In 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated the citizenship test, increasing the questions from 100 to 128 in total. During the naturalization interview, the officer may ask up to 20 questions and the applicant must answer at least 12 correctly to pass.
This new format is more demanding compared to the previous one, where 6 out of 10 questions were required to be correct.
Questions that generate more problems
Among all the questions, one that stands out for its difficulty is:
Who is one of the U.S. Senators for your state at the present time (Question 23, category American Government – Government System). This question is complex because it requires the applicant to know current information about his or her state, which changes over time.
In addition, other difficult questions are those that require precise and concrete answers, such as:
How many members vote in the House of Representatives (exact answer: 435).
When was the Declaration of Independence signed?
What does the First Amendment mean?
What is the capital of the United States?
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
These questions are often confusing because they require memorization of historical details, specific dates or numbers, and in some cases, varying knowledge depending on the state of residence.
Reasons for failure of applicants
One of the main challenges for applicants is that some questions have several possible answers.
Other questions require a single clear and exact answer. This means that you cannot improvise or give general answers.
In addition, some questions depend on updated data, such as the name of the current senator.
This data can often change due to recent elections or appointments. Therefore, USCIS recommends visiting its official website to stay informed.
Tips for passing the exam
Study with the official USCIS guide, updated for 2025.
Focus on learning concrete and specific facts with dates and figures.
Practice the oral part of the exam to improve pronunciation and comprehension in English.
Consult official sources to find out who the current representatives of your state are.
Take advantage of the 65/20 rule for certain seniors that allows them to study fewer questions and take the test in the preferred language.
Filed under: Questions fail citizenship test
This article was originally published in Nueva News.
