Archive · 5 Sep 2025
U.S. Citizenship Test May Get Tougher Under Consideration
The U.S. government is thinking about making the test to become a citizen harder.
The head of the agency in charge of citizenship, Joseph Edlow, said the current test is too easy.
They might add things like writing an essay.
The goal is to make sure people really understand and believe in the Constitution.
Some people worry this will make it harder for people to become citizens.
USCIS is considering making the U.S. citizenship test more difficult.
USCIS Director Joseph Edlow stated the current test is "just too easy."
Potential changes include an essay requirement and more standardized format.
The aim is to better gauge applicants' understanding of the Constitution.
This move is part of a broader effort to tighten scrutiny of citizenship applications.
- Who
- USCIS, led by Joseph Edlow
- What
- Considering a more difficult U.S. citizenship test.
- When
- Announced recently, with comments made on Thursday.
- Where
- Washington at a Center for Immigration Studies event
- Why
- To better measure applicants' understanding of the Constitution and deter fraud.
Critics
USCIS
Test Difficulty
Critics
Test is being changed to deny more applicants
USCIS
Test must assess 'true attachment to the Constitution'
Mission of USCIS
Critics
Changes are a departure from USCIS’s original mission.
USCIS
Focus on identifying potential fraud
- USCIS Director
- Joseph Edlow
- Proposed Changes
- Essay requirement and standardized format
- Current Test
- Requires answering six out of ten civics questions correctly and demonstrates basic English
- Focus of New Test
- Applicants' 'true attachment to the Constitution'
- Recent USCIS Action
- Resuming interviews with applicants' neighbors and coworkers