September 8, 2008

New Citizenship Test to Begin October 1, 2008

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently completed a multi-year redesign of the citizenship test. In redesigning the test, which follows a basic history and civics curriculum, USCIS’s goals were to make sure that the civics test accurately determines whether applicants have a meaningful understanding of U.S. government and history and that the test would be administered uniformly nationwide. Applicants whose citizenship interviews are scheduled before October 1, 2008 will take the current citizenship test. Applicants whose citizenship applications were received by USCIS before October 1, 2008 and whose initial exams are scheduled on October 1, 2008 or before October 1, 2009, may choose to take either the current or new test. Applicants whose citizenship applications were received by USCIS after October 1, 2008 will have to take the new test, as will applicants whose initial interviews are scheduled on or after October 1, 2009, no matter when the applications were received by USCIS.