Free Services Available at Upcoming Citizenship
Day
Volunteer immigration attorneys, paralegals and interpreters offer FREE citizenship application assistance to legal permanent residents in Washington state; program expands services to three dates in 11 cities, including Tukwila, Wenatchee, Yakima & Centralia on April 18.
SEATTLE - Voting rights, safety and job opportunity are just a few of the benefits that citizenship brings. On April 18th, Citizenship Day will provide free services to legal permanent residents in Washington state who are seeking the American dream.
The Washington New Americans program -- administered by OneAmerica (formerly Hate Free Zone) in partnership with
the Washington Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) -- will
present Citizenship Day in Centralia, Wenatchee, Tukwila, and Yakima. This is the second of three Citizenship Days offered in 11 Washington cities. The first Citizenship Day on Feb. 28, 2009 served 165 people.
Citizenship Day offers
workshops providing assistance to legal permanent state residents eligible for
naturalization. The Washington New Americans Program promotes successful
immigrant integration by connecting Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs) to the
information and services they need to successfully pursue citizenship and
become active members of our community. This partnership expands AILA's annual
Citizenship Day to include three dates in 11 cities. This event follows last
year's workshops, at which approximately 270 individuals received assistance
with their applications for U.S. citizenship. The goal this year, through the
new partnership with the Washington New Americans program, is to assist 600
people with filing naturalization applications by June 30. After the first
Washington Citizenship Day by AILA in 2006, the concept has been
replicated in 25 states.
Offered at four locations on April 18 (see below), Citizenship Day
will be staffed by volunteer immigration attorneys, paralegals, interpreters
and other community members. These teams will prepare naturalization
applications at NO COST. Applicants will be able to consult with
professionals and ensure that their documentation is complete.
Citizenship offers enormous benefits, including access to better jobs, safety
and security, and the right to vote and be fully involved in our
democracy. Each year, hundreds of thousands of immigrants, from all
corners of the globe, embrace the ideals of freedom and democracy and become
United States citizens.
April 18 Citizenship Day
10 AM - 4 PM
CENTRALIA
(360) 736-9391, ext. 696
Centralia Community College
Kirk Library Building
600 Centralia College Blvd.
Centralia, WA 98531
TUKWILA
(206) 587-0234, ext. 103
Showalter Middle School
4628 S. 144th Street
Tukwila, WA 98168
WENATCHEE
(509) 665-7022 or
1 (888) 273-2219
Chelan Public Utilities District
327 N. Wenatchee Ave
Wenatchee, WA 98801
YAKIMA
(509) 248-1911
St. Joseph's Catholic Church
212 N. 4th St.
Yakima, WA 98901
Upcoming
Citizenship Day:
May
30, 2009
-
Pasco/Tri-Cities
-
Vancouver,
WA
-
Mt.
Vernon
- Lacey
Questions?
Call 1-877-926-3924 or visit Washington New Americans.
WASHINGTON NEW AMERICANS MEDIA CAMPAIGN Transit(Interior and exterior
on South Seattle/Eastside routes)
Print
(Running in 6 languages
in 10 publications)
Radio
(Running in 3 languages
on 7 stations statewide)
TV
(Running in Spanish on 2
stations in Yakima & Seattle)
ABOUT WASHINGTON NEW AMERICANS
The
Washington New Americans (WNA) program
is a partnership between the State of Washington
and OneAmerica, a non-profit dedicated to advancing democracy and justice.
Our
goal is to promote successful immigrant integration by connecting eligible
Legal Permanent Residents ("green card" holders) to the information and
services they need to successfully pursue citizenship and become active members
of our community.
We
work in partnership with the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
and community organizations across Washington
to provide the following FREE services:
-
Information
about the naturalization process
-
Citizenship
application assistance (N-400 forms only)
-
Legal
review of applications by a volunteer attorney or accredited representative
Additionally,
we provide FREE workshops to help you prepare for the citizenship interview and
learn about
community engagement.
To
find out about events and service providers in your area, please call 877.926.3924 or sign up here.
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For more information:
Naomi Ishisaka
Communications Director, OneAmerica
c: 206-853-3339
naomi@weareoneamerica.org |
About Washington New Americans
The
Washington New Americans (WNA) program
is a partnership between the State of Washington
and OneAmerica, a non-profit dedicated to advancing justice and equality.
Our
goal is to promote successful immigrant integration by connecting eligible
Legal Permanent Residents ("green card" holders) to the information and
services they need to successfully pursue citizenship and become active members
of our community.
We
work in partnership with the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
and community organizations across Washington
to provide the following FREE services:
-
Information
about the naturalization process
-
Citizenship
application assistance (N-400 forms only)
-
Legal
review of applications by a volunteer attorney or accredited representative
Additionally,
we provide FREE workshops to help you prepare for the citizenship interview and
learn about
community engagement.
To
find out about events and service providers in your area, please call 877.926.3924 or sign up here. |
What to bring to Citizenship Day:
- Green Card
- List of home addresses and dates from past five years
- List of employers (names and addresses) and dates worked from past five years
- Dates and itineraries of trips outside of U.S. since becoming a permanent resident
- Children's complete names, birthdates and A#'s, if applicable
- If you think you have been arrested or detained, or if you appeared in court for any reason in the last five years, bring ALL certified court & police documents
Full List
Benefits of Citizenship
- Sponsor
family members to immigrate to the United States
- Automatically
gain United States citizenship for children who are under 18 years old
- Travel
and live overseas without worrying about losing your legal status in the
United States or obtaining a reentry permit
- More
employment opportunities
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About OneAmerica
OneAmerica (formerly Hate Free Zone) is committed to the vision of a unified nation with
justice for all. Our mission is to advance the fundamental principles
of democracy, justice, and human rights at the local, state and
national levels. We work with community partners and with partners
across the nation to protect and strengthen fundamental American rights
for all people-especially immigrants.
Please
join us and support our vision of America: a refuge from persecution,
the land of opportunity, the lifter of the lamp that lights the way to
freedom, liberty and justice for all.
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