Article Summary

USCIS is implementing stricter naturalization requirements starting October 20, 2025, for Green Card holders filing Form N-400. Applicants will now need to correctly answer 12 out of 20 civics questions from a 128-question pool, an increase from the previous 6 out of 10. Additionally, the policy emphasizes a more stringent review of 'good moral character,' potentially including neighborhood investigations, to 'restore integrity to the naturalization process.'

TNP AI: Key Insights

This change directly impacts thousands of Green Card holders planning to naturalize, particularly those who have resided in the U.S. for many years and may not have anticipated such stringent requirements. For employers, this could mean a longer path to full integration for some key foreign talent, potentially affecting long-term workforce planning.

The return to a more rigorous civics test and the potential reintroduction of 'neighborhood investigations' harkens back to earlier eras of immigration policy, signaling a move towards a more selective and values-based assessment of aspiring citizens, contrasting with the more streamlined processes of recent decades. This move by USCIS could face scrutiny from immigrant advocacy groups, potentially leading to legal challenges or calls for legislative review, especially concerning the subjective nature of 'good moral character' assessments and privacy implications of neighborhood investigations.