CITIZENSHIP TEST FOR ELDERLY
As you get older, mamory fades and it becomes harder it can be to learn a new language or memorize factual material. Because this is a fact of life, the U.S. immigration law allows older applicants for naturalization (U.S. citizenship) to request easier versions of the English and civics exams than the one normally required of most applicants.
Civics Test "65/20 " Exception for Elderly Applicants
Green card holders who have reached the age 65 or older and have lived in the United States as permanent residents for at least 20 years (not necessarily continuously) can take a simpler version of the history and government (civics) exam that is normally required of naturalization applicants. This is known as the “65/20 exception.”
A person who qualifies will be required e to study only 20 questions rather than the 100 that almost all applicants face. The applicant will be asked ten out of the 20 questions and owill need to answer six correctly in order to pass.
Requirement to take this test
The questions are the same for everyone
- over 65 years of age; and
- has been a Lawful Permanent Resident for at least 20 YEARS
The Questions
1. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?
2. What is the economic system in the United States?
3. Name one branch or part of the government.
4. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?
5. Who is one of your state's U.S. Senators?
6. In what month do we vote for President?
7. What is the name of the President of the United States now?
8. What is the capital of your state?
9. What are the two major political parties in the United States?
10. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?
11. How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?
12. When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?
13. Who was the first President?
14. What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?
15. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.
16. What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?
17. What is the capital of the United States?
18. Where is the Statue of Liberty?
19. Why does the flag have 50 stars?
20. When do we celebrate Independence Day?
ANSWERS
1. Speech; religion; assembly; press; petition the government
2. Capitalist economy; market economy
3. Congress; Legislative; President; executive; the courts; judicial
4. The Senate and House (of Representatives)
5. Kirsten Gillibrand; Charles Schumer 6. November
7. Barack Obama; Obama
8. Albany
9. Democratic and Republican
10. Serve on a jury; vote
11. Eighteen (18) and older
12. April 15
13. (George) Washington
14. Freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation); saved (or preserved) the Union; led the United States during the Civil War
15. World War I; World War II; Korean War; Vietnam War; (Persian) Gulf War
16. Fought for civil rights; worked for equality for all Americans
17. Washington, D.C.
18. New York (Harbor); Liberty Island [Also acceptable are New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson (River).]
19. Because there is one star for each state; because each star represents a state; because there are 50 states
20. July 4
