CIP Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the CIP exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 CIP Exam Format at a Glance
📚 CIP Topics to Study (24)
✍️ Sample CIP Questions & Answers
1. Which document is essential to establish attorney-client relationship?
An engagement or retainer agreement is a crucial legal document that formally establishes the attorney-client relationship. It outlines the scope of legal services to be provided, the fee structure, and the responsibilities of both the attorney and the client. This agreement is essential for clarity, setting expectations, and ensuring a professional and legally sound working relationship in immigration cases.
2. A national interest waiver (NIW) exempts an employment-based immigrant from which normally required element?
A national interest waiver allows EB-2 petitioners to bypass the PERM labor certification requirement if their work is in the national interest of the United States.
3. Under the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, a foreign-born child automatically acquires U.S. citizenship when which combination of conditions is met?
INA § 320 provides automatic citizenship acquisition when a child under 18 who is a lawful permanent resident resides in the U.S. in the legal and physical custody of at least one U.S. citizen parent.
4. Under INA § 208(a)(2)(B), asylum applications must generally be filed within how many days of the applicant's last arrival in the United States?
An asylum application must be filed within one year of the applicant's last arrival in the United States, subject to limited exceptions for changed or extraordinary circumstances.
5. The B-1/B-2 visa is primarily issued for which purpose?
B-1 covers temporary business visitors and B-2 covers tourists; they are commonly issued together as the B-1/B-2 combination visa.
6. What should a paralegal do if they suspect unethical behavior by a colleague?
If a paralegal suspects unethical behavior by a colleague, the appropriate action is to report the suspicion to the supervising attorney. This allows the attorney, who has the ethical responsibility for the conduct of their staff, to investigate the matter and take appropriate action. Ignoring the behavior or confronting the colleague directly may not resolve the issue and could exacerbate the situation.