Major changes coming up in US citizenship test: What we know so far

US Citizenship Test: After Joe Biden took office, he signed an executive order aimed at eliminating barriers to citizenship.

The US citizenship test- one of the final steps toward citizenship in the country- is being updated. The process requires legal permanent residency for years before applying. The test was last changed by former US president Donald Trump's administration in 2020 when it was made longer and more difficult. After Joe Biden took office, he signed an executive order aimed at eliminating barriers to citizenship- changing it back to its previous version which was updated in 2008.

A view of the White House in Washington, US. (Reuters)

What we know so far?

1. In December, US authorities said the test was due for an update after 15 years.
2. The new version is expected late next year.
3. The new test will add a speaking section to assess English skills. It would involve an officer to show photos of ordinary scenarios and ask the applicant to verbally describe the photos.
4. Currently, an officer evaluates speaking ability by asking personal questions.
5. The civics section on US history and government would switch to multiple-choice instead of the current oral short-answer format.
6. Experts believe that the changes will require a “significantly higher level of language proficiency and test-taking skill."
7. Currently, an applicant must answer six out of 10 civics questions correctly to pass which are selected from a bank of 100 civics questions.
8. US Citizenship and Immigration Services said that the proposed changes “reflect current best practices in test design” and would help standardize the test.
9. The agency said it will conduct a nationwide trial of the proposed changes in 2023 .
10. The US currently has the easiest citizenship test compared to other countries — including Germany, Canada and the United Kingdom.
11. About 96% of applicants pass the test, according to recent estimates.
12. More than 1 million people became US citizens in 2022 — one of the highest numbers on record since 1907.