Our Citizenship & Immigration Services is a DOJ (Department of Justice) accredited team that provides citizenship services, including free citizenship education, free or low-cost naturalization, and refugee services. We offer citizenship legal services to anybody seeking assistance, regardless of race, religion, nationality, gender, social orientation, age, disability or ability to pay. Our Citizenship Program directly provides Southern California legal permanent residents eligible for naturalization with information, education, and N-400 application assistance through individualized case management. Services are provided in Spanish, Vietnamese, French, Tagalog, and English.

FAQ CITIZEnship & immigration

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Citizenship & Immigration Services Catholic Charities of Orange County. We have created this section of our website as a digital resource for your review to help you understand the Citizenship and Immigration Services offered by Catholic Charities of Orange County. Thank you for visiting!

Services offered

Catholic Charities of Orange County is Recognized by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to provide Immigration Legal Services. Our Immigration Counselors are each accredited by the DOJ which allows them to prepare and submit applications to the United States Citizenship Immigration Services (USCIS).

The following are the list of Citizenship and Immigration legal services provided:

· US Citizenship and Naturalization

· Derivative Citizenship

· Legal Consultation

· Family Petition

· Family Visa

· Religious Worker Visa

· Adjustment of Status

· Affidavit of Support

· Removal of Conditions

· DACA Initial and Renewal

· Legal Permanent Resident Card Renewal / Green Card Renewal

· Parole (Humanitarian, Advance, Military)

· Employment Authorization

· U Visa (Victim of crime)

· VAWA (Violence Against Women Act)

· Temporary Protective Status (TPS)

· Fiancé Visa

· Asylum

· Legal Representation

· USCIS Fee Waiver

We require a legal consultation for most immigration services provided by our office. Consultations are provided at no cost and can be scheduled by calling 714-347-9610 for English and Spanish or for Vietnamese call 714-347-9622.

Catholic Charities of Orange County provides legal consultations to help individuals understand their rights, obligations, and options when navigating complex immigration laws. A consultation helps individuals understand their specific options, whether they are eligible for a visa, green card or other immigration remedy under the current immigration laws and regulations.

Legal consultations allow our immigration attorneys and DOJ accredited counselors to assess whether a person qualifies for a particular immigration remedy or program. They evaluate eligibility criteria and inform clients about potential hurdles or requirements that need to be met.

Eligibility

As a DOJ recognized agency our focus is to assist low-income families who would not otherwise be able to afford an immigration attorney. Grant funding may have specific guidelines that may impact our ability to assist an individual.

That is a very complex question. Each immigration case is unique. A legal consultation with a DOJ representative or Attorney would be scheduled to see what status the individual has and if there is an immigration remedy available for them.

Cases that are beyond our program’s ability to thoroughly represent are referred to an outside agency or private attorney.

Fees and Costs

As a DOJ recognized agency and non-profit we prioritize serving low-income clients. Currently we have funding to cover many of our services. We will continue to offer services free of charge while such funding lasts. These services for which we are not charging are specified in our fee schedule. For others we continue to charge fees as specified in our fee schedule. No client will be refused services for their inability to pay.

Yes.

Please contact our office for specific fees for services.

A fee waiver is available for CCOC fees to clients who can demonstrate financial hardship.

Grants, Client Fees, and Donations specific to the Citizenship and Immigration program.

Documentation Assistance

It is the client’s responsibility to provide the necessary supporting documentation. Immigration Counselors will assist by advising applicants on which documents are required, where to obtain them, and by evaluating the documentation that is submitted. In certain instances, staff will submit FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) requests to public agencies requesting information on behalf of a client.

Yes, CCOC is recognized by the Department of Justice, Immigration Counselors are accredited by the Department of Justice and are approved to prepare and submit Citizenship and Immigration forms to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services department (USCIS) and department of State (DOS).

Application Process

Citizenship Process:

1. Register and attend Citizenship Informational Workshop and complete screening

2. Fill out the Intake packet and return it to Citizenship and Immigration office

3. Schedule appointment to complete Citizenship Application

4. Meet with Attorney/Immigration Counselor to complete application

 

Immigration Process:

Most other immigration services start with a consultation with an immigration counselor. The main purpose of the consultation is to evaluate the nature of the client’s immigration case and to determine if the case falls within the scope of the immigration services offered by our program. During this time, the counselor/attorney assesses the merits of each client’s case under current immigration law.

If an immigration remedy is determined to be available, the client will be provided with an intake packet specific to their immigration process. This packet will outline the required information and supporting documents. The client will be asked to complete the packet and return it along with the necessary documentation. Once the completed intake and supporting documents are received, the client may schedule an appointment with an Immigration Counselor to proceed with the application.

DACA renewals, Work Permit renewals and Green Card renewals do not require consultations. The applicant can simply call to schedule an appointment.

Each immigration case is unique, USCIS processing times vary by application. Average processing times can be looked up at the following USCIS website: https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/

Legal Representation

Yes, we have attorneys and fully accredited representatives who are authorized to provide immigration legal representation. However, we do not provide legal representation in civil or criminal court proceedings.

CCOC Immigration Attorneys specialize in representing individuals and families who are in Immigration court proceedings. These cases are typically for those seeking Asylum based on fear of being or having been persecuted because of their Race, Religion, Nationality, Political Opinion, Membership in a particular society and those who have suffered or fear torture.

Yes. Our DOJ accredited representatives and attorneys can represent clients at USCIS interviews. Due to limited resources, we only attend interviews for clients with special needs such as age or mental disability.

Language Support

Yes, we provide services in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Tagalog.

Consultations: Clients are assigned staff based on language. Interpreters have been used when necessary. Interviews: Staff have provided translation at USCIS interviews however this is not a service we offer on a regular basis due to limited resources.

Yes. Our DOJ accredited representatives and attorneys can represent clients at USCIS interviews. Due to limited resources, we only attend interviews for clients with special needs such as age or mental disability.

Workshops and Educational Resources

We provide Citizenship informational workshops twice weekly, every Wednesday at 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. We also provide two 12-week Citizenship preparation courses to assist those who are applying to become US Citizens. The courses assist students prepare for the US Civics and History knowledge requirement as well as assist with English comprehension.

Workshops are all at no cost. There is a textbook fee associated with the Citizenship course. Citizenship Information Workshops are held each Wednesday at 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. Please call 714-347-9610 to register. The 12-week Citizenship Classes are offered Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:00pm. Classes start at the beginning of each calendar quarter (January, April, July, October). Please call 714-347-9610 to schedule an assessment to be placed in the appropriate class.

DACA and Other Special Programs

Currently there is no specific support for DACA applicants other than assistance with the preparation of the DACA applications.

Refugees:

CCOC does not offer specific refugee resettlement services. Refugees do require immigration services that our team does provide. Refugees enter the United States already assigned to a resettlement agency. The assigned resettlement agency provides services that the refugee is eligible to obtain such as housing and job placement assistance.

Asylum:

CCOC does represent clients seeking Asylum. Asylum cases can be filed with USCIS as an affirmative application or can be filed in Immigration Court depending on the circumstances of the client. Asylum seekers do not have any specific programs for support.

Deportation:

If an individual is facing deportation or removal from the United States, CCOC does not offer programs specifically designed to assist with deportation defense.

Post-Application Support

An immigration counselor on file will maintain communication with applicants as needed.

CCOC does assist clients with requests for evidence (RFE) for cases prepared by our office. Applications submitted to USCIS are accompanied by form G-28 which lists the Immigration Counselor as the DOJ representative on record, communications from USCIS are mailed to both the client and the representative on record.

Community Resources and Referrals

We share information about other services offered by Catholic Charities of Orange County and will continue to promote additional support services as they become available to our clients.

We are partners with the New American Campaign (NAC), the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC), and the Immigration Legal Resource Center, Western Law School, UCI.

Confidentiality and Privacy

All staff and volunteers who work in the Citizenship and Immigration Services department are required to sign and abide by our confidentiality statement. Case files are scanned and maintained on our secure server and physical files are kept in secure file cabinets. We keep case files for at least 7 years. Case files are destroyed utilizing a private shredding company. Staff Attorneys are held to CA BAR association rule 1.6 Confidential Information of a Client.

All client data shared with our staff is treated as private and confidential. Physical files are securely stored in locked file cabinets, while electronic records are maintained on a secure server. Access to data is strictly controlled and limited to authorized personnel. Staff are required to use strong passwords, and all documents containing sensitive information are professionally shredded to ensure secure disposal.

This FAQ is intended to give you a clearer understanding of the services Catholic Charities of Orange County can provide and to help you determine the best approach for your needs.

If you wish to schedule an appointment with our Citizenship & Immigration Services Team, please contact our office. We’ll be happy to assist you. Email: ccocimmigration@ccoc.org or call:

Assistance in English & Spanish: 714-347-9610 or text: 714-347-9693

Assistance in Vietnamese: call/text: 714-347-9622

For media related questions, please contact:

Mariajose Garorti

Director Communications & Development mgarorti@ccoc.org | 714-347-9676

Contact / register for events

To schedule an appointment with our Immigration & Citizenship Services:

CALL:

714 – 347 – 9610 

TEXT:

714 – 347 – 9693

EMAIL

ccocimmigration@ccoc.org

Frank Murphy
Frank MurphyProgram Director

ADDRESS

1800 E 17th St, Santa Ana, CA 92705

CCOC Citizenship & Immigration Services

Email Frank

EVENTS

US Citizenship & Naturalization Test Preparation Class: 12 Week (This course is now offered year-round. Must register in advance; call 714-347-9610, text 714-347-9693, or email jcasarin@ccoc.org to register) Available Class Days: Mondays 1:30 – 3:30 pm, Tuesdays 5:00 – 8:30 pm, Thursdays 5:00 – 8:30 pm.

 

Citizenship Information Sessions: Every Wednesday at 10:00 am & 4:00 pm (call 714-347-9610 to register)

 

 

 

CITIZENSHIP Services

Our DOJ Accredited Immigration Counselors are willing and able to assist you on your journey to become a Naturalized United States Citizen.

The basic qualifications to apply for US Citizenship are:

  • Be a Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card Holder) for at least 5 years, or 3 years if married to a U.S. Citizen
  • Have been physically living in the U.S continuously for the last 5 years
  • Be of good moral character
  • Be able to speak, read and write basic English
  • NOTE: Attend workshop to see if you qualify to take test in native language
  • Be able to pass a Civics test on U.S. history and government

IMMIGRATION Services

Our DOJ Accredited Immigration Counselors provide a wide variety of immigration services including the following:

  • Adjustment of Status
  • Family Visa Petitions
  • Consular Processing
  • DACA Applications (Initial and Renewal)
  • Parole In Place (for family of U.S. Military)
  • Affidavit of Support
  • Advance Parole
  • Fiancé Visas
  • Employment Authorization
  • Legal Permanent Resident Card Renewal
  • Removal of Conditional Residence
  • Fee Waiver
  • FOIA Requests
  • UVisas
  • VAWA

Removal Defense

The focus of the Removal Defense Team is to represent unaccompanied minors, children and adults in removal proceedings who are pursing humanitarian forms of relief, including Asylum, special immigrant juvenile status, and relief for victims of crimes under the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protections Act. We represent Non-Detained, Detained, and Bond Hearings clients.

Most immigration services will require a Free Immigration Consultation prior to your application being prepared.