Immigration
Tacoma Community House is a Department of Justice (D.O.J.) accredited organization, meaning we are authorized and highly trained to provide immigration assistance to clients in need.
Our Immigration Specialists speak Spanish, Russian, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, and Japanese, but we serve individuals who come from different backgrounds and speak many languages.
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How Much Do Services Cost?
Certain immigration services are free for those who apply. Others require a nominal fee. Please inquire about fees/payments when you make your appointment.
Citizenship Application Services – FREE ONLY to those who receive Public Assistance such as Food Assistance, TANF, SSI, and Medicaid. Must provide proof of current benefits upon enrollment into the program. Clients not receiving public assistance, please inquire about the fees at citizenship@tacomacommunityhouse.org.
Citizenship Class – $25.00 per quarter unless receive public benefits as stated above.
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What Services Do We NOT Offer?
- Applications for Asylum
- Asylum Court hearing
- Any deportation or removal assistance or proceedings
- Any type of immigration court hearings, work visa, student visa, religious visa, assistance for anyone at the detention center
Asylum Resources:
Schedule an Appointment
Please call (253) 383-3951 to make an appointment for immigration services.
Appointments are by telephone only.
U.S. Citizenship Classes
Over one million immigrants arrive in the United States each year, and many need assistance navigating the naturalization process. Our team of Department of Justice (D.O.J.) Accredited Immigration Specialists and trained instructors have partnered with the Pierce County Library System to host Citizenship Classes to prepare you for your citizenship interview and civics exam.
- 100 questions and answers for the naturalization exam
- Interview format and interview skills
- Fundamentals of American history
- Required reading and writing vocabulary
- Foundations of democracy and the electoral process
Basic Eligibility Requirements*
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have been a lawful permanent resident for the past 5 years (3 if married to a U.S. Citizen)
- Have been living in the U.S. for 2.5 of the past 5 years (1.5 if married to a U.S. Citizen)
- Have not been outside of the U.S. for one year or more
- Be a person of good moral character
- Can read, write, and speak basic English
*Other eligibility factors and conditions apply.
More details provided when you attend an information session.
Cost
Citizenship Application Services – FREE ONLY to those who receive Public Assistance such as Food Assistance, TANF, SSI, and Medicaid. Must provide proof of current benefits upon enrollment into the program. Clients not receiving public assistance, please inquire about the fees at citizenship@tacomacommunityhouse.org.
Citizenship Class – $25.00 per quarter unless receive public benefits as stated above.
How to Enroll
- Complete and email the enrollment packet
- Email required documents: Photo ID/Driver License and Lawful Permanent Residency (Green) Card – both sides
Contact
Asylee & Refugee
Adjustment of status to permanent residents. Learn more about what documents you needed by clicking the buttons below.
Download (Available in English & Ukrainian)
DACA Checklist
If you are a first-time DACA applicant, please download the below checklist for the documentation you will need to begin the process.
Due to the overwhelming demand for immigration services, we are not currently accepting any new cases. We will continue to prioritize applications for green card holders to become US citizens and renewals for current DACA recipients. To make an appointment for these specific cases, please e-mail info@tacomacommunityhouse.org. If you are an existing client, please email your immigration specialist directly. Please continue to check our website for updates.
Español
Debido a una enorme necesidad de servicios de inmigracion, no podemos aceptar ningún caso nuevo. Continuaremos dando prioridad a la solicitud para que los titulares de tarjetas verdes se conviertan en ciudadanos estadounidenses y para que los clientes existentes de DACA renueven. Para concertar una cita para estos casos específicos, envíe un correo electrónico a: info@tacomacommunityhouse.org. Si ya es un cliente, envíe un correo electrónico a su especialista en inmigración directamente. Compruebe si hay actualizaciones visitando nuestro sitio web en www.tacomacommunityhouse.org.
Family Based Immigration
A foreign citizen seeking to live permanently in the United States requires an immigrant visa (IV). To be eligible to apply for an IV, a foreign citizen must be sponsored by an immediate relative who is at least 21 years of age and is either a U.S. citizen or U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident (that is, a green-card holder).
Adjustment of Status
Adjustment of status is the process that you can use to apply for lawful permanent resident status (also known as applying for a Green Card) when you are present in the United States. This means that you may get a Green Card without having to return to your home country to complete visa processing.
Consular Processing
Once you are the beneficiary of an approved immigrant petition and an immigrant visa number is immediately available to you, there are two ways to apply for lawful permanent resident status (a Green Card). If you are outside of the United States, you may apply at a U.S. Department of State consulate abroad for an immigrant visa in order to come to the United States and be admitted as a permanent resident. This pathway is referred to as consular processing.
Legal Permanent Residency (Green Cards)
Having a Green Card allows you to live and work permanently in the United States. The steps you must take to apply for a Green Card will vary depending on your individual situation.
Additional Resources
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U.S. Citizenship
For more information, visit the United States Citizenship and Immigration Website.
Additional links:
- Find Form and Fee information
- Find places near you for upcoming Citizenship Day
- Find the Civics Test and Answers to study
- If your certificate was lost or stolen find form and fee information
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Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
DACA, via Northwest Immigrant Rights Project
Additional links:
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What Immigration Means to Washington State
Fact Sheet: Immigrants in Washington, via American Immigration Council
Infographic: What Immigration Means to Washington, via American Immigration Council-
Know Your Rights
Everyone Has Certain Basic Human Rights, No Matter Who is President, via National Immigration Law Center
Arabic | Chinese (Simplified) | Chinese (Traditional) | Español | KoreanKnow Your Rights at Home and At Work, via National Immigration Law Center
EspañolKnow Your Rights as a Refugee in the USA, via CWS and Refugee Center Online
Immigrant Safety Plan for Youth and Children, via Legal Council for Youth and Children
Español | SomaliImmigrant Family Preparedness Plan, via Immigrant Legal Resource Center
What to Do If You are an Immigrant Stopped by Law Enforcement Agents (One Page), via American Civil Liberties Union
Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, Indonesian, Korean, Somali, Spanish, Urdu, VietnameseWhat to Do If You’re Stopped by Police, Immigration Agents, or the FBI, via American Civil Liberties Union
Arabic | Español | Farsi | Français | Hindi | Punjabi | Somali | UrduHow to Protect Yourself from Immigration Raids, via CASA of Maryland, Detention Watch Network, and National Immigration Project of the National Lawyer’s Guild
EspañolGuide to the Northwest Detention Center For Friends and Family of Detainees, via Northwest Immigrant Rights Project
EspañolLetter declaring Tacoma Public Schools a “safe zone” for immigrant students, via Superintendent Carla Santorno
Arabic | Español | Farsi | Français | Khmer | Luganda | Russian | Vietnamese-
Resources Regarding Executive Orders on Immigration
“Executive Order: Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States,” via The White House’s Office of the Press Secretary
FAQs for Community Groups – Immigration Enforcement Executive Actions: Interior Enforcement, via Immigrant Justice Network
Travel warning for Nationals of countries in the Refugee order, via American Immigration Lawyers Association
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Other Organizations, Websites & Resources
Airport Lawyer — Airport Lawyer is a service to ensure that immigrants and refugees are treated fairly at airports. If your loved one is set to arrive at Sea-Tac airport, use Airport Lawyer’s free app to alert a team of volunteer attorneys of their name and flight details. The volunteers will see to it that your loved one is treated fairly.
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) — “The ACLU… works in courts, legislatures, and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties that the Constitution and the laws of the United States guarantee everyone in this country.”
American Immigration Council — “The American Immigration Council… is a powerful voice in promoting laws, policies, and attitudes that honor our proud history as a nation of immigrants. Through research and policy analysis, litigation and communications, and international exchange, the Council seeks to shape a twenty-first century vision of the American immigrant experience.”
American Immigration Lawyers Association — “National association of immigration lawyers established to promote justice, advocate for fair and reasonable immigration law and policy, advance the quality of immigration and nationality law and practice, and enhance the professional development of its members.”
Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) — “Embracing the Gospel value of welcoming the stranger, CLINIC promotes the dignity and protects the rights of immigrants in partnership with a dedicated network of Catholic and community legal immigration programs.”
Church World Service (CWS) — “Church World Service is a faith-based organization transforming communities around the globe through just and sustainable responses to hunger, poverty, displacement and disaster.”
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) — “CAIR’s mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding. ”
Immigrant Defense Project (IDP) — “Strengthens immigrant defense through training and expert advice; challenges unfair laws through impact litigation; shapes just policies through advocacy; and empowers communities and advocates through alliance building and education.”
Immigrant Justice Network — “Engages in advocacy, education, technical assistance, training, communications, and litigation to address the needs of those caught in the intersection of the criminal justice and immigration systems.”
Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) — “National nonprofit resource center that provides immigration legal trainings, technical assistance, and educational materials, and engages in advocacy and immigrant civic engagement to advance immigrant rights.”
Immigration Advocates Network — “A collaborative effort of leading immigrants’ rights organizations designed to increase access to justice for low-income immigrants and strengthen the capacity of organizations serving them.”
Immi.org — “Helps immigrants in the U.S. understand their legal options.”
Informed Immigrant — “Whether you are an immigrant or an ally, [utilize Informed Immigrant to] stay informed and find crucial and carefully curated information on advocacy campaigns, mental health, your rights, and more.”
- Resources for Educators & Schools, via Informed Immigrant
International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) — “IRAP organizes law students and lawyers to develop and enforce a set of legal and human rights for refugees and displaced persons.”
National Immigration Law Center — “One of the leading organizations in the U.S. exclusively dedicated to defending and advancing the rights of low-income immigrants.”
National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild — “For more than 45 years, the National Immigration Project has persistently promoted justice and equality of treatment in all areas of immigration law, the criminal justice system, and social policies related to immigration.”
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project — “Promotes justice by defending and advancing the rights of immigrants through direct legal services, systemic advocacy, and community education.”
Northwest Justice Project — “NJP provides critical civil legal assistance and representation to thousands of low-income people in cases affecting basic human needs such as family safety and security, housing preservation, protection of income, access to health care, education and other basic needs.”
Refugee Center Online — “The Refugee Center Online uses technology to help refugees and displaced individuals build new lives in the United States.”
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services: Military Members — View Military Help Line information (or call 877-247-4645) and access the USCIS Military Contact Information form.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services: Uniting for Ukraine — “Uniting for Ukraine provides a pathway for Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members who are outside the United States to come to the United States and stay temporarily in a 2 year period of parole.”
Washington Law Help: Resources for Immigrants — “A guide to legal information about your rights and responsibilities, community education events, and how to get help in Washington state.”
Please note: these links are informational, do not constitute legal advice, and could change with new orders or court action. We will update this list as we receive more information.
Chin’s Story
General Consultation
If you would like more information or if you are not sure which services you need, we can still help. Please call (253) 383-3951 to make an appointment or for more information.