, and more complex reading skills.
What It Means for Applicants
For now, USCIS will maintain the 2008 version of the naturalization test, widely considered to be fair and accessible. Advocacy groups have welcomed this decision, emphasizing that simpler processes help ensure qualified individuals can more easily become U.S. citizens.
By retaining the current test, USCIS spares applicants from adapting to a more demanding format. Those preparing for citizenship can continue with established study materials and methods, without facing the uncertainty of new and potentially more challenging requirements.