Immigration Information
We have gathered here together a number of links to information about immigration in order to help new immigrants with naturalization. Most of these are links from U.S. government sites, but we also include links from immigrant advocacy groups, information about immigration law, embassies, visas and permits, and discussion and education of matters pertaining to immigration.
It's very important to note that there are many websites out there that charge fees for forms that are FREE. Any website that does not have the domain url suffix .gov is not part of the United States goverment, with the exception of some embassies in foreign countries, which will be listed on the embassy list below. The U.S. government does not charge money for forms (although there may or may not be application fees). If you find a form on another site which charges money, you can simply do an Internet search for the form by its official name, and you will almost certainly find the official U.S. government site with a link to that form, free of charge. The forms are also listed on many other sites free of charge, but to be safe, it is best to download them directly from the U.S. Government sites, as these are guaranteed to be up to date.
U.S. Government Immigration Links
USCIS Links
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - Official government site for all matters pertaining to U.S. immigration and naturalization.
USCIS Field Offices Addresses and Information - Information is provided on all District Offices, Sub Offices, Service Centers, and Asylum Offices.
Forms and Fees for U.S. Immigration - Downloadable immigration forms, information on them and mailing addresses, and information on filing fees; some forms may be available for electronic filing.
Electronic Filing for Immigration Benefits - E-Filing provides a user-friendly way to file some of our most popular forms at any time of the day or night. Browse the links below to see if E-Filing is the best option for you.
Fingerprint Information - Information on the fingerprinting services provided by USCIS to applicants; USCIS requires applicants and petitioners for certain immigration benefits to be fingerprinted for the purpose of conducting FBI criminal background checks.
Immigration Laws, Regulations, and Guides - Information on laws, regulations and interpretations controlling immigration and the work of the immigration-related bureaus of the Department of Homeland Security, with information on how immigration laws are made and how regulations are developed; agency and judicial interpretations of those laws; and handbooks and guides used by immigration officers as well as guides created to help one through the immigration process.
Immigration Services and Benefits - Information on the services provided by the USCIS to applicants, petitioners, authorized representatives, community-based organizations, and the general public.
Humanitarian Benefits - Immigration law provides for a number of humanitarian motivated mechanisms to assist individuals who are in need of shelter or aid from various disasters and oppression. This portion of the USCIS Web Portal will inform you about these programs and their application processes.
Citizenship - Definition of citizenship and further information on legal definitions, eligibility, and all matters pertaining to citizenship.
Naturalization - Provides information on the benefits and responsibilities of citizenship, an overview of the naturalization process, and eligibility requirements.
Civics and Citizenship Study Materials - USCIS and the Office of Citizenship have developed a variety of educational materials that allow immigrants to learn more about U.S. history and government as they prepare for the naturalization test.
Resources for New Immigrants - USCIS is committed to helping immigrants successfully integrate into American civic culture. Through the landmark publication Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants, USCIS offers a comprehensive guide containing practical information to help immigrants settle into everyday life in the United States, as well as basic civics information that introduces new immigrants to the U.S. system of government.
The "How do I?" Series - Information on citizenship and immigration services available.
Immigration Glossary of Terms and Acronyms
Green Cards - Information and directions necessary to apply for lawful permanent residence (LPR), or "green cards".
Other Government Immigration Links
Immigration and Social Security - The Social Security Administration (SSA) has a new process for noncitizens to apply for Social Security number (SSN) cards as part of the immigration process.
Traveling to the United States - Information on travel to or from the United States from the State Department.
Student and Exchange Visitor Program - Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) acts as the bridge for varied government organizations which have an interest in information on foreign students.
Student and Exchange Visitor System (SEVIS): Information for International Students - The international student or exchange visitor has some responsibilities to attend to before they can enter the United States to attend a Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) certified school or program. This section of the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) website is here to assist with those responsibilities.
SEVIS Fees - F-1 and J-1 students are required by the federal government to pay a SEVIS fee.
United States Visas - The official source of information about U.S. visa policy and procedures; with information about the visa application process, current requirements, and updates on recent developments.
Visa section of travel.state.gov - State Department information on visas, largely a mirror of the previous link.
Websites of U.S. Embassies, Consulates, and Diplomatic Missions
Foreign Consular Offices in the United States
Website Fraud Warnings for Immigration Information - Information on fraud and misleading information perpetrated by non-government websites, and how to avoid this.
U.S. Immigration Data (from U.S. Census Bureau) - The U.S. Census Bureau makes estimates of net international migration for the nation, states, and counties in the United States. These estimates are based in part on data collected in censuses and surveys. Projections of the U.S. population are also made using assumptions about net international migration.
U.S. Immigration Data by State - Information on immigrants and refugees who reside in that state, with a number of different statistics.
Non-Government Immigration Links
General Information and Immigration Advocacy
Immigration Info - The Immigration Information ("ImmInfo") website has operated continuously since 1993. It provides a portal into the world of United States immigration information and procedure.
Immigration Help - A large amount of articles, information, and links relating to immigration, visas, green cards, insurance, etc., with a number of user forums.
Rapid Immigration - Easy to understand pages that will help one's immigration goal in applying with the USCIS as a temporary visitor or permanent resident.
Bender's Immigration Bulletin - An online news magazine on immigration issues.
National Immigration Forum - Established in 1982, the National Immigration Forum is the nation’s premier immigrant rights organization. The Forum is dedicated to embracing and upholding America’s tradition as a nation of immigrants. The Forum advocates and builds public support for public policies that welcome immigrants and refugees and are fair to and supportive of newcomers to our country.
United States Immigration Support - An independent non-government organization dedicated to help individuals and their families through the US immigration process.
Foreignborn.com - A website for all foreign-born individuals entering or living in the United States.
FormSwift: Create Immigration Forms - Create your U.S. Citizenship application in less than 5 minutes; easily complete a Green Card Application or Petition for Alien Relative; print and export your PDF in seconds...
Students
The International Student and Study Abroad Resource Center - An international student and study abroad website providing you with news, information, resources and so much more about being an international student and preparing you for your study abroad experience.
Immigration Law
American Immigration Law Foundation - The American Immigration Law Foundation (AILF) was established in 1987 as a tax-exempt, not-for-profit educational, charitable organization. The Foundation is dedicated to increasing public understanding of immigration law and policy and the value of immigration to American society; to promoting public service and excellence in the practice of immigration law; and to advancing fundamental fairness and due process under the law for immigrants.
The Immigration Law Portal - A large amount of information on immigration law and legal issues from ILW, a leading immigration law publisher.
National Immigration Law Center - The National Immigration Law Center's mission is to protect and promote the rights and opportunities of low-income immigrants and their family members. NILC staff specialize in immigration law, and the employment and public benefits rights of immigrants. NILC conducts policy analysis and impact litigation and provides publications, technical advice, and trainings to a broad constituency of legal aid agencies, community groups, and pro bono attorneys.
Embassies
embassy.org - The embassy.org site, created in 1995, provides an overview of the foreign embassies, links to their Web sites, and other information targeted to those who rely on the embassies, as arms of their governments, for travel, business and educational needs.
Embassy World - A searchable database of all the world's embassies, including those within and outside of the United States.
Visas and Permits
Project Visa - Visa and embassy information for all countries.
Visaportal.com - U.S. Immigration Resources Portal - VisaPortal is a service-oriented association of immigration lawyers that was established to offer general guidance and specific legal services on matters related to U.S. immigration laws to intending family and business immigrants and nonimmigrants.
WorkPermit.com: U.S. Immigration - Information on non-immigrant visas and work permits for the United States.
Immigration Discussion and Education
Constitutional Right Foundation: Online Lessons - A number of online lessons about the U.S. Constitution, government, and history, designed to make people more thoughtful citizens with a deeper knowledge of their country.
Constitutional Right Foundation: Current Issues of Immigration - Six lesson modules designed to put the current controversies about illegal immigration into historical and political context.
Constitutional Right Foundation: Immigration Debate Links - Historical and current issues of immigration.
New Mexican: Immigration Links and Resource Guide - A free resource guide on immigration is a new feature from the New Mexican online newsmagazine.
Library of Congress: Immigration Links for Your Research - Divided into General; Ellis Island; and Immigration Links by Country: Chinese | Eastern European | German | Irish | Italian | Jewish | Scandinavian.
Center for Immigration Studies - A think tank devoted to research and policy analysis on immigration issues.
Immigration History Research Center - Research center on immigration from the University of Minnesota.
