LOS ANGELES – The Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC), a member of the Asian American Center for Advancing Justice, in partnership with the Filipino American Service Group, Inc. (FASGI), is providing a free immigration and citizenship clinic from 10am – 4pm, Friday, Feb. 10, 2012 in Historic Filipinotown. The clinic will be held at the FASGI Community Wellness Clinic, housed on the 6th floor of the Silver Lake Medical Center at 1711 W. Temple St. in Los Angeles.
“Citizenship is a cherished status that many immigrants seek, but the process of becoming a US citizen can be complicated and confusing,” said Joyce Noche, supervising attorney for APALC’s Immigration and Citizenship Project. “This clinic will hopefully help to demystify the entire process to becoming a naturalized citizen for members of the Filipino American community.”
The clinic will help green card holders determine if they are eligible to become citizens, and help those that are eligible complete their application forms and apply for various waivers. FASGI’s FilVote campaign staff will also promote voter registration for those seeking to vote in this year’s elections after they naturalize.
“The citizenship clinic is the first step to a multi-stage civic engagement effort to encourage new Americans to participate civically in their communities,” said Susan Dilkes, executive director of Filipino American Services Group, Inc. “Following their naturalization, we will encourage these new citizens to register to vote, as well as receive educational information on the elections process.”
Applicants who complete a N-400 naturalization application at the clinic will also receive a free copy of “Citizenship 101: Your Guide to Citizenship,” a comprehensive guide to becoming a US citizen. In addition, a free DVD about the citizenship process will also be given to applicants who complete the clinic. The DVD is available in Tagalog and English, as well as in Korean, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, and Hindi.
Those interested in attending are encouraged to make appointments by calling (213) 483-9804 ext. 205. Walk-ins also will be accepted.
Generally, in order to naturalize, an individual must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be a permanent resident (“green card holder”)
- Have continuously resided in the US for at least five years as a permanent resident
- Have been physically present in the US for at least two and a half years
- Demonstrate good moral character
- Have a basic understanding of US government and history
- Be able to understand, speak, read and write basic English.
For more information on citizenship, watch APALC’s free video on naturalization: http://apalc.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d4288ee38f7e26c00d03ef2d1&id=ba4a8bdacb&e=bd8c3388e0.
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