Instead of 100 questions, there are 128. Instead of 10 questions on the exam — 20. Instead of 6 correct answers — you need to get 12. For hundreds of thousands of Poles in America who are thinking about naturalization, this is the most important immigration change in years.
See: 128 questions for the USA citizenship exam 2025. Full official list in Polish
What has changed — old test vs. new
For seventeen years — from 2008 to October 2025 — the US citizenship exam looked the same. A USCIS officer would ask ten questions randomly selected from a pool of one hundred, and the candidate had to answer at least six correctly. The test was oral, without notes, without multiple choice — the officer asked, the candidate answered. For many Poles who passed this exam, it was stressful but manageable with a few weeks of study.
The new test — officially called the “2025 Naturalization Civics Test” — changes the rules of the game. The pool of questions has increased to 128 (of which about 75% come from the old test, and 25% are new questions). On the exam, the officer asks up to 20 questions and expects at least 12 correct answers. If you answer 12 correctly — the exam ends, you passed. If you make 9 mistakes — it also ends, but you failed. This is the so-called “stop-early rule” — the officer does not have to ask all 20 questions if the outcome is already decided.
The test is still oral and conducted in English (unless you qualify for a language exception). The language portion of the exam — reading, writing, and speaking English — has not changed.
Which test applies to me?
This depends solely on the date you submitted Form N-400 (Application for Naturalization). Not on the interview date, not on the decision date — only on the application submission date.
- Form N-400 submitted before October 20, 2025: you take the old test — 100 questions in the pool, 10 on the exam, 6 correct answers.
- Form N-400 submitted on or after October 20, 2025: you take the new test — 128 questions in the pool, 20 on the exam, 12 correct answers.
If you have not yet submitted your application — the new test applies to you. There is no shortcut.
What’s on the new test
The questions concern the history and government of the United States — the constitution, civil rights, the structure of the federal government, colonial history, wars, social movements, and political geography. The new test places greater emphasis on history and the system of government, and less on geography — some questions about rivers, oceans, and border states have been removed or changed. However, new questions about constitutional amendments, federalism, and contemporary civic institutions have appeared.
Important note: some answers change over time. The question “Who is the President of the United States?” has a different answer every four (or eight) years. The question about the senator from your state changes after elections. USCIS updates the answers on its website — you must answer with the name of the person holding office on the day of your exam, not on the day you studied.
Exceptions — who takes an easier test
Not everyone has to take the full version of the new test. USCIS provides special treatment for older residents:
- 65/20 Exception: If you are 65 years old or older and have lived in the U.S. as a permanent resident (green card holder) for at least 20 years, you take a simplified version: 10 questions from a pool of 20 specially selected ones, and you must answer 6 correctly. You can also take the exam in your native language (in Polish), using your own interpreter.
- 50/20 and 55/15 Exceptions: Individuals over 50 years of age with 20 years of residency or over 55 years of age with 15 years of residency are exempt from the English language requirement — they can take the interview with an interpreter. Note: they must provide the interpreter themselves — USCIS does not provide one.
- Medical Exception (N-648): Individuals with a documented physical or mental disability may apply for an exemption from the civics test and/or the language test. This requires a medical certificate on Form N-648. The Trump administration announced stricter verification of these exemptions.
Why the test was changed
The change stems from President Trump’s Executive Order 14161 of January 2025, which mandated federal agencies to “raise citizenship standards” and ensure that new Americans demonstrate a solid knowledge of U.S. history and government. USCIS described the new test as “the first step in a multi-stage reform of naturalization standards” — meaning further changes may occur.
In addition to the test itself, USCIS has introduced or announced other tightenings: stricter assessment of “good moral character,” resumption of so-called neighborhood investigations (interviews with neighbors and co-workers of the candidate), and limitation of medical exemptions. For many immigrant organizations, these changes raise concerns that the naturalization process will become more difficult and discouraging — especially for older immigrants and those with limited English proficiency.
How to prepare — practical tips
- Start early. With 128 questions, you need months, not weeks. Study systematically — a few questions a day, not all at once.
- Use official USCIS materials. On uscis.gov, you will find the full list of 128 questions with answers (document M-1778), flashcards for study, and the “One Nation, One People” guide in the 2025 version. This is the only source that guarantees up-to-date answers.
- Practice aloud. The test is oral — the officer asks, you answer in English. It’s not enough to read the answers — you must be able to say them. Practice with family, a friend, or in front of a mirror.
- Check for updates. Answers to questions about current politicians (president, vice president, senator, governor) change after elections. Before the exam, visit the USCIS website and check for current answers: uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates.
- Take advantage of local programs. Many Polish-American and immigrant organizations offer free preparatory courses for the citizenship exam. Ask at your parish, at the Polish & Slavic Center, at the public library, or at a local community college.
- Don’t panic. Seventy-five percent of the questions on the new test are the same questions that were on the old one. If you have already studied for the 2008 version — you have a solid base. You need to add new questions, but you are not starting from scratch.
See questions on poland.us
128 questions for the USA citizenship exam 2025. Full official list in Polish
Editorial Staff, Voice of Polonia in the USA
Sources: USCIS.gov — 2025 Civics Test, Federal Register Notice of Implementation (18.09.2025), Executive Order 14161. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For individual matters, consult a licensed immigration attorney.
Read more immigration guides on poland.us. Looking for a Polish lawyer, accountant, or advisor in the USA? PolishPages.com — directory of Polish businesses in America.
