By Kevin Tung

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will revert to the 2008 version of the civics test for naturalization. The agency determined that their 2020 revision of the naturalization civics test may create unintended barriers to the citizenship process.

Individuals who filed for US naturalization between December 1, 2020 and February 28, 2021 (inclusive), and whose interviews are scheduled before April 19, 2021, will be able to choose between the 2008 and 2020 versions of the civics test. Applicants with interviews scheduled on or after April 19, 2021 will take the 2008 civics test.

The Biden administration’s “Executive Order on Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans” requires federal immigration agencies to evaluate and eliminate barriers to United States citizenship. USCIS’s decision to revert to the 2008 version of the naturalization civics test is consistent with this executive order.

Conclusion

Individuals who are applying for US citizenship should refer to the USCIS Citizenship Resource Center for more information. For help applying for US citizenship, sponsoring family members for green cards, or any case-specific questions, please contact your trusted Chugh, LLP attorney.