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The ̽����ѡ in San Diego's Immigration & Citizenship Services

Due to the COVID pandemic our staff is currently working remotely. Please call 619-641-7510 ext. 250 or send an email to Immigration.SD@rescue.org to schedule a virtual appointment.  Remote Legal Services are available! 

Jump to:

1. Legal Services provided by DOJ Accredited Representatives and Required Documents for Appointments
2. Citizenship Education Program
3. Outreach
4. How to help
5. Contact Us

Announcements and Upcoming Events

• Resource update: Click to see recent changes to the immigration system under the Biden administration (Source: American Immigration Lawyers Association) 
• Are you applying for citizenship? Online citizenship test preparation classes will begin this October! Click for more information about this FREE course. You can also receive help with your application from our accredited legal representatives today! Please email us at Immigration.SD@rescue.org or call 619-389-8723.
• Pursuant to the July 16, 2021 Order issued by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas in Texas v. United States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is enjoined from granting initial DACA requests. All individuals whose DACA requests were granted prior to this decision will continue to have and be eligible to renew DACA, and to request and receive advance parole, consistent with the court’s order. 
• 'More than a Dreamer': ̽����ѡ client and DACA beneficiary, Lupe*, shares how DACA has impacted her future and enabled her to help immigrant youth as a community advocate in City Heights. Read her story . 
• Adjust your status to permanent resident! Refugees can apply 1 year after entering the US. Asylees can apply after 1 year of receiving asylum status. Limited funds provided by the California Department of Social Services are also available to cover the ̽����ѡ filing fee. Must be low income to qualify. (Only available for Refugees/Asylees Green Card).

Legal Services

With over 40 years of experience, ̽����ѡ San Diego Immigration Department provides quality low-cost and free application assistance and legal representation to refugee, asylee and other immigrant communities. Our DOJ Accredited Legal Representatives can assist with: 

• Citizenship
• Green Cards/Adjustment of Status
• DACA Renewals
• Family Petitions
• Fiancé Visas
• Removal of Conditions (Conditional green card issued based off of marriage)
• Replacement of Lost Immigration Documents

Citizenship Education Program

Our no-cost Citizenship Education Program helps eligible Lawful Permanent Residents prepare for their Naturalization Interview through our two programs: 

8 & 10-week Citizenship Education Courses

• ​Practice English for your Interview and learn about American History and Politics. (Classes are held in English.)
• Complete the course and get FREE citizenship application preparation! (You must have a valid Green Card and be eligible to apply for U.S. Citizenship.)

During the pandemic, remote Citizenship classes are still available! Click for information on upcoming classes.

Weekly walk–in Interview Preparation Workshops 

• Free Citizenship Interview practice
• No registration required
• Please bring your Green Card to your first class

*Weekly walk-in interview preparation workshops are not offered at this time due to COVID-19.*

For more information or to register for classes, please call 619-641-7510 ext. 250 or email Immigration.SD@Rescue.org.

Legal Services and Required Documents 

Citizenship

In general, individuals may be eligible for citizenship if they:

• Are at least 18 years old 
• Have had lawful permanent resident status (“Green Card”) for at least five years, or three years if married to a U.S. citizen
• Have been physically present in the United States for at least 30 months out of the last five years
• Have continuously resided in the U.S.
• Are able to pass the English proficiency and American civics test (Exemptions may be available)
• Demonstrate good moral character
• Are willing to take the Oath of Allegiance

What You Need to Apply 

Below is a list of documents and information that you will need for your naturalization appointment. You must complete and bring the Citizenship worksheet to your ̽����ѡ appointment found in the checklist below. 

• Your Lawful Permanent Resident Card ("Green Card") 
• Your Social Security Card (or a copy)
• Your Driver's license or State-issued ID
• List of all trips you took outside of the U.S. since you became a permanent resident
• List of all your addresses for the last 5 years (with dates of move in and out)
• List of all your employers or schools for the last 5 years (with addresses and dates of starting and ending)
• List of all your children (including adopted, missing, deceased, and step children) with current addresses, Alien numbers (if applicable), dates of birth, and countries of birth
• List of all your marriages and your current spouse's prior marriages (if applicable), including names of spouses, dates of marriage, and dates of termination of marriage
• Information about your parents, if they are U.S. citizens
• If you've ever been arrested, been to court, had a conviction, had immigration problems, or traffic violations, bring a list of incidents and obtain your Certified Court Dispositions (or DMV records for traffic offenses)
• Payment to USCIS: check, cashier's check, or money order for $725 payable to “U.S. Department of Homeland Security." Credit card payment is also accepted.
• For Fee Waiver or Reduced Fee requests, bring proof of low income (an IRS tax transcript, recent tax returns and pay stubs for all working members of the household).

Please click on the link below to download a checklist with the required documents:

Apply for a Green Card

The ̽����ѡ helps individuals to apply for lawful permanent residency (green cards) through the adjustment of status process. To determine if you or family members are eligible to apply for an adjustment of status, please call 619-641-7510 ext. 250 or email Immigration.SD@rescue.org.

Please click on the links below to download a checklist with the required documents: 

Photo: Evelyn Hockstein/UNHCR

Petition for Family Members

U.S. Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (Green Card holders) may bring their eligible family members to live in the United States by filing an immigrant visa petition on behalf of their qualifying relative. Among other requirements, petitioners must show that the relationship with their family member satisfies immigration law and that they are able to financially support their relative in the United States. To receive an eligibility consultation and detailed guidance on sponsoring your family member, call 619-641-7510 ext. 250 or email Immigration.SD@rescue.org.

Which family members can I bring to live in the United States?

U.S. citizens may petition to bring children, spouses, parents, and siblings. Lawful Permanent Residents may only petition to bring spouses and unmarried children.  

How long will the process take?

Processing times vary based on a number of factors, including the beneficiary's legal/family relationship to the petitioner, status of the petitioner (U.S. Citizen vs. Lawful Permanent Resident), and the beneficiary's country of origin.

Please click on the link below to download a checklist with the required documents:

To view the current Visa Bulletin please see the State Department website by clicking .

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

We are accepting remote appointment requests for DACA renewal applications. To schedule an appointment, please call  619-389-8723 or email Immigration.SD@Rescue.org. For more information, please click .

Please click on the link below to download a checklist with the required documents:

Fee Waiver & Reduced Fee Requests

Immigration filing fee waivers and reduced fee options may be available. To determine if you are eligible to apply for a USCIS Fee Waiver or Reduced Fee, call ̽����ѡ at 619-641-7510 ext. 250 or email Immigration.SD@rescue.org.

Please see a list of USCIS applications that accept a Fee Waiver or Reduced Fees below:

Full Fee Waiver:

Reduced Fee Waiver

Outreach

̽����ѡ Immigration Department also promotes immigrant rights by hosting education & outreach events within the San Diego community, such as:

• FREE monthly Citizenship events held the first Tuesday of the month at the City Heights Library (on-hold during the pandemic)
• Know Your Rights Presentations
• Citizenship and DACA Workshops

Immigration Volunteer and Internship Information:

*Please check back on July 1st for updates on volunteer and internship opportunities.*

Volunteer

Description: Front Desk Volunteer is the first point of contact with community members and clients at the front desk. Volunteers serve a minimum of 2 shifts per week (8-10 hours). No immigration experience needed, but language capacity outside of English is preferred. Please click here for more information about the Immigration Volunteer position. Volunteers are taken on a rolling basis.

Internship

Description: Intern will work with Immigration staff to assist with current and new client cases. Intern will work both directly with clients and provide support for Immigration staff. Please visit the link below for more information about Immigration Internship position. Intern cohorts run for 4 months starting in September, January, and May.​

To learn more about the Immigration Internship position, click here.

Contact Us

Schedule a Virtual Appointment

To schedule an appointment, please call ̽����ѡ at 619-641-7510 ext. 250 or send an email to Immigration.SD@rescue.org.

**Due to the COVID pandemic our staff is currently working remotely. No-walk-in services nor in-person appointment are available at this time. Please call or email to schedule a virtual appointment.