US News: Citizenship Test Set to Get Harder, Applicants Must Clear New Rules

American Citizenship Test: Obtaining citizenship in the United States is now going to be more difficult than ever. The Trump administration announced on Wednesday that the citizenship test will be made more complex. Officials say the new changes aim to ensure that those who become American citizens not only enjoy their rights but also fully understand their responsibilities.

New rules to come into effect on October 20th

According to the new provisions, all candidates applying on or after October 20th will be required to take the revised test. This test will now ask 20 questions, of which candidates must answer at least 12 correctly. Previously, the number was 10, and applicants were considered successful with only six correct answers. According to officials, the test has been made more challenging by reducing the number of easy questions.

USCIS Statement

USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser said, "This change will ensure that future American citizens can truly contribute to the greatness of our country." He also said that the level of the examination should be such that it can accurately assess the knowledge and understanding of the candidates.

Changes have happened before

This isn't the first time the test has been modified. The exam was made more difficult during the final days of President Donald Trump's first term. The new system was in effect from December 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021, but the Biden administration rescinded it after assuming office and simplified the test again.

"The test was too easy."

USCIS Director Joseph Edlow recently stated that the current test is too low and that candidates could easily pass it simply by memorizing answers. He clarified that a process as important as citizenship requires a level of difficulty consistent with the spirit of the law.

The pass rate is currently 91 percent

Citizenship exams have been conducted in various forms in the United States since the 1900s. However, no standard format was established for a long time. The Internal Security Act of 1950 made knowledge of American history and civics a prerequisite for citizenship. The current pass rate for this exam is approximately 91 percent, which suggests that most candidates pass it with ease.

It remains to be seen how difficult the path to citizenship will become after the new changes are implemented and how this will affect applicants' success rates.