New citizenship test in the U.S. takes effect: Here's how you could be suspended during the interview

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced changes to the administration and content of the civics test for naturalization that allow officers to stop the test in the middle of the interview.

According to the official document and an article by journalist Maykel González for Miami Herald, the test should stop when the applicant has answered 12 questions correctly —the minimum required to pass— or when they have accumulated nine incorrect answers, which means they will fail at that point.

The agency emphasizes that this is "the only modification" in the way the exam will be administered compared to the 2020 version.

The update comes with a more extensive and demanding version of the exam. The civic component increases from 10 to 20 questions, and the passing threshold rises from 6 to 12 correct answers.

USCIS explains that, due to this new format, the official is no longer required to ask all 20 questions if the candidate reaches the passing minimum beforehand, or if they are mathematically failed by missing nine.

In practical terms, the candidate can be approved or disapproved long before finishing the questionnaire.

The new changes

The change took effect on October 20, 2025, for those who submitted their naturalization application on that date or afterward.

In addition to the new approval cut-off and the "stop the test" rule, the civic education question bank is expanding from 100 to 128 items, which requires more comprehensive preparation from candidates.

USCIS frames these measures within a previously announced stricter approach to the naturalization process.

USCIS also reported, in an official statement published in the Federal Register, that the implementation of this exam is part of an effort to restore the integrity of the naturalization process and to comply with the intentions of Congress.

The agency emphasized that naturalization is a privilege and that only those who meet all eligibility requirements will be able to access citizenship, including proficiency in the English language, knowledge of the government system, and exemplary moral conduct.

USCIS also reminded that practices such as voting illegally, registering as a voter without the right to do so, or making false statements about citizenship automatically disqualify the applicant.