U.S. starts new citizenship tests

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Prospective U.S. citizens must answer more probing questions about concepts such as democracy and the rights of citizens as examiners began using a new test in eight cities on Thursday, the government said.

The tests, which are part of a pilot project, replace an exam that focuses more on memorizing facts and figures, said a spokeswoman for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS.

"Right now people tend to memorize the test, so they are not grasping what it truly means to be an American citizen," said Maria Elena Garcia-Upson, USCIS regional communications manager in Dallas, Texas. "This is not about making it harder, but making it more meaningful."

Last year around 700,000 people became naturalized U.S. citizens, and around one million were granted permanent residency.

The portion of the test that focuses on civic issues could ask applicants to explain what freedom of religion is, and spell out why the United States has three distinct branches of government.

The revised test has three parts, one on civic issues, another on reading and a third on writing.

Examiners started using the new exam on Thursday in Albany, N.Y.; Boston, Mass.; El Paso, TX; Kansas City, Mo.; Miami, Fla.; San Antonio, TX; Tucson, Ariz.; and Yakima, Wash.

It will start in Denver, Colo.; on Friday and Charleston, S.C.; on the 20th. It is due to be applied nationwide approximately within a year.

Invitations were sent to about 9,000 immigrants in the naturalization process. If they fail the new test, they can still take the old one, said Garcia-Upson.