Immigration Resources
Contact U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS)
Visas
Becoming a U.S. Citizen
Health Care
Organizations Serving Immigrants
Legal and Advocacy Organizations
Learning English
Life in the U.S.A.
Contact U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS)
Make an appointment with USCIS
http://infopass.uscis.gov
The U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (formerly Immigration & Naturalization Services, also known as "INS") requires online appointment setting and canceling; this is the location to visit for these activities. Instructions are in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Russian, Chinese, Korean, Polish, and several other languages.
USCIS Service and Office Locator
https://egov.uscis.gov/crisgwi/go?action=offices.type&OfficeLocator.office_type=LO
Type in a zipcode or click on your state to find nearby USCIS offices. Click on NJ for contact info for the Mt. Laurel and Newark offices.
Finding the Status of Your Case / Estado de Caso
https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/jsps/index.jsp
Check your case status online by typing in your application receipt number.
Para tener acceso a este sitio en Español, presione aquí.
USCIS National Customer Service Center
http://www.uscis.gov
Provides information on services and benefits provided to applicants, petitioners, authorized representatives, community-based organizations, and the general public. Call 1-800-375-5283 or 1-800-767-1833 (TTY) for 24/7 English and Spanish language assistance for immigration-related matters.
Visas
Green Card Diversity Visa Lottery
2009 DV Lottery
http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1318.html
"The Congressionally mandated Diversity Immigrant Visa Program makes available 50,000 permanent resident visas annually, drawn from random selection among all entries to persons who meet strict eligibility requirements from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States." The 2009 Lottery online entry begins at Noon EDT on October 3, 2007, and ends at Noon EST on December 2, 2007.
Official Lottery instructions available at http://travel.state.gov/pdf/2009DVInstructions.pdf. Unofficial translations will be posted when available.
Green Card Lottery Scams
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/lottery.htm
From the U.S. Federal Trade Commission: "If you or someone you know is trying to get a green card — the right to live in the United States permanently — be on the lookout for unscrupulous businesses and attorneys. They’ll claim
that, for a fee, they can make it easier to enter the U. S. State Department’s annual Diversity Visa (DV) lottery (also known as the “green card lottery”) or increase your chances of winning the DV lottery." More here on how to protect yourself.
General Visa Information
U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs
http://travel.state.gov/visa
"The Visa section of travel.state.gov, an official source of information about United States (U.S.) visa policy and procedures" answers visa questions for temporary visitors and immigrants.
Visa Information for Immigrants
http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1339.html
"Foreign citizens wishing to immigrate and live permanently in the U.S. must comply with U.S. visa immigration law, and specific procedures to apply for your visa." Find information on visa types, qualifications, FAQs, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
http://cifss.rutgers.edu/current/faq.htm
Designed for international students at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, this page answers general questions about student and employment forms.
Becoming a U.S. Citizen
Becoming a Naturalized Citizen
Naturalization
http://www.uscis.gov/naturalization
Under Related Links, you'll find the Guide to Naturalization, a listing of requirements for becoming a U.S. citizen, and information and study materials for the Redesigned Naturalization Test.
Citizenship & Immigration
http://webjunction.org/do/Navigation?category=15373
"The Citizenship & Immigration Module highlights resources to help non-citizens enter the country and stay legally."
Preparing for the U.S. Citizenship Test
Redesigned Naturalization Test in 2008
All persons applying to take the naturalization test after October 1, 2008 will be taking the newly redesigned version of the test.
Civics and Citizenship Study Materials
http://www.uscis.gov/civicsflashcards
Educational materials developed by the USCIS to help immigrants prepare for the naturalization test. Available for download: Civics Flash Cards; Quick Civics Lessons; Sample U.S. History and Government Q&As; The Citizen's Almanac; and a Pocket Declaration of Independence and Constitution of the United States.
Learning Express: U.S. Citizenship Test
http://www.learningexpresslibrary.com/
Please do not hesitate to ask a librarian to help you to access the practice tests from this database. You can use the database in any Newark Public
Library location or at work, home, or at any computer with Internet access by entering your library barcode number. Under FEATURED RESOURCES, click on "U.S. Citizenship."
Citizenship Preparation
http://aenet.esuhsd.org/Citizenship_lessons/quizzes/quiz.html
Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced lessons and quizzes to help you prepare for the naturalization test. From the East Side Adult Education Program in San Jose, CA.
Health Care
GoNewark.com--Health Care
http://www.gonewark.com/atHome/HealthCare/HealthCareList.asp?ID=32|Health Care Institutions
This list of health care institutions in Newark indicates which institutions offer bilingual services and sliding-scale fees.
New Jersey Department of Human Services
http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/services.html
Offers extensive variety of services to low-income individuals and families, including free help and hotlines for health and family services.
Organizations Serving Immigrants
Ironbound Community Corporation
http://www.ironboundcc.org
ICC provides children and youth programs, senior citizen care, family services, a "Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies Drop In Center," and adult learning programs for residents of the Ironbound District.
Newark ACORN (Assn of Community Organizations for Reform Now)
http://newark.acorn.org
ACORN's Newark office offers free tax preparation for low and moderate income families, one-on-one mortgage loan counseling, first-time homebuyer classes, and predatory lending counseling.
First Call for Help: 2-1-1
http://www.211firstcall.org
Serving Morris, Passaic, Bergen, Union, and Essex counties. Directory of human services is searchable by service provided. Call 2-1-1 or 1-800-HELP-555 for assistance.
NJ 2-1-1: New Jersey's Community Resource Phone or Website Guide
http://www.nj211.org
Access a comprehensive statewide directory of social service agencies, nonprofits, and faith-based community organizations by phone, website search, via live chat, or by dialing 2-1-1 from any phone. This service is free, 24/7, TTY, and multilingual.
Legal and Advocacy Organizations
American Civil Liberties Union Immigrants' Rights Project
http://www.aclu.org/immigrants/index.html
News about laws affecting immigrants and refugees, in English and en Español.
American Friends Service Committee Immigrant Rights
http://www.afsc.org/nymetro/immigrantRights
This Newark-based program increases both "the information available to immigrants, service providers and other communities on immigration laws and rights through education and trainings" and "the ability of immigrants to access legal services through the provision of "Know Your Rights" presentations, legal services and referrals." Click here for a bilingual brochure on immigrant workers' rights.
American Immigration Lawyers Association
http://www.aila.org
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) is a national bar association of attorneys specializing in immigration law. Visit here to find a lawyer by specialty, language, and zip code.
Catholic Charities Immigration Services
http://www.ccsnewark.org/refugee_immigration.html
"The Refugee & Immigration Assistance program provides assistance to clients with immigration problems by providing inexpensive fee-for-service legal assistance in all phases of immigration and naturalization proceedings, representation in deportation or exclusion proceedings before the
Immigration Court, and assistance in any matter involving immigration and citizenship. There is a $40 consultation fee, and additional fees may apply depending on the type of work needed. However, no one is refused service because of his or her inability to pay." Visit this website or telephone (973)
733-3516 for more information.
Immigrants' Legal Services in New Jersey
http://english.hdanj.org/dmdocuments/Certified_Immigration_Legal_Services_NJ.pdf
These agencies offer legal aid to immigrants in New Jersey.
International Institute of New Jersey
http://www.iinj.org
Programs from this vital organization include anti-trafficking, cross-cultural counseling, education, interpreting/translating, immigration law, refugee resettlement, and much more. Look for the "Quick Link to PDF Language Guide" for French, Hindi, Russian, Portuguese, Polish, Korean, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese, and English.
National Immigration Forum
http://www.immigrationforum.org
Especially useful for its news of current events and recent laws relevant to immigrants and refugees.
Learning English
For ESL Learners and Teachers
Learning Express: Skills Improvement with Spanish Instructions
http://www.learningexpresslibrary.com/
Short computer-based courses in Spanish covering grammar, math, reading, vocabulary & spelling, and more. Please do not hesitate to ask a librarian to help you to access the courses from this database. You can use the database in any Newark Public
Library location or at work, home, or at any computer with Internet access by entering your library barcode number. Under FEATURED RESOURCES, click on "Skills Improvement with Spanish Instructions."
Links of Interest to Students & Teachers of English as a Second Language
http://iteslj.org/links/
An excellent array of materials for teaching and learning the English language from the Internet TESL Journal.
English Club
http://www.englishclub.com
"You'll find everything from lessons for students to jobs for teachers, including interactive pages such as forums, games, quizzes, chat, help and penpals."
Taking the TOEFL
TOEFL Test
http://www.ets.org/toefl
General information about the Test of English as a Foreign Language. Register for the test, find test locations and dates, and find out how to prepare for the test. Before purchasing any study materials, consider visiting the Library to find out about our available resources.
TOEFL Testing Locations
http://education.shu.edu/esl/TOEFL%20Prep%20web%20sites.htm
Courtesy of Seton Hall University, here are the addresses and phone numbers of places where you can take the TOEFL. You'll also find links to free online study materials.
Learning Express: TOEFL Preparation
http://www.learningexpresslibrary.com/
Please do not hesitate to ask a librarian to help you to access the practice tests from this database. You can use the database in any Newark Public
Library location or at work, home, or at any computer with Internet access by entering your library barcode number. Under FEATURED RESOURCES, click on "TOEFL Preparation."
Life in the U.S.A.
Resources for New Immigrants
http://www.uscis.gov/newimmigrants
Print or download a copy of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services guide Welcome to the United States: A New Guide for Immigrants, in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Tagalog, Korean, Russian, Vietnamese, and Arabic.
Life in the USA Magazine
http://www.lifeintheusa.com/magazine/index.html
A commercial online magazine for helping newcomers to this country to learn about customs and cultures here, with sections on everyday life (manners, clothing, sports, health and hygiene), business, education, shopping, and more.
Queens Borough Public Library's WorldLinq
http://www.worldlinq.org/local/general.htm
An array of resources for immigrants. Some are specific to New York, but the sections about arts and humanities; books, music, and videos; and media may appeal widely to New Jersey residents.
Last updated 10/15/07 |
