Become a Citizen

Twice a year, through the Washington New Americans Program, OneAmerica hosts a day-long workshop for US naturalization candidates to get assistance with their applications for citizenship.

Why should you become naturalized? It's a Win/Win!

• Gain additional rights: As United States Citizens you will be able to vote, serve on juries, and be elected to public office
• Have a louder voice in democracy: You will gain the ability to be more involved in government decisions that affect your family
• Family reunification: United States citizens can file immigrant petitions for their parents, siblings, and married children. Additionally, United States citizens may be able expedite pending family petitions for their children and spouses
• Protect your children's future: Legal Permanent Resident children under 18 years of age gain United States citizenship automatically upon the naturalization of one parent
• Travel and live overseas without worry: losing your legal status in the United States or 2) obtaining a reentry permit to the United States.
• No fear of deportation: unlike people with green cards, United States citizens and their children (who become citizens as well) cannot be deported from the United States nor can be denied entry to the United States. People with green cards may be deported for committing crimes or can lose their green cards for staying outside of the United States for too long.
• More employment opportunities: many federal government and private jobs require United States citizenship.
• More options to student grants and scholarships: many of the higher education federal grants and private scholarships require United States citizenship.
• Access to public benefits: United States citizens are eligible for public benefits that non-citizen immigrants, including green card holders, are not eligible for.
• Less paperwork concerns: unlike green card holders, United States citizens never need to renew their status or tell the USCIS if they have move.
• The right to own a gun: most non-citizens are not allowed to own guns, including for hunting purposes.

Washington New Americans Can Help You!

Washington New Americans (WNA) was established as a partnership between the State of Washington and OneAmerica (formerly Hate Free Zone), a non-profit dedicated to advancing justice and equality.

Our goal is to promote successful immigrant integration by connecting eligible Legal Permanent Residents ("green card" holders) to the information and services they need to successfully pursue citizenship and become active members of our community.

We work in partnership with the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and community organizations across Washington to provide the following services at no cost:

• Information about the naturalization process
• Citizenship application assistance (N-400 forms only)
• Legal review of applications by a volunteer attorney or accredited representative

The naturalization process can be very confusing.  Our program can help you, at no cost, to navigate the application process and successfully become naturalized.  Visit the Washington New Americans Website for additional information about citizenship and our services.  You may also sign up to receive more information or call us at 1.877.926.3924 today.