September 17 was citizenship day, and to celebrate, a coalition of diverse Nevada groups – including the The Culinary Workers, College of Southern Nevada, Mi Familia Vota and the Human Rights Campaign – are sponsoring a workshop on Saturday, September 19 helping people through the steps of becoming citizens.
The free workshop will take people through a step-by-step review of the naturalization process. In addition, immigration attorneys will be on hand to review applications, and photographers will be ready to snap passport photos. They’ll even provide shipping materials for you to send your application off.
Laura Martin with the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada told KNPR's State of Nevada they are prepared to file the paperwork for 200 people.
"This is the last step for a lot of poeple on their pathway to citizenship," she said.
She said even the White House is urging agencies to get people's citizenship paperwork done.
An estimated 8 million people are eligible for citizenship, but have not filed the legal paperwork. There are several requirments for age, length of time as a permenant resident and more.
The immigration attorneys and others at the workshop will be donating their time; however, government fees for the citizenship paperwork cannot be waived.
Martin said if people want to put the paperwork in the mail at the event, they need to bring a cashier check or money order for $680 to pay the government fees.
For more information on the workshop, go to PLANevada.org, or call 702-483-9007.
Laura Martin, associate director, Progessive Leadership Alliance of Nevada.
