Apply for citizenship from the safety of your home
by Adriana Jaramillo, Program Specialist
Nearly nine million immigrants are eligible to become U.S. citizens, but they face a myriad of obstacles, from the lack of access to sound legal and financial advice, to affordable credit.
Recently, the Trump administration has proposed additional obstacles: to increase the current citizenship application fee, nearly doubling it from $640 to $1170. Moreover, the administration is also proposing the elimination of the fee waiver and reduced fee options for eligible low-income legal permanent residents who may qualify. If you, or someone you know is planning to apply for citizenship, now is the perfect time.
Unfortunately, as the pandemic continues to spread, many workplaces and services are deciding to close their offices and transition to work remotely from the safety of their homes.
So, if you had plans to apply for citizenship soon, you may be wondering how you will do it amid a pandemic while staying safe at home. At UnidosUS, we understand that for both potential applicants and service providers there are some challenges during these difficult times, however, there are still safe and secure resources to help people apply online.
For example, CitizenshipWorks is a free, safe, and simple way to apply for citizenship online. Through this website you will be guided through the application from start to finish. It will also inform you if you might need help from an immigration expert. They work with lawyers from more than 200 trusted nonprofit organizations.
You can also check out the New Americans Campaign for a list of organizations that offer a variety of assistance with the citizenship process. We are just one of the organizations partnering with the New Americans Campaign who can assist you in your process. Call with questions or find the one nearest organization to you and call to see what online services are currently being provided.
Abiodun Freeman wanted to become a U.S. citizen and he found an UnidosUS Affiliate that could help him: @CETWorks. We proudly partner with the @newamericans campaign to help eligible permanent residents apply for U.S. citizenship. #AffiliatesUnidos https://t.co/kd8mEnBUmS
— UnidosUS (@WeAreUnidosUS) May 3, 2020
If you’re not ready to apply and need help learning English or studying for the Citizenship exam, USA Learns is a website that contains English lessons allowing you to learn the language for free from the safety of your home. USA Learns now also has a U.S. Citizenship course to help you prepare for your citizenship test or interview at USA Learns Citizenship.
Citizenship is a very crucial final step to fully become a part of this country and have a voice in your community. Share this blog and take the final step of becoming a citizen if you are an eligible permanent resident. Do it before the fees go up! Don’t wait, apply now, from the safety of your home, while practicing physical distancing.
For more information, you can also visit our campaign page or message us on Facebook. We will have our new immigration chatbot walk you through important resources, and answer questions you may have about this citizenship fee increases and citizenship process.
