The pathway to becoming a U.S. citizen will now be a little more difficult for new applicants than it was in the past. The citizenship test taken during the naturalization process is now lengthier, with more civics questions added.

The new U.S. citizenship test is a two-part test consisting of an English section and a civics section. The English portion, which assesses an applicant's understanding of the English language, will stay the same. It is the civics portion that is drawing criticism for the length of questions added and the way they are worded. The new changes to the test undoubtedly make the exam longer and harder for hopeful applicants.

How Has the U.S.Citizenship Test Changed?

The previous citizenship test required that applicants answer six out of ten civics questions correctly. The ten questions asked were pulled from a pool of 100 possible questions. With the new test, applicants must now answer 12 questions correctly from 20 possible questions. The 20 possible questions are pulled from a pool of 128 possible questions.

Both tests require a pass rate of 60%. However, with the old test, if an applicant answered the first six questions, they did not have to continue answering the rest of the questions. With the new test, applicants must continue the exam even if they reach the 60% pass rate.

In addition to the increasing questions, the way in which the questions are asked is more complex in both phrasing and semantics. Some of the questions that were used in the previous tests required simple one-word answers. The new test raises the rigor in terms of wording and content. For immigrants who are still learning the English language, understanding the question can be difficult and will require careful thought.

Critics Respond to The New Test

Critics of the new test have also raised the concern that some of the questions are conservative-leaning and may drive further confusion among applicants.

One common question of concern asks, “Who does a U.S. Senator represent?” In the previous test, the answer was “all the people of the state.” In the new test, the answer has been switched to read “citizens in the state.” Critics of the new test argue that along with the conservative influence in the question, there is a semantic nuance than someone new to the English language might be tripped up on. A recent article from Politico dives into further detail about the alleged conservative bias that exists in the new test.

Another criticism drawn about the test is the reality that a longer test means a longer testing process. Policy analyst Sarah Pierce works at the non-partisan Migration Policy Institute and explains her fear that the new test will require immigration service officers to spend more time testing potential applicants. She estimates that the longer test will triple the amount of time an applicant spends on an exam. A direct result of this is that the immigration agency will only be more behind in its ability to serve applicants.

Pierce explains, “These changes reduce the efficiency of this already struggling agency. The administration is adding hundreds of thousands of more minutes to these naturalization exams.”

Many immigrant advocacy groups see the changes in the test requirements to be another anti-immigration tactic from the Trump administration. Many critics point out that the test itself is unfair to individuals who are seeking citizenship in America, especially considering that according to a recent survey done by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, one out of three American citizens is unable to pass the previous, much shorter citizenship test.

USCIS spokeswoman, Sharon Rummery, has responded to criticism of the new test by describing the updated 2020 U.S. citizenship test as allowing applicants to be fully prepared to be American citizens by giving them an in-depth knowledge of American civics. Rummery goes on to explain, “U.S. citizenship is the most significant immigration benefit our country offers. Preparing for the naturalization test helps aspiring citizens fully understand the meaning and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship. This allows them to become successful, assimilated citizens who share the fundamental values that unite all Americans.”

There will be some exceptions with the new test as there was with the previous version. Applicants who are 65 years or older and have been living in the United States legally for at least 20 years will be able to study from a smaller pool of questions. In addition, they will only be required to answer six out of ten questions correctly in order to pass.

When will the new test go into effect?

Anyone who applies for naturalization on or after the 1st of December will take the new version of the test. Before taking the test, applicants must have followed the naturalization process and have lived in the U.S. legally for at least five years. The U.S. citizenship test is the last step in the immigration process to becoming an American citizen.

Depending on where an applicant lives, the entire process can vary in the amount of time it takes to complete. In the past year, however, the process has taken longer than average, with

an average time of about ten months (though the pandemic could be to blame). In the years before that, the entire process took about six months. With the new, lengthier test, it is unclear if the naturalization process will take a longer time to complete or if it will go back to normal once the pandemic has abated.