Staying Legal : A Guide to Phase 2 of the Immigration Amnesty Law : Sample Test Questions

Many applicants for permanent residence will be asked to demonstrate a basic knowledge of English and civics. The government pledges that the tests for this will be relatively simple. Here are some sample questions.

Interview test

This test will take place at the time of your interview, if you so choose.

You will be given 15 questions from a list of 100 that you can obtain in advance. Here’s a sample of the questions, with the correct answers.

1. What are the colors of our flag? Red, White and Blue.

2. How many stars are there on our flag? 50 stars.

3. What color are the stars on our flag? White.

4. What do the stars on the flag mean? One for each state in the union.

5. How many stripes are there on the flag? 13.

6. What color are the stripes? Red and white.

7. What do the stripes on the flag mean? They represent the original 13 states.

8. How many states are there in the union? 50.

9. What is the 4th of July? Independence Day.

10. What is the date of Independence Day? July 4th.

11. Independence from what? England.

12. What country did we fight during the Revolutionary War? England.

13. Who was the first President of the United States? George Washington.

14. Who is the President of the United States? (as of 1-20-89) George Bush.

15. Who is the Vice President of the United States? (as of 1-20-89) Dan Quayle.

16. Who elects the President of the United States? The Electoral College.

17. Who becomes President of the United States if the President should die? Vice-President.

18. For how long do we elect the President. Four years.

19. What is the Constitution? The supreme law of the land.

20. Can the Constitution be changed? Yes.

Proficiency test

You must make an appointment to take this test, which is given at legalization centers. You get 15 multiple choice questions, and have to answer 9 correctly to pass. Here are some sample questions.

1. Who is the President of the United States today?

A. George Bush

B. Ronald Reagan

C. Jimmy Carter

D. Gerald Ford

2. Which country is north of the United States?

A. Cuba

B. France

C. Canada

D. Japan

3. How many states are there in the United States?

A. 35

B. 40

C. 48

D. 50

4. Which office deals with immigration?

A. The employment office

B. The INS

C. The post office

D. The Social Security office

5. Where does Congress meet?

A. In Washington, D.C.

B. In Chicago

C. In Philadelphia

D. In New York

6. Which do you need to drive a car?

A. A credit card

B. A bus ticket

C. A driver’s license

D. A Social Security card

7. In which city is the United States Capitol?

A. New York

B. Washington, D.C.

C. Chicago

D. San Francisco

8. Where should you go for your interview for permanent residence?

A. To a public library

B. To a church

C. To a post office

D. To an INS legalization office