Message Number: 64
From: "Bethany Soule" <Bethany.Soule Æ spl.org>
Date: Tue, 04 Jan 2005 10:51:03 -0800
Subject: BCIS playing hard to get
This is a MIME message. If you are reading this text, you may want to 
consider changing to a mail reader or gateway that understands how to 
properly handle MIME multipart messages.

--=_AC8C3ABA.77165A0E
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A way that technology is NOT improving our world. I attached the whole
email conversation for those of you who like context with your impotent
anger. 

Enjoy.

>Another piece of information that you might find helpful if not
unbelievable for new >immigrants requesting an appointment with the
Bureau of Citizenship and
>Immigration Services.	

>To get an appointment with this agency applicants must go online
through a link >called Infopass.  Appointments are only available for
two weeks in advance and >the appointment system can only take 104
(maybe 140) appointments a day.  So >every day during a brief opening 
of the	service (could be 1pm or 3pm, no one 
>can say what time the appointment service will be available) people
can go 
>online and make the appointment.  ONce the magic number of 104 (or
140) 
>appointments is reached then the site closes down for the day.  There
is no
>message on the website alerting the user as to how  the Infopass
process works.	>There is no other way to get an appointment with this
agency except through this >appointment service.  Anyway, I hope this
helps anyone else who encounters 
>this request from patrons.  

Bethany Soule
Community Technology Education Specialist
Literacy*Americorps
Seattle Public Library
206.386.4649
bethany.soule Æ spl.org
--=_AC8C3ABA.77165A0E
Content-Type: message/rfc822

Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2004 11:53:00 -0800
From: "Emily Wong"  
Cc: "Supportdesk"  
Subject: BCIS - Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New
	Immigrants
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Disposition: inline

Patrons may be going to your library inquiring about a new orientation
guide for new immigrants, in multiple languages, that they supposedly
can get at the library, accordingly to a Chinese newspaper article. 
This is an orientation guide that is published by  the Bureau of
Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS, formerly INS.)   

The orientation guide guide is currently available only on-line and in
English at the BCIS website.  Go to www.bcis.gov, scroll down to almost
the bottom of their front page and the guide one of their featured
items.	See below for detailed information.  The site says that the
guide will soon be available on-line in the following languages:
Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese , Korean, Russian , Arabic,
French, Portuguese, and  Haitian Creole.  I will continue to check the
website and send a follow-up email message when multilingual guides go
on-line.
 
Hope this helps.  Let me know if you have questions.

Emily

Emily Wong
ESL Program Coordinator
206-386-4148

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------
Welcome to the United States:
A Guide for New Immigrants

Congratulations on becoming a lawful permanent resident of the United
States of America. On behalf of the President of the United States and
the American people, we welcome you and wish you every success in the
United States.

The following is a text only version of Welcome to the United States: A
Guide for New Immigrants. 

This is the Table of Contents page. There is a link to each section of
the guide below. To view a section, click on the title next to the
graphic. There are seven sections of the guide.


 
  About This Guide 
 

Adjusting to life in the United States will take time. This guide
contains basic information that will help you settle in the United
States and find what you and your family need for everyday life. It also
summarizes important information about your legal status and about
agencies and organizations that provide documents or essential services
you may need.

Where to Get Help 
Getting Involved in Your Community



 
  Your Rights and Responsibilities as a Lawful Permanent Resident 
 

As a lawful permanent resident (LPR), you are expected to respect and
be loyal to the United States and to obey our country's laws. Being an
LPR also means you have new rights and responsibilities.

Being an LPR is a "privilege" and not a "right." The U.S. government
can take away your LPR status under certain conditions. You must
maintain your LPR status if you want to live and work in the United
States and become a U.S. citizen one day. In this section, you will
learn what it means to be an LPR and how you can maintain your LPR
status.

Your Rights and Responsibilities 
Maintaining Your LPR Status 
If You Are a Conditional Resident 
Finding Legal Assistance 
Consequences of Criminal Behavior for LPRs



 
  Getting Settled in the United States 
 

This section provides information that can help you adjust to life in
the United States. You'll learn about finding housing and a job, getting
a Social Security number and a driver's license, taking care of your
money, and getting health care for you and your family.


Finding a Place to Live 
Getting a Social Security Number 
Taking Care of Your Money 
Looking For a Job 
Paying Taxes 
Traveling in the United States 
Taking Care of Your Health 
Other Federal Benefits Programs



 
  Education and Childcare 
 

Education can help connect you and your family to your community. This
section describes schools in the United States for children, youth, and
adults and answers questions you may have about them. It also offers
suggestions for finding good childcare, if you have young children at
home and need to work. 
Education 
Higher Education: Colleges and Universities 
Adult Education 
Learning English 
Childcare



 
  Emergencies and Safety 
 

Emergencies are unexpected events that can cause harm to people and
property. They can happen to anyone at any time. Plan ahead to keep
yourself and your family safe. This section tells you how you can
prepare for emergencies and how to get help when they happen. 
Emergency Help: Call 911 
Keeping Your Home and Family Safe 
Homeland Security Advisory System for Terrorist Attacks



 
  Learning About the United States 
 

The United States is a democracy, and citizens here play a very
important role in governing the country. In this section, you will learn
about how citizens help shape the U.S. government, how the United States
began and developed, and how our government operates. 
We The People: The Role of the Citizen in the United States 
How the United States Began 
Creating "A More Perfect Union" 
How the Federal Government Works 
The Legislative Branch: Congress 
The Executive Branch: The President 
The Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court 
State and Local Government



 
  Becoming a U.S. Citizen 
 

Becoming a U.S. citizen gives LPRs new rights and privileges.
Citizenship also brings with it new responsibilities. This section
offers some reasons to consider becoming a U.S. citizen and describes
what you need to do to become a citizen. 

Why Become a U.S. Citizen? 
Naturalization: Becoming a U.S. Citizen 
Additional Information



 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
 
Please note: Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants
is currently available only on the USCIS website.  It is not available
through the USCIS Forms Line.

The guide will soon be available online in the following languages:

Spanish 
 Chinese 
 Tagalog 
 Vietnamese 
Korean 
 Russian 
Arabic 
 French 
 Portuguese 
 Haitian Creole 
 
*This guide contains information on a variety of topics that are not
within the jurisdiction of DHS/USCIS. If you have a question about a non
DHS/USCIS issue, please refer directly to the responsible agency or
organization for the most current information. The information in this
guide is correct at the time of publication; however it may change in
the future.  
 
--=_AC8C3ABA.77165A0E
Content-Type: message/rfc822

Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 14:14:11 -0800
From: "Mary Hillman"  
To: [redacted]
Cc:  
Subject: Re: BCIS - Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New
	Immigrants
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Disposition: inline

Another piece of information that you might find helpful if not
unbelievable for new immigrants requesting an appointment with the
Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.  

To get an appointment with this agency applicants must go online
through a link called Infopass.  Appointments are only available for two
weeks in advance and the appointment system can only take 104 (maybe
140) appointments a day.  So every day during a brief opening  of the 
service (could be 1pm or 3pm, no one can say what time the appointment
service will be available) people can go online and make the
appointment.  ONce the magic number of 104 (or 140) appointments is
reached then the site closes down for the day.	There is no message on
the website alerting the user as to how  the Infopass process works. 
There is no other way to get an appointment with this agency except
through this appointment service.  Anyway, I hope this helps anyone else
who encounters this request from patrons.   Does anyone else have any
info to add to this?

Mary

Mary Hillman
Librarian
Broadview Library
206-684-7519
University Library
206-684-4063
mary.hillman Æ spl.org

>>> Emily Wong 12/20/04 11:53AM >>>
Patrons may be going to your library inquiring about a new orientation
guide for new immigrants, in multiple languages, that they supposedly
can get at the library, accordingly to a Chinese newspaper article. 
This is an orientation guide that is published by  the Bureau of
Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS, formerly INS.)   

The orientation guide guide is currently available only on-line and in
English at the BCIS website.  Go to www.bcis.gov, scroll down to almost
the bottom of their front page and the guide one of their featured
items.	See below for detailed information.  The site says that the
guide will soon be available on-line in the following languages:
Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese , Korean, Russian , Arabic,
French, Portuguese, and  Haitian Creole.  I will continue to check the
website and send a follow-up email message when multilingual guides go
on-line.
 
Hope this helps.  Let me know if you have questions.

Emily

Emily Wong
ESL Program Coordinator
206-386-4148

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------
Welcome to the United States:
A Guide for New Immigrants

Congratulations on becoming a lawful permanent resident of the United
States of America. On behalf of the President of the United States and
the American people, we welcome you and wish you every success in the
United States.

The following is a text only version of Welcome to the United States: A
Guide for New Immigrants. 

This is the Table of Contents page. There is a link to each section of
the guide below. To view a section, click on the title next to the
graphic. There are seven sections of the guide.


 
  About This Guide 
 

Adjusting to life in the United States will take time. This guide
contains basic information that will help you settle in the United
States and find what you and your family need for everyday life. It also
summarizes important information about your legal status and about
agencies and organizations that provide documents or essential services
you may need.

Where to Get Help 
Getting Involved in Your Community



 
  Your Rights and Responsibilities as a Lawful Permanent Resident 
 

As a lawful permanent resident (LPR), you are expected to respect and
be loyal to the United States and to obey our country's laws. Being an
LPR also means you have new rights and responsibilities.

Being an LPR is a "privilege" and not a "right." The U.S. government
can take away your LPR status under certain conditions. You must
maintain your LPR status if you want to live and work in the United
States and become a U.S. citizen one day. In this section, you will
learn what it means to be an LPR and how you can maintain your LPR
status.

Your Rights and Responsibilities 
Maintaining Your LPR Status 
If You Are a Conditional Resident 
Finding Legal Assistance 
Consequences of Criminal Behavior for LPRs



 
  Getting Settled in the United States 
 

This section provides information that can help you adjust to life in
the United States. You'll learn about finding housing and a job, getting
a Social Security number and a driver's license, taking care of your
money, and getting health care for you and your family.


Finding a Place to Live 
Getting a Social Security Number 
Taking Care of Your Money 
Looking For a Job 
Paying Taxes 
Traveling in the United States 
Taking Care of Your Health 
Other Federal Benefits Programs



 
  Education and Childcare 
 

Education can help connect you and your family to your community. This
section describes schools in the United States for children, youth, and
adults and answers questions you may have about them. It also offers
suggestions for finding good childcare, if you have young children at
home and need to work. 
Education 
Higher Education: Colleges and Universities 
Adult Education 
Learning English 
Childcare



 
  Emergencies and Safety 
 

Emergencies are unexpected events that can cause harm to people and
property. They can happen to anyone at any time. Plan ahead to keep
yourself and your family safe. This section tells you how you can
prepare for emergencies and how to get help when they happen. 
Emergency Help: Call 911 
Keeping Your Home and Family Safe 
Homeland Security Advisory System for Terrorist Attacks



 
  Learning About the United States 
 

The United States is a democracy, and citizens here play a very
important role in governing the country. In this section, you will learn
about how citizens help shape the U.S. government, how the United States
began and developed, and how our government operates. 
We The People: The Role of the Citizen in the United States 
How the United States Began 
Creating "A More Perfect Union" 
How the Federal Government Works 
The Legislative Branch: Congress 
The Executive Branch: The President 
The Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court 
State and Local Government



 
  Becoming a U.S. Citizen 
 

Becoming a U.S. citizen gives LPRs new rights and privileges.
Citizenship also brings with it new responsibilities. This section
offers some reasons to consider becoming a U.S. citizen and describes
what you need to do to become a citizen. 

Why Become a U.S. Citizen? 
Naturalization: Becoming a U.S. Citizen 
Additional Information



 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
 
Please note: Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants
is currently available only on the USCIS website.  It is not available
through the USCIS Forms Line.

The guide will soon be available online in the following languages:

Spanish 
 Chinese 
 Tagalog 
 Vietnamese 
Korean 
 Russian 
Arabic 
 French 
 Portuguese 
 Haitian Creole 
 
*This guide contains information on a variety of topics that are not
within the jurisdiction of DHS/USCIS. If you have a question about a non
DHS/USCIS issue, please refer directly to the responsible agency or
organization for the most current information. The information in this
guide is correct at the time of publication; however it may change in
the future.  
 
--=_AC8C3ABA.77165A0E
Content-Type: message/rfc822

Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 15:12:34 -0800
From: "Don Willis"  
To: [redacted]
Cc: "Supportdesk"  
Subject: Re: BCIS - Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New
	Immigrants
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Disposition: inline

Yes, I do.  I attempted to help an hispanic patron who just had to
replace a permanent resident card and had a printout from a friend with
information on the friend's appointment.  The website at the bottom of
the page provided a starting point( http://www.infopass.uscis.gov/). 
Since the response was going to be via email, I suspected one might need
to have an account but perhaps access would be provided at the website
and a return route via a logon and password.
I was wrong.
After establishing a sign-on/log-on name and a password(my memory was
it had to have two upcase letters, two "signs" such as # or % and two
numbers ) we completed	most of the form when we discovered that an
email address was required.
We switched over to another computer and set up a Yahoo free email
account (for the purposes of Yahoo, since they require an entry in the
employment field, my patron identified himself as a systems analyst) and
eventually he "achieved" an email account.
Unfortunately, by this time the other website had timed out.  But he
could get back in, using his newly created logon and password.	
Unfortunately, we had tried so many combinations to conform to the
password standards that we were not sure which one was correct.
He decided to try again the next day.  
Did I mention that he was not very computer literate so I did most of
the inputting?
This is how we treat our "guest" workers and this makes us safer?
Don

>>> Mary Hillman 12/21/04 02:14PM >>>
Another piece of information that you might find helpful if not
unbelievable for new immigrants requesting an appointment with the
Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.  

To get an appointment with this agency applicants must go online
through a link called Infopass.  Appointments are only available for two
weeks in advance and the appointment system can only take 104 (maybe
140) appointments a day.  So every day during a brief opening  of the 
service (could be 1pm or 3pm, no one can say what time the appointment
service will be available) people can go online and make the
appointment.  ONce the magic number of 104 (or 140) appointments is
reached then the site closes down for the day.	There is no message on
the website alerting the user as to how  the Infopass process works. 
There is no other way to get an appointment with this agency except
through this appointment service.  Anyway, I hope this helps anyone else
who encounters this request from patrons.   Does anyone else have any
info to add to this?

Mary

Mary Hillman
Librarian
Broadview Library
206-684-7519
University Library
206-684-4063
mary.hillman Æ spl.org

>>> Emily Wong 12/20/04 11:53AM >>>
Patrons may be going to your library inquiring about a new orientation
guide for new immigrants, in multiple languages, that they supposedly
can get at the library, accordingly to a Chinese newspaper article. 
This is an orientation guide that is published by  the Bureau of
Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS, formerly INS.)   

The orientation guide guide is currently available only on-line and in
English at the BCIS website.  Go to www.bcis.gov, scroll down to almost
the bottom of their front page and the guide one of their featured
items.	See below for detailed information.  The site says that the
guide will soon be available on-line in the following languages:
Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese , Korean, Russian , Arabic,
French, Portuguese, and  Haitian Creole.  I will continue to check the
website and send a follow-up email message when multilingual guides go
on-line.
 
Hope this helps.  Let me know if you have questions.

Emily

Emily Wong
ESL Program Coordinator
206-386-4148

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------
Welcome to the United States:
A Guide for New Immigrants

Congratulations on becoming a lawful permanent resident of the United
States of America. On behalf of the President of the United States and
the American people, we welcome you and wish you every success in the
United States.

The following is a text only version of Welcome to the United States: A
Guide for New Immigrants. 

This is the Table of Contents page. There is a link to each section of
the guide below. To view a section, click on the title next to the
graphic. There are seven sections of the guide.


 
  About This Guide 
 

Adjusting to life in the United States will take time. This guide
contains basic information that will help you settle in the United
States and find what you and your family need for everyday life. It also
summarizes important information about your legal status and about
agencies and organizations that provide documents or essential services
you may need.

Where to Get Help 
Getting Involved in Your Community



 
  Your Rights and Responsibilities as a Lawful Permanent Resident 
 

As a lawful permanent resident (LPR), you are expected to respect and
be loyal to the United States and to obey our country's laws. Being an
LPR also means you have new rights and responsibilities.

Being an LPR is a "privilege" and not a "right." The U.S. government
can take away your LPR status under certain conditions. You must
maintain your LPR status if you want to live and work in the United
States and become a U.S. citizen one day. In this section, you will
learn what it means to be an LPR and how you can maintain your LPR
status.

Your Rights and Responsibilities 
Maintaining Your LPR Status 
If You Are a Conditional Resident 
Finding Legal Assistance 
Consequences of Criminal Behavior for LPRs



 
  Getting Settled in the United States 
 

This section provides information that can help you adjust to life in
the United States. You'll learn about finding housing and a job, getting
a Social Security number and a driver's license, taking care of your
money, and getting health care for you and your family.


Finding a Place to Live 
Getting a Social Security Number 
Taking Care of Your Money 
Looking For a Job 
Paying Taxes 
Traveling in the United States 
Taking Care of Your Health 
Other Federal Benefits Programs



 
  Education and Childcare 
 

Education can help connect you and your family to your community. This
section describes schools in the United States for children, youth, and
adults and answers questions you may have about them. It also offers
suggestions for finding good childcare, if you have young children at
home and need to work. 
Education 
Higher Education: Colleges and Universities 
Adult Education 
Learning English 
Childcare



 
  Emergencies and Safety 
 

Emergencies are unexpected events that can cause harm to people and
property. They can happen to anyone at any time. Plan ahead to keep
yourself and your family safe. This section tells you how you can
prepare for emergencies and how to get help when they happen. 
Emergency Help: Call 911 
Keeping Your Home and Family Safe 
Homeland Security Advisory System for Terrorist Attacks



 
  Learning About the United States 
 

The United States is a democracy, and citizens here play a very
important role in governing the country. In this section, you will learn
about how citizens help shape the U.S. government, how the United States
began and developed, and how our government operates. 
We The People: The Role of the Citizen in the United States 
How the United States Began 
Creating "A More Perfect Union" 
How the Federal Government Works 
The Legislative Branch: Congress 
The Executive Branch: The President 
The Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court 
State and Local Government



 
  Becoming a U.S. Citizen 
 

Becoming a U.S. citizen gives LPRs new rights and privileges.
Citizenship also brings with it new responsibilities. This section
offers some reasons to consider becoming a U.S. citizen and describes
what you need to do to become a citizen. 

Why Become a U.S. Citizen? 
Naturalization: Becoming a U.S. Citizen 
Additional Information



 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
 
Please note: Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants
is currently available only on the USCIS website.  It is not available
through the USCIS Forms Line.

The guide will soon be available online in the following languages:

Spanish 
 Chinese 
 Tagalog 
 Vietnamese 
Korean 
 Russian 
Arabic 
 French 
 Portuguese 
 Haitian Creole 
 
*This guide contains information on a variety of topics that are not
within the jurisdiction of DHS/USCIS. If you have a question about a non
DHS/USCIS issue, please refer directly to the responsible agency or
organization for the most current information. The information in this
guide is correct at the time of publication; however it may change in
the future.  
 
--=_AC8C3ABA.77165A0E
Content-Type: message/rfc822

Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2004 18:56:37 -0800
From: "May Huang"  
To: [redacted]
Cc: "Supportdesk"  
Subject: Re: BCIS - Government information in other languages
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Disposition: inline

In case if you haven't noticed, there are some government information
available in 25 languages at www.firstgov.gov . FirstGov is the official
U.S. gateway to all government information according to the website. On
the top of the webpage, click on Espanol for Spanish on-line or click on
Other Languages for other languages, then click on the language you
need.

There is also a www.kids.gov (English only)  which is one of my
favorite website.

It's good to be an U.S. citizen and live in the U.S.

		 Happy Holidays!
		       
			    May Huang
			  LAII	Æ	FRE/WAL & Formal reporter of The
World
Journal

>>> Emily Wong 12/20/04 11:53AM >>>
Patrons may be going to your library inquiring about a new orientation
guide for new immigrants, in multiple languages, that they supposedly
can get at the library, accordingly to a Chinese newspaper article. 
This is an orientation guide that is published by  the Bureau of
Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS, formerly INS.)   

The orientation guide guide is currently available only on-line and in
English at the BCIS website.  Go to www.bcis.gov, scroll down to almost
the bottom of their front page and the guide one of their featured
items.	See below for detailed information.  The site says that the
guide will soon be available on-line in the following languages:
Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese , Korean, Russian , Arabic,
French, Portuguese, and  Haitian Creole.  I will continue to check the
website and send a follow-up email message when multilingual guides go
on-line.
 
Hope this helps.  Let me know if you have questions.

Emily

Emily Wong
ESL Program Coordinator
206-386-4148

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------
Welcome to the United States:
A Guide for New Immigrants

Congratulations on becoming a lawful permanent resident of the United
States of America. On behalf of the President of the United States and
the American people, we welcome you and wish you every success in the
United States.

The following is a text only version of Welcome to the United States: A
Guide for New Immigrants. 

This is the Table of Contents page. There is a link to each section of
the guide below. To view a section, click on the title next to the
graphic. There are seven sections of the guide.


 
  About This Guide 
 

Adjusting to life in the United States will take time. This guide
contains basic information that will help you settle in the United
States and find what you and your family need for everyday life. It also
summarizes important information about your legal status and about
agencies and organizations that provide documents or essential services
you may need.

Where to Get Help 
Getting Involved in Your Community



 
  Your Rights and Responsibilities as a Lawful Permanent Resident 
 

As a lawful permanent resident (LPR), you are expected to respect and
be loyal to the United States and to obey our country's laws. Being an
LPR also means you have new rights and responsibilities.

Being an LPR is a "privilege" and not a "right." The U.S. government
can take away your LPR status under certain conditions. You must
maintain your LPR status if you want to live and work in the United
States and become a U.S. citizen one day. In this section, you will
learn what it means to be an LPR and how you can maintain your LPR
status.

Your Rights and Responsibilities 
Maintaining Your LPR Status 
If You Are a Conditional Resident 
Finding Legal Assistance 
Consequences of Criminal Behavior for LPRs



 
  Getting Settled in the United States 
 

This section provides information that can help you adjust to life in
the United States. You'll learn about finding housing and a job, getting
a Social Security number and a driver's license, taking care of your
money, and getting health care for you and your family.


Finding a Place to Live 
Getting a Social Security Number 
Taking Care of Your Money 
Looking For a Job 
Paying Taxes 
Traveling in the United States 
Taking Care of Your Health 
Other Federal Benefits Programs



 
  Education and Childcare 
 

Education can help connect you and your family to your community. This
section describes schools in the United States for children, youth, and
adults and answers questions you may have about them. It also offers
suggestions for finding good childcare, if you have young children at
home and need to work. 
Education 
Higher Education: Colleges and Universities 
Adult Education 
Learning English 
Childcare



 
  Emergencies and Safety 
 

Emergencies are unexpected events that can cause harm to people and
property. They can happen to anyone at any time. Plan ahead to keep
yourself and your family safe. This section tells you how you can
prepare for emergencies and how to get help when they happen. 
Emergency Help: Call 911 
Keeping Your Home and Family Safe 
Homeland Security Advisory System for Terrorist Attacks



 
  Learning About the United States 
 

The United States is a democracy, and citizens here play a very
important role in governing the country. In this section, you will learn
about how citizens help shape the U.S. government, how the United States
began and developed, and how our government operates. 
We The People: The Role of the Citizen in the United States 
How the United States Began 
Creating "A More Perfect Union" 
How the Federal Government Works 
The Legislative Branch: Congress 
The Executive Branch: The President 
The Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court 
State and Local Government



 
  Becoming a U.S. Citizen 
 

Becoming a U.S. citizen gives LPRs new rights and privileges.
Citizenship also brings with it new responsibilities. This section
offers some reasons to consider becoming a U.S. citizen and describes
what you need to do to become a citizen. 

Why Become a U.S. Citizen? 
Naturalization: Becoming a U.S. Citizen 
Additional Information



 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
 
Please note: Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants
is currently available only on the USCIS website.  It is not available
through the USCIS Forms Line.

The guide will soon be available online in the following languages:

Spanish 
 Chinese 
 Tagalog 
 Vietnamese 
Korean 
 Russian 
Arabic 
 French 
 Portuguese 
 Haitian Creole 
 
*This guide contains information on a variety of topics that are not
within the jurisdiction of DHS/USCIS. If you have a question about a non
DHS/USCIS issue, please refer directly to the responsible agency or
organization for the most current information. The information in this
guide is correct at the time of publication; however it may change in
the future.  
 

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