Contact: Cheryl David, (212) 791-7608 [EMAIL=“[email protected]”][email protected]
News Release
Free Legal Services for U.S. Citizenship Applicants
Saturday, March 24, 2007
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Manhattan – Long Island
NEW YORK, NY, March 1, 2007 – The New York Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), New York Law School’s Justice Action Center and the Korean Bar Association of New York are sponsoring free legal services to people seeking to apply for United States citizenship. Chapter attorneys and trained volunteers will provide assistance at no cost at three locations during this one-day event on March 24, 2007. The event will be take place at New York Law School at 57 Worth Street in Manhattan and The Salvation Army at 992 Prospect Avenue in Westbury, Long Island between 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The New York Law School location requires advanced registration and is limited to the first 200 applicants. You can register by calling 212-431-2100 Extension 4419 or by emailing a request to [EMAIL=“[email protected]”][email protected].
Applicants may wish to apply for naturalization now as the government has proposed a major fee increase that may go into effect shortly. If the increase is implemented, the USCIS filing fee may rise from $330 to $595.
If they wish, lawful permanent residents (“green card” holders) may apply for U.S. citizenship. Citizenship confers the right to vote, bear a U.S. passport, petition for relatives abroad, and obtain public benefits.
To apply for citizenship, a person must be at least 18 years old and have been a lawful permanent resident for five years, or for three years if married to a U.S. citizen for at least three years. In addition, applicants must demonstrate that they can read, write, and speak in English, have paid income taxes, pass a civics test, and take the oath of allegiance to the United States.
Individuals interested in this program can check the legal and documentation requirements by visiting www.nyls.edu/citizenship.
The American Immigration Lawyers Association is a national association of over 10,000 attorneys and law professors. Member attorneys represent tens of thousands of U.S. families who have applied for permanent residence for their spouses, children, and other close relatives. AILA Members also represent thousands of U.S. businesses who sponsor highly skilled foreign workers. Founded in 1946, AILA is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization with 35 chapters and over 50 national committees. For more on the national organization, go to www.aila.org.