New Citizen Program

Get Free Help Applying for Citizenship

Our democracy and communities are stronger when we have an inclusive and engaged citizenry. Immigrants who become U.S. citizens gain substantial rights and access to benefits, including the right to vote and run for office, protection from deportation, providing citizenship for their children, and the ability to petition for family members living abroad to join them in the United States. Economically, naturalization is linked to increased wages, higher rates of home ownership, and expanded employment opportunities, leading to increased spending power and tax revenue to boost the local Seattle economy. While an estimated 249,223 residents of the Seattle metro area are eligible to become citizens, a lack of access to support with legal advice, preparing for the citizenship interview, and the application fees prevents many eligible immigrants from applying for citizenship. 
 
The Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs’ (OIRA) New Citizen Program (NCP) partners with ten community-based organizations throughout King County to promote naturalization and assist eligible community members to become U.S. citizens. We are committed to serving low-income immigrants and refugees who face the greatest challenges to gaining U.S. citizenship because of significant barriers related to age, disability, limited-English proficiency, and low-literacy – an approach which requires more resources, expertise, and capacity. 

Contact any of these organizations offering free citizenship assistance:

A family of new Americans at a citizenship ceremony in a brightly lit room in Seattle City Hall.

The New Citizen Program partners with ten community-based organizations located throughout Seattle and King County to help low-income immigrants and refugees become U.S. citizens. In the program, you will be assigned a case manager who will help you navigate the whole citizenship process. NCP services include: 

  • Preparation and filing of the citizenship application form (N-400)
  • Assistance preparing a fee waiver or reduced fee request, if eligible 
  • Help determining if you are qualified for a disability waiver and support to work with your doctor to obtain and submit the required paperwork 
  • Practicing citizenship interviews 
  • Citizenship classes or tutoring to practice English and the 100 civics questions
  • Full legal representation and case management 

Services are available in a wide range of languages. Some NCP organizations are offering services by phone or video, in addition to in-person.

Contact any of the organizations in the list below to find out more information about getting help with your citizenship application, citizenship classes, and other helpful services.

Asian Counseling & Referral Service (ACRS) 

  • Citizenship Classes Available:
    • Monday/Wednesday  2-4pm (online) 
    • Monday/Wednesday 6-8pm (online) 
    • Tuesday/Thursday 1-3pm (Vietnamese/English, Hybrid) 
    • Tuesday/Wednesday 1-3pm (Vietnamese/English, Hybrid) 
  • Language Capacity: Cantonese, Khmer, Mandarin, Spanish, Vietnamese
  • Contact: Xiangping Chen, (206) 695-7578 

Catholic Immigration Legal Services (CILS)

  • Language Capacity: Somali, Spanish, French, Dari/Farsi, Pashto, Russian, Tagalog, Japanese 
  • Contact: Kasey Rackowitz, (206) 406-1218 

Literacy Source

  • Citizenship Classes Available:
    • Tuesday/Thursday 6-8pm (Hybrid, Lake City) 
    • One-on-One Tutoring 
  • Contact: Cory Ihrig Goldhaber, (206) 502-2061 

Multicultural Self-Sufficiency Movement

  • Language Capacity: Korean, Moldavian, Romanian, Russian 
  • Contact: Mihaela Sandu, (253) 584-5615 

Neighborhood House

  • Citizenship Classes Available:
    • Monday/Wednesday  12-2pm (In-person, White Center) 
    • Monday/Wednesday 4:30-6:30pm (Hybrid, Kent) 
    • Tuesday/Thursday 12-2pm (Hybrid, White Center) 
  • Language Capacity: Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tigrinya, Ukrainian, Vietnamese 
  • Contact: Marissa Graff, (206) 734-0366 

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP)

  • Language Capacity: Arabic, French, Spanish 
  • Contact: Natasha El-Sergany, (206) 957-8644 

Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA) 

  • Citizenship Classes Available:
    • Wednesdays 6-8pm (Online) 
    • Saturdays 11am-1pm (Online) 
  • Language Capacity: Arabic, Dari, Farsi, Kurdish, Pashto, Russian, Somali, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese 
  • Contact: Yasamin Attar Olyaee, (206) 721-0243

Sea Mar Community Health Centers 

  • Citizenship Classes Available:
    • Thursdays 6-8pm (Spanish/English, Hybrid)   
  • Language Capacity: Spanish
  • Contact: Jeny Buitrago, (206) 940-0255  

St. James Immigrant Assistance

  • Citizenship Classes Available:
    • One-on-One Tutoring
  • Language Capacity: Spanish 
  • Contact: Patrick Suhrbier, (206) 382-4511  

Ukrainian Community Center of Washington (UCCW)

  • Citizenship Classes Available:
    • Wednesdays 10am-12pm (In-person, Skyway) 
    • Tuesdays 10am-12pm (In-person, Auburn) 
    • Thursdays 10am-12pm (In-person, Federal Way) 
  • Language Capacity: Polish, Russian, Ukrainian 
  • Contact: Irina Pilipchuk, (206) 369-6398 

Download our latest NCP flyer in English.

Funding for the New Citizen Program is provided by the City of Seattle, Seattle Housing Authority, and the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services.

 

Citizenshipworks is a free online service that can help you apply for citizenship:

The white and green CitizenshipWorks LogoCitizenshipworks is a free online service that is a collaboration between trusted nonprofit immigration service providers. The website and app function similarly to TurboTax. The platform will help you check your eligibility, complete the citizenship application, tell you about any potential problems with your application, and connect you to an expert for help. They also tell you what other documents you will need to submit and what to expect after you apply.

 

If you can afford assistance, consider hiring an attorney:

New American citizen shaking hands with Deputy Mayor Hyeok Kim at a past Citizenship Ceremony at Seattle City Hall. American Immigration Lawyers Association - Lawyer Search
AILA is the legal association in the U.S. for immigration attorneys. You can find an AILA lawyer who may be able to help you apply for citizenship using their search page.

Notario Fraud Warning
Some misuse the titles "notario publico" or "immigration consultant." They will try to deceive you into believing that they are experts on immigration law and have permission to give you legal advice about your immigration case when they do not.

Notario público advertencia de fraude
Utilizan el título de "notario público" o "consultor de comunicación", cuando en realidad no lo son. Intentarán hacerle creer queson expertos en ley de inmigración y que están cualificados para darle consejo legal cuando no es así.

Banner photo credit: Alabastro Photography.

Immigrant and Refugee Affairs

Hamdi Mohamed, Director
Address: 700 5th Ave, Suite 1616, Seattle, WA, 98104
Mailing Address: PO Box 94573, Seattle, WA, 98124
Phone: (206) 727-8515
oira@seattle.gov

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The mission of the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs is to improve the lives of Seattle’s immigrant and refugee communities by engaging them in decisions about the City of Seattle’s future and improving the City’s programs and services to meet the needs of all constituents.