The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced updates to the naturalization test, which evaluates an applicant’s knowledge of U.S. history, government, and English language proficiency. All applicants worry about the Naturalization Test and unfortunately these changes make the test a little bit harder and have certainly caused more anxiety for those considering Naturalization. Until yesterday, October 20, 2025, the Naturalization Test consisted of 100 questions of which the applicant would be asked up to 10, randomly selected questions, and the applicant was required to get six correct. After October 20, 2025 the new test has 128 questions and the applicant will be asked up to 20, randomly selected questions, and is required to get 12 correct.
Along with the changes to the Naturalization test USCIS recently released a memo putting additional scrutiny on the requirement of Good Moral Character (GMC). This standard, assesses whether an applicant has demonstrated conduct that aligns with the values of U.S. citizenship over a specific statutory period—usually the five years prior to applying. USCIS reviews an applicant’s criminal history, honesty during the immigration process, payment of taxes, and other behavior such as fraud, substance abuse, or domestic violence. Other may suggest a lack of moral character, such as habitual gambling or failure to support dependents, can negatively affect a naturalization application. Applicants should be prepared to present evidence that they are a person of good moral character, such as evidence of continued employment, payment of taxes, and family caregiving responsibilities, among other things.
The Trump Administration has taken steps to make the Naturalization process more difficult. Nevertheless, the process is manageable, and it is still very possible to become a US citizen. The test is a little harder, but not impossible. USCIS is more focused on Good Moral Character, but it is possible to satisfy this requirement as well. The Naturalization process is more difficult, but with effort and planning you can still become a US citizen.
