WAIPAHU, Hawaii–Citizenship readiness classes will start again at the Filipino Community Center (FilCom Center) in Waipahu on Saturdays, 1 to 3 p.m., from June 1 through June 29.
Five sessions will be conducted by an immigration attorney from the Hawaii Immigrant Justice Center at the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii. Registration is $25 to cover the cost of handouts and other expenses. A Certificate of Completion will be awarded to all attendees who complete all five sessions.
The FilCom’s United States Naturalization Preparation course will include instructions in filling out the most current forms required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS); a review of questions that will be asked; and writing exercises and practice interviews. These will help applicants gain confidence in taking the naturalization tests and interviews.
Ilocano and Tagalog volunteer-interpreters will be available. Other language interpreters may be requested when registering. After the citizenship classes, USCIS community outreach workers will be at the FilCom Center from 3 to 4 in the afternoon to assist patrons with questions on immigration, application for US passports and other related issues.
Some of the graduates of the sessions held in 2012 have already been accepted as US citizens early this year. “Participating in the practice sessions during the classes made me less nervous during the real interview” commented one of the graduates who passed on her first try.
Register at the FilCom Center, 94-428 Mokuola Street, Suite 302 in Waipahu. Since space is limited, potential attendees are advised to register early. A “first come first served” policy will be followed. For more information, please call 808 680-0451 or email at filcom@filcom.org.
The FilCom Center, the largest facility of its kind in the country and outside of the Philippines, opened on June 11, 2002 as a long-awaited symbol of Filipinos’ presence and contributions to Hawaii. The FilCom Center serves thousands of people through its programs and events each year. For more information, visit www.filcom.org.