Next "Become a Citizen Now" Workshop will be Saturday May 11, 2013.

The Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition in partnership with Casa de la Cultura Latinoamericana and the Legal Aid Society of Middle TN invites you to attend the Citizenship Assistance Workshop.

DATE:  Saturday May 11, 2013

TIME: 9:30am–12:00pm (by appointment ONLY) 

PLACE: Casa Azafran. 2195 Nolensville Pk. Nashville TN 37211

Assistance is FREE!

Naturalization Ceremony from Last September 2012

By appointment ONLY, please call number below!

Trained volunteers will be supervised by immigration attorneys to assist you in completing your citizenship application (N400), answer questions, and provide study materials for the citizenship examination!

For more Information and to make an appointment please contact TIRRC at 615.8330384 x 109, 615.4141030 or Email Anahi Gutierrez at  anahi@tnimmigrant.org

New American Stories

Through the National Partnership for New Americans, TIRRC launched in 2012 the Become a Citizen Now Program which assisted eligible residents in the naturalization process through Citizenship Assistance Workshops. These workshops could have never happened without the support of every partner from the National Partnership for New Americans, Justice of Our Neighbors of Tennessee, and the attorneys and Citizenship Coaches that volunteered for those days. Now these New Americans can share their story about how they are closer to fulfilling their American dream. Check out the stories of these New Americans that will soon adopt the American flag as their own:

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Who can request a fee waiver for the Citizenship Quotas?

You may qualify to apply for citizenship at NO cost, click here to know more about the requierments.

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Citizenship Program

Between 2000 and 2012, the rate of growth in Tennessee’s foreign-born population was the third fastest in the country. TIRRC is the only organization in Tennessee with the capacity to reach large numbers of eligible LPRs, assist them in obtaining their citizenship, and facilitate their ongoing participation in the civic process. In new destination states like Tennessee, where immigrant communities are smaller and more isolated, eligible LPRs tend to be harder to reach and recruit than in states with more established immigrant communities. This is especially true outside of major cities. Naturalization work is far more challenging in smaller towns and rural areas. What this means for us is that an effective naturalization program must necessarily include a number of ancillary activities to find eligible LPRs and educate them about the importance of citizenship and civic engagement (outreach through member organizations and educational events, use of ethnic media, etc). This essentially raises the cost of providing naturalization services in this context

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Eligibility and Documentation Needed.

To apply for Citizenship you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Have been a permanent resident - "green card holder" for at least 5 years (3 if married to a U.S. citizen). 
• Have been present in the U.S. for 2 ½ of the past 5 years (or 1 ½ of the past three, if married to a U.S. citizen)
• Have been a resident of the state for at least 3 months
• Be able to speak, read and write ordinary English (unless eligible for a waiver)
• Be able to pass a U.S. history and government exam
• Be a person of "good moral character" (this will be difficult to establish if you have failed to pay child support, taxes, or have been convicted of certain crimes, among other things)
• Be willing to take an oath of loyalty to the U.S.

This are the documents that you need to bring with you to the workshop to get assistance:

• Your Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)
• List of home addresses for the past five years and the dates during which you lived  at these addresses
• List of employer names and addresses for the past five years, including the dates you worked with these employers
• Dates you have been outside of the U.S. since becoming a permanent resident and the countries you traveled to during these trips.
• Your children’s complete names, dates of birth, and their A#s (alien registration numbers) if they have one
• Your most recent tax return.
• Criminal and/or driving record (if applicable)
• A check or money order of $680 payable to “U.S. Department of Homeland Security” (to be send with application)  unless you qualify for a fee waiver (see reverse)
• 2 Color passport photos (to be sent with application).
•   If got your resident through marriage to a US Citizen please also bring: Evidence that your spouse is a US Citizen (such as passport or certificate of naturalization), your marriage or divorce decree and documents referring to your marriage dating back three years (such as tax returns, bank statements).
•   $10 to cover copies and mailing fee if it applies.