The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has specified the three components of the English language test that applicants must pass during the naturalisation process in 2026. These requirements, published on the USCIS official website, apply to all individuals filing Form N-400, Application for Naturalisation.
Speaking Component: Assessed During the Interview
For the speaking portion, a USCIS officer evaluates an applicant's ability to speak and understand English during the eligibility interview, which is part of the N-400 process. No separate speaking test is administered; instead, the officer determines proficiency based on the conversation conducted during the interview itself.
This means that applicants must be prepared to communicate effectively in English throughout the interview, as their responses and comprehension are being assessed in real time.
Reading and Writing Components: Structured Sentences
The reading component requires applicants to read aloud one out of three sentences correctly. These sentences are drawn from content focused on civics and history topics. USCIS provides a Reading Test Vocabulary List to help candidates prepare for this portion of the exam.
Similarly, for the writing component, applicants must correctly write one out of three sentences. The content also covers civics and history themes, and USCIS offers a Writing Test Vocabulary List to assist candidates in their preparation.
What Applicants Should Know
All three components are administered during the same naturalisation interview appointment. Applicants are encouraged to use the vocabulary lists provided by USCIS when studying, as the reading and writing sentences are selected from a defined pool of civics-related content. Passing all three components is necessary to successfully complete the naturalisation test.
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that the US had explained the consequences for foreigners who fail the citizenship test. Additionally, the US has published the minimum score required to pass the citizenship test. According to USCIS, the 2025 Naturalisation Civics Test applies to all applicants who filed Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025. The test is conducted orally, meaning candidates must answer questions verbally before an officer rather than completing a written paper.
