On September 18, 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the implementation of a newly revised civics test for naturalization applicants, known as the 2025 Naturalization Civics Test. This updated version builds on the 2020 test—and will replace the existing 2008…
Articles Posted in Citizenship
USCIS Announces Tougher Policy to Evaluate the Good Moral Character Requirement for U.S. Citizenship
On Friday August 15th, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a new policy memorandum (PM-602-0188) increasing the scrutiny of applications for U.S. citizenship, as part of the Trump administration’s latest efforts to tighten eligibility for naturalization. Specifically, USCIS has directed immigration officers to evaluate additional factors when assessing…
Trump Administration Plans to Change Selection Process for H-1B High-Skilled Workers and Naturalization Exams
In a recent interview with the New York Times, published on July 25th the new director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Joseph Edlow told reporters that the agency is planning sweeping changes to the way the agency awards visas for H-1B high-skilled workers in specialty occupations. Under…
Federal Judge Blocks Birthright Citizenship Executive Order in New Class Action Lawsuit
Last month, the Supreme Court ruled that lower courts cannot issue nationwide injunctions blocking the Trump administration’s executive order limiting birthright citizenship, except in class action lawsuits. Prior to the Supreme Court’s ruling, at least three different lawsuits had secured nationwide injunctions protecting all individuals potentially affected by Trump’s executive…
What’s New in Immigration? SSN Updates for New N-400 Citizenship Applicants, and H-1B FY 2025 Season Updates
SSN Updates for New N-400 Applicants If you have been thinking of applying for U.S. Citizenship, you may be pleased to learn that starting April 1st applicants will have the option of requesting an original or replacement Social Security number (SSN) or card and have the chance to update their…
USCIS Announces Increase in Filing Fees Effective April 1, 2024
On January 30, 2024, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a final rule in the Federal Register making significant fee increases for various immigration applications and benefit requests. This fee increase will be the first major adjustment in the filing fees since 2016. The increase is meant to address…
U.S. Citizenship Applications Rebound in Fiscal Year 2023 to Pre Pandemic Levels
According to recent data released by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), applications for U.S. Citizenship surpassed pre-pandemic levels in fiscal year 2023, welcoming 878,500 new citizens from all over the world. To be eligible for naturalization, applicants must meet certain eligibility requirements set forth in the Immigration and Nationality…
USCIS Extends “MyProgress” to Form I-485 and Form I-821
Did you know? U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced that online account holders can take advantage of a new tool called “myProgress.” “MyProgress” allows applicants to view personalized estimates of approximate wait times for major milestones and actions taken on their cases including final case decisions. These estimates…
USCIS Launches New Online Change of Address Tool for those with USCIS Online Accounts
Did you know that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has launched a new online change of address self-service tool? This new tool known as “Enterprise Change of Address” (E-COA) is a one-stop shop where most individuals with a USCIS online account can update their mailing and physical address…
This Week in Immigration News: USCIS Announces End of Flexibility for Responding to RFEs
It is the end of an era. Yesterday, March 23, 2023, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it is ending its COVID-19 flexibility policy, giving applicants and petitioners more time to respond to Requests for Evidence and Notices of Intent to Deny during the COVID-19 pandemic.…