St Paul (US): The US citizenship test is being updated, and some immigrants and advocates worry the changes will hurt test-takers with lower levels of English proficiency.
The naturalisation test is one of the final steps toward citizenship – a monthslong process that requires legal permanent residency for years before applying.
Many are still shaken after former Republican President Donald Trump’s administration changed the test in 2020, making it longer and more difficult to pass. Within months, Democratic President Joe Biden took office and signed an executive order aimed at eliminating barriers to citizenship. In that spirit, the citizenship test was changed back to its previous version, which was last updated in 2008.
In December, US authorities said the test was due for an update after 15 years. The new version is expected late next year.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services proposes that the new test adds a speaking section to assess English skills. An officer would show photos of ordinary scenarios – like daily activities, weather or food – and ask the applicant to verbally describe the photos.
In the current test, an officer evaluates speaking ability during the naturalisation interview by asking personal questions the applicant has already answered in the naturalization paperwork. Another proposed change would make the civics section on US history and government multiple-choice instead of the current oral short-answer format.
A current civics question has an officer asking the applicant to name a war fought by the US in the 1900s. The applicant only needs to say one out of five acceptable answers to get the question right. But in the proposed multiple-choice format, the applicant would read that question and select the correct answer from the following choices. Currently, the applicant must answer six out of 10 civics questions correctly to pass. AP
The naturalisation test is one of the final steps toward citizenship – a monthslong process that requires legal permanent residency for years before applying.
Many are still shaken after former Republican President Donald Trump’s administration changed the test in 2020, making it longer and more difficult to pass. Within months, Democratic President Joe Biden took office and signed an executive order aimed at eliminating barriers to citizenship. In that spirit, the citizenship test was changed back to its previous version, which was last updated in 2008.
In December, US authorities said the test was due for an update after 15 years. The new version is expected late next year.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services proposes that the new test adds a speaking section to assess English skills. An officer would show photos of ordinary scenarios – like daily activities, weather or food – and ask the applicant to verbally describe the photos.
In the current test, an officer evaluates speaking ability during the naturalisation interview by asking personal questions the applicant has already answered in the naturalization paperwork. Another proposed change would make the civics section on US history and government multiple-choice instead of the current oral short-answer format.
A current civics question has an officer asking the applicant to name a war fought by the US in the 1900s. The applicant only needs to say one out of five acceptable answers to get the question right. But in the proposed multiple-choice format, the applicant would read that question and select the correct answer from the following choices. Currently, the applicant must answer six out of 10 civics questions correctly to pass. AP