Immigrants' Assistance Center to hold free citizenship clinic before fee increase

Lurdes C. da Silva, O Jornal
·2 min read

NEW BEDFORD – The Immigrants’ Assistance Center (IAC) will be holding a special Citizenship Clinic on Saturday, March 23 in an attempt to help as many immigrants as possible file their citizenship applications before the proposed fee hike goes into effect.

“Since the citizenship [fee] is going to increase, we want people to apply before that increase,” said Helena da Silva Hughes, president and CEO of the Immigrant’s Assistance Center.

On April 1, the cost of the application to naturalize is climbing as much as 19 percent.

The naturalization application form, called an N-400, now costs $640 when filing a paper application or $725 including the fingerprint fee, called “biometrics.” On April 1, the cost of both jumps to $760.

O Jornal file photo. New U.S. citizens take the Oath of Allegiance during a naturalization ceremony held at the Immigrants’ Assistance Center in New Bedford.
O Jornal file photo. New U.S. citizens take the Oath of Allegiance during a naturalization ceremony held at the Immigrants’ Assistance Center in New Bedford.

The Citizenship Clinic will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the center, located at 58 Crapo St., New Bedford.

According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, an individual may qualify for naturalization if they are at least 18 years old and have been a permanent resident for at least five years (or three years if they are married to a U.S. citizen) and meet all other eligibility requirements. They may also qualify for naturalization based on military service, which has different requirements.

To start the citizenship application process, individuals will need to bring the following to the citizenship clinic:

  • Money order or bank check for $725 payable to U.S. Department of Homeland Security ($640 processing fee plus $85 biometric fee).

  • Green Card

  • Passport (need dates of trips taken outside of the United States)

  • Social Security Card

  • Driver’s License or State I.D.

  • Marriage, Divorce and Death Certificate

  • Names and addresses of places where applicant worked and/or attended school in the last 5 years

  • Addresses and dates where applicant lived in the last 5 years

  • Children’s information: name, date of birth, current address, country of birth, A-number (if applicable)

  • Spouses’ information: name, date of birth and date of marriage

  • Previous marriages: name, date of birth, fate of marriage and end of marriage

Hughes advises those interested in initiating the naturalization application process to contact the IAC at 508-996-8113 to schedule an appointment as soon as possible.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Immigrants' Assistance Center to hold free citizenship clinic March 23