USCIS has announced various changes to the naturalization process, including a 2025 Naturalization Civics Test. This test, meant to assess the applicant’s understanding of US history, civics, and the English language, will be implemented 30 days after the publication of the Federal Register notice, scheduled for September 18, 2025. The currently unpublished notice states that the test will be implemented to ensure that those applying for naturalization are committed to assimilating into U.S. society and understand the rights and responsibilities they will gain upon becoming a U.S. citizen.
Additionally, USCIS recently announced that it will be restoring neighborhood checks, which have been waived since 1991. They will also begin assessing applicants’ moral character and positive contributions to the United States, not simply looking for the absence of bad behavior. With the recent policy update expanding USCIS officers’ discretionary authority in assessing applicants’ moral character, applicants are encouraged to include letters of recommendation from community members and/ or employers as evidence of their good moral character. They may be subject to a neighborhood check should they fail to do so.
USCIS will be announcing additional changes to the naturalization process in the upcoming months. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated.