What is an immigrant visa?

An immigrant visa is a document issued by a U.S. consular officer abroad that allows you to travel to the United States and apply for admission as a legal permanent resident (LPR). An immigration inspector of U.S. Customs and Border Protection of the Department of Homeland Security makes the final decision as to whether or not to admit you as an LPR. Once you are admitted as an LPR, you generally have the right to live and work in the United States permanently. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services of the Department of Homeland Security will mail your permanent resident card (often called a “green card”) to your new address in the United States , usually within three months of your entry into the United States .

What is the difference between an immigrant visa and a nonimmigrant visa?

Getting an immigrant visa usually means that you will be able to live and work in the United States for as long as you want. A nonimmigrant visa, on the other hand, is generally for short-term visitors to the United States . You cannot stay in the United States permanently on a nonimmigrant visa, and you generally cannot work. A nonimmigrant visa is sometimes informally called a “tourist visa” but can be issued for reasons other than tourism, such as medical treatment, business or study. Please see our nonimmigrant visa page for more information.

How do I start the process of obtaining my immigrant visa? 

There are three basic methods for obtaining an immigrant visa: 1) through a family relationship with a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident or 2) through employment or 3) through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (the visa lottery).  

The first step in obtaining a family-based immigrant visa is for your relative (the petitioner) to file a Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of the Department of Homeland Security. Your relative generally must file the petition by mail at the USCIS Service Center in the. United States with jurisdiction over his or her place of residence. Once your relative has filed a petition for you, you may check its status by accessing the USCIS Case Status Search Page.   

You may obtain an immigrant visa through employment rather than through a family member. More information on obtaining an immigrant visa through employment rather than through a family member is available from USCIS.

Please see the Instructions for the 2008 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program for more information on the visa lottery.

The family-based petition my relative filed for me with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) was approved. Now what?

Once USCIS of the Department of Homeland Security approves an immigrant visa petition, USCIS sends the approved petition to the Department of State’s National Visa Center (NVC) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

What does the National Visa Center do?

The Department of State’s National Visa Center (NVC) retains the DHS approved petition until the case is ready for adjudication by a consular officer abroad. Petitions may remain at NVC for several months or for many years depending on the visa category and country of birth of the visa applicant. When a beneficiary’s (the beneficiary is the person on whose behalf the petition was filed) priority date appears about to become current, NVC sends the petitioner a bill (currently US$65.00) for processing Form I-864 (Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the Act) and sends the beneficiary a Form DS-3032 (Choice of Address and Agent). Once the Form I-864 processing fee is paid, NVC sends the Form I-864 and related instructions to the petitioner. Once NVC receives the completed Form DS-3032 from the applicant, NVC mails a bill for the immigrant visa fee (currently US$380.00) to the agent designated on the Form DS-3032. Once the immigrant visa fee is paid, NVC sends the Instruction Package for Immigrant Visa Applicants to the agent.

You or your agent must follow the directions in the Instruction Package for Immigrant Visa Applicants exactly. Failure to do so could result in a delay in your case and could even cause you to lose your chance to live and work in the United States. Once NVC completes its administrative processing of your case, the case file is sent to the Immigrant Visa Unit of the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta. NVC will notify you by mail when this occurs.

You may contact NVC at 1-603-334-0700.  An automated message system is available 24 hours a day which can answer many inquiries.  Live operators are available from 7:30 a.m. to 12.30  Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday.  Case inquiries can also be made by email at NVCINQUIRY@state.gov.

What is a priority date and why does it matter?

The priority date, in the case of a family-based immigrant visa petition, is the date your petition was filed (not the date it was approved). Family-based immigrant visas are divided into two broad groups, immediate relative cases and preference cases. An immediate relative family-based petition is filed by a U.S. citizen on behalf of a spouse, parent, or child. A preference family-based petition is filed by a U.S. citizen on behalf of a son, daughter, or sibling; or by a legal permanent resident on behalf of a spouse, son or daughter, or child.

Because the law does not limit the number of immediate relative visas, the priority date is normally irrelevant in such cases (please see the Department of State’s most recent policy telegram on the Child Status Protection Act for the notable exception). Workload permitting, the Immigrant Visa Unit of the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta may begin processing the approved petition upon receipt from the Department of State’s National Visa Center or the Department of Homeland Security.

The priority date in a preference case, however, matters greatly. The law limits the number of preference visas available. All categories of family-based preference visas are currently “oversubscribed” (i.e., there are more people who want visas than there are visa numbers available). Your priority date, along with your visa category and nationality, determines whether a visa number is available or whether you must wait. Once your priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed in the most recent Visa Bulletin you can be allotted a visa number and have your case processed (i.e., your case is “current”). We cannot predict when a case will become current. You can monitor the movement of the cut-off dates as announced in the Visa Bulletin to learn when your priority date is reached. To hear the cut-off dates over the telephone, you can call the Department of State visa information line at (202) 663-1541.

I received notification from the National Visa Center that my approved immigrant visa petition has been sent to the Immigrant Visa Unit.  I have never had an interview with a consular officer.  How long will I have to wait?

As soon as we have received the approved petition, we will contact you for further processing.  Generally, we can schedule you for an appointment as soon as you have completed gathering the documents you need for the interview.

I received an Appointment Package for Immigrant Visa Applicants from the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta. What do I do now?

If you have received an Appointment Package for Immigrant Visa Applicants, you can begin gathering the documents listed for your interview.  Please follow the instructions in the Appointment Package for Immigrant Visa Applicants exactly. Failure to do so could result in a delay in your case and could even cause you to lose your chance to live and work in the United States.

The consular officer cannot decide whether or not to issue you an immigrant visa until you formally apply and are interviewed. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you NOT make non-refundable flight arrangements or other travel plans until and unless you actually receive your visa.

How long should I expect to be at the Consular Section on the day of my visa interview?

It is not possible for us to predict exactly how long you will be at the Consular Section.  We interview applicants as efficiently as possible consistent with reasoned, legally supportable decisions.

For your convenience, we have water and restrooms on site.  In addition, we make every attempt to interview elderly applicants, applicants with infants, disabled applicants and other applicants with special needs early in the day.  If you have a disability or a special need that is not apparent, please mention it during the initial screening interview so that we can expedite your interview with the consular officer.

What is the principal beneficiary of a petition and what is a derivative beneficiary?

In a family-based immigrant visa case, the principal beneficiary of a petition is the person on whose behalf the petition was filed, that is, the person listed on the right side of the front of Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative). A derivative beneficiary is the spouse or child of the principal beneficiary. A preference family-based case may have many derivative beneficiaries in addition to the principal beneficiary, and all of the beneficiaries (principal and derivatives) share the same petition and the same case number. There are no derivative beneficiaries in immediate relative family-based cases, which means that each applicant must have his or her own petition and individual case number.

Should I get a lawyer to help me with my case?

The decision as to whether or not to hire a lawyer or other representative is yours alone. We cannot tell you whether or not to obtain representation, nor can we recommend any specific lawyers.  If you do hire an attorney or other representative, that person may accompany you to your visa interview but may not/not answer questions on your behalf.  You, the applicant, must answer the consular officer’s questions.

I received a CR-1 or CR-2 immigrant visa. What does that mean?

You and the petitioner must file a Form I-751 (Petition to Remove the Conditions on Residence) with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Service Center in the United States with jurisdiction over your state of residence within the 90-day period immediately preceding the second anniversary of the date you were first admitted to the United States as a conditional permanent resident. If the I-751 is not filed within this period, your conditional permanent resident status will be terminated automatically and you will be subject to deportation from the United States.

What does the Child Citizenship Act do?

The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 is a law that amended Section 320 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to confer automatic U.S. citizenship upon certain categories of children born abroad upon their admission to the United States as a legal permanent resident.  If the consular officer determines that the Child Citizenship Act applies, we will give the applicant our Child Citizenship Act Information Sheet.

Please see 9 FAM 40.41 N3.4-1 for more information concerning the Child Citizenship Act.

The person who filed the petition on my behalf is not working. Does he or she still need to submit an Affidavit of Support?

Yes. If you are subject to the I-864 (Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the Act) requirement, as almost all immigrant visa applicants in the Indonesia are, the petitioner must submit an I-864 for you. Otherwise, the consular officer will not be able to issue you a visa. This requirement applies even if the petitioner is not working or is working but does not earn enough money to support you. In these circumstances, your petitioner may find a joint sponsor who is willing to file an I-864 for you, or he or she may have a household member who is willing to file a Form I-864A (Contract Between Sponsor and Household Member).

Remember that every I-864 and I-864A must be accompanied by proof that the filer is a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident, U.S. tax forms from the most recent three years AND evidence of current employment (usually recent pay stubs or a recent job letter that states the salary). If the petitioner is not working, he or she must state this on the I-864.

If the person has not filed U.S. tax returns, regardless of the reason, he or she must explain in writing why not.

Please see 9 FAM 40.41 for more information concerning the I-864 and the public charge ineligibility.

I am married to a U.S. citizen and am waiting for my adjustment of status interview in the United States. My child, who is my spouse's stepchild, is in Indonesia and is about to have a legal permanent resident visa interview. Do I have to become a legal permanent resident before my child can be issued an immigrant visa?

No. There is no requirement that you ever become a legal permanent resident. However, in order for your child to qualify as your spouse's stepchild, the consular officer must be convinced that your marriage is legitimate for immigration purposes. The most direct way for the consular officer to know that the marriage is bona fide is for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services of the Department of Homeland Security to have adjusted your status to that of legal permanent resident. If you are not yet a legal permanent resident, the consular officer may require alternative evidence (e.g., joint rental agreements, bank statements, phone bills, photographs, etc.). You and your spouse may even be invited to the Consular Section for an interview with the consular officer.

Please see 9 FAM 40.1 N2.2 for more information concerning the legal definition of stepchild.

What if I get married after I receive my immigrant visa but before I am admitted to the United States as a legal permanent resident?

If you are issued an immigrant visa under a category that requires you to be unmarried, and you marry after receiving the visa but before being admitted to the United States, you will be subject to exclusion from the United States. If you have questions about your particular situation, please contact us. 

What happens if the petitioner dies before the principal beneficiary has immigrated to the United States?

If the petitioner dies before the principal beneficiary has immigrated to the United States, the petition is automatically revoked pursuant to 8 CFR 205.1(a)(3). This means that the consular officer will not be able to issue a visa to any of the beneficiaries of the petition and will be required to return the petition to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

If there are compelling humanitarian circumstances, the consular officer may recommend that DHS reinstate the petition. Alternatively, the applicant may contact directly the DHS office that approved the petition to request that it be reinstated for humanitarian reasons. If DHS reinstates the petition, the consular officer will contact the applicant(s) soon thereafter.

Please see 9 FAM 42.42 PN2 for more information on humanitarian reinstatement.

What happens if the petitioner dies after the principal beneficiary has immigrated to the United States?

Eligibility of derivative applicants seeking to follow to join a principal beneficiary who has already acquired legal permanent resident status is dependent on the continuing legal permanent resident status of the principal, not on the status of the petitioner. Therefore, if the petitioner dies after the principal applicant has already become a legal permanent resident and one or more derivative applicants seek to follow to join the principal applicant, the derivatives retain eligibility to follow to join despite the death of the petitioner. Please see 8 CFR 213a.2(f) for information concerning the Form I-864 (Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the Act) requirement in such circumstances.

What happens to the derivative beneficiary's case if the principal beneficiary dies?

If the principal beneficiary dies at any time before the derivative beneficiary immigrates to the United States, the consular officer will not be able to issue a visa to the derivative beneficiary.  Humanitarian reinstatement does not apply in such a case, though humanitarian parole may be an option.  Please see 9 FAM 42.1 N4 for more information on humanitarian parole.

What about military service once I arrive in the United States?

If you are a man and are between 18 and 26 years old when you enter the United States, you must register with the U.S. Selective Service System within 30 days after you enter the United States. If you are required to register, do so promptly. You cannot register after you reach age 26. Registration is for conscription into military service in an emergency mobilization of the armed forces. There is no conscription at this time.

To register, go to the nearest United States Post Office, obtain a registration form, fill in the information requested and hand the completed form to the postal clerk. Within 90 days, you should receive a Registration Acknowledgement postcard from Selective Service. If you do not hear from Selective Service within this period, it is important that you contact Selective Service to verify your registration status. Alternatively, you may register online. You may also verify your registration status online.

On the day of your immigrant visa appointment, you will be required to sign Form DS-1810 (Notice of Duty to Register with U.S. Selective Service System) acknowledging that you understand your obligation to register with Selective Service.

Legal permanent residents, male or female, may join the U.S. military as enlisted personnel. For more information please contact:

• U.S. Army
• U.S. Navy
• U.S. Air Force
• U.S. Marine Corps
• U.S. Coast Guard
  

U.S. consular officers are only allowed to issue immigrant visas to those applicants who qualify under the law. A visa can be refused for a variety of reasons. For example, your immigrant visa could be denied if you have a criminal record, if you lie during your visa interview, if you lived in the United States without permission, or if your economic documents are insufficient. There are many other possible reasons that a visa can be refused. Please see 9 FAM 40.6 Exhibit I for an abridged list of ineligibilities (i.e., reasons your visa may be refused).

Some immigrant visa refusals may be overcome with additional evidence (for example, 212(a)(4) - public charge), some refusals require a waiver from the Department of Homeland Security (for example, 212(a)(9)(B) - unlawful presence) before a visa can be issued, and some refusals are absolutely permanent (for example, 212(a)(2)(C) - controlled substance trafficker). On the day of your immigrant visa appointment, the consular officer will interview you and either will approve your visa or deny it. If the consular officer approves your visa, you will usually receive the visa package in three days. If the visa is refused, the consular officer will give you a refusal letter listing the section of law under which your visa was refused. The letter will also give you detailed instructions on what to do next. It is very important that you follow the instructions exactly. If you don’t follow the instructions, you can be sure that your case will be delayed, and it is possible that you will lose your chance to live and work in the United States. Please contact us if you do not understand the instructions in the letter. We will be glad to answer your questions. Despite what some people might tell you, luck has nothing to do with whether you receive an immigrant visa or not. Consular officers base their decisions solely on the law, regulations and Department of State policy. If you come to the Immigrant Visa Unit prepared and follow the consular officer’s directions completely, you will be much more likely to receive your immigrant visa. A word of caution -- Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) contains the following warning: “The Department of Homeland Security investigates claimed relationships and verifies the validity of documents. The Department of Homeland Security seeks criminal prosecutions when family relationships are falsified to obtain visas. Penalties: You may, by law be imprisoned for not more than five years, or fined $250,000, or both, for entering into a marriage contract for the purpose of evading any provision of the immigration laws and you may be fined up to $10,000 or imprisoned up to five years or both, for knowingly and willfully falsifying or concealing a material fact or using any false document in submitting this petition.”

What is a waiver and how do I get one?

A waiver is a special authorization granted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to put aside an ineligibility. As explained in the answer to "My visa was refused. Why did this happen and what do I do now?", some refusals require a waiver before a visa can be issued. Some frequently seen refusals at the Immigrant Visa Unit in Jakarta that require waivers are 212(a)(6)(C)(i) (misrepresentation) and 212(a)(9)(B) (unlawful presence). In order to apply for a waiver, you must submit a Form I-601 (Waiver of Ground of Excludability) to the Immigrant Visa Unit, along with the non-refundable waiver application fee of US$265 or the equivalent in Indonesian Rupiah. In addition, some waivers require you to show that your exclusion from the United States would cause extreme hardship to your U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident spouse, parent, son or daughter. And some waivers require action by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a medical doctor. There may also be other requirements. The consular officer will tell you whether a waiver is available in your case and, if so, will give you instructions on how to apply. Remember that DHS retains sole authority to approve or deny waivers and that waivers are discretionary.

Why do you have to take my fingerprints, and how much does it cost?

A strict background check has long been required for all visa applicants. As part of this check, we take electronic fingerprints of many of our applicants on the day of the visa interview. There is no additional charge for electronic fingerprints. In order to determine whether an applicant is eligible for a visa, it is sometimes necessary for us to take traditional ink fingerprints as well. If ink fingerprints are required, usually we are able to take the prints in advance of the immigrant visa interview appointment, but occasionally we must take ink fingerprints after the day of the appointment. Ink fingerprints cost US$85.00.

I was arrested in the past. What should I do?

If you have ever been arrested for any reason, at any time and in any country, you must tell the consular officer during your immigrant visa interview. Question 31 of Form DS-230 (Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration) and question 38 of Form DS-156 (Application for Nonimmigrant Visa) ask you whether you have ever been arrested. You must answer these questions truthfully, and you must explain the details of your situation. Bring to your visa interview all documentation concerning any and all arrests, even if the charges were dropped or you were acquitted, pardoned or given amnesty. In addition, you must provide a copy of the statute under which you were arrested and a translation of the statute into English. The consular officer will review the evidence and make a decision as to whether or not you are eligible for a visa.

What is a fiancé(e) (K-1) visa?

A fiancé(e) visa (or K-1 visa) is technically a nonimmigrant visa. Because the process is similar to that of an immigrant visa, however, the Immigrant Visa Unit of the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta handles fiancé(e) visas. The fiancé(e) visa is for foreigners who wish to marry a U.S. citizen in the United States and then become legal permanent residents without having to leave the United States. K-2 visas are for the children of K-1 applicants.

How do I obtain a fiancé(e) (K-1) visa?

Your U.S. citizen fiancé(e) must file a Form I-129F (Petition for Alien Fiancé(e)) by mail at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Service Center in the United States with jurisdiction over your fiance(e)’s place of residence. If your fiancé(e) is living outside of the United States, he or she must file the petition by mail at the USCIS Service Center in the United States with jurisdiction over his or her place of last residence in the United States. Once your fiancé(e) has filed a petition for you, you may check its status by accessing the USCIS Case Status Search Page. USCIS forwards the approved petition to the Department of State’s National Visa Center, which then sends it to the Immigrant Visa Unit of the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta. The Immigrant Visa Unit will send you a Package of Instructions for K-1/K-2 applicants. Please follow the instructions exactly. Failure to do so could result in a delay in your case and could even cause you to lose your chance to live and work in the United States. The consular officer cannot decide whether or not to issue you a visa until you formally apply and are interviewed. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you NOT make non-refundable flight arrangements or other travel plans until and unless you actually receive your visa. You have ninety (90) days from entry into the United States in which to marry your U.S. citizen fiancé(e). After your marriage takes place in the United States, you and your U.S. citizen spouse must contact USCIS to adjust your status to that of legal permanent resident.  The adjustment of status is NOT automatic.

What is a K-3 visa?

A K-3 visa is technically a nonimmigrant visa. Because the process is similar to that of an immigrant visa, however, the Immigrant Visa Unit of the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta handles K-3 visas. The K-3 visa is for spouses of U.S. citizens where a Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) has been filed but has not yet been approved by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of the Department of Homeland Security or has been approved by USCIS but has not yet been received by the Immigrant Visa Unit. This type of visa allows the holder to travel to the United States and then become a legal permanent resident via adjustment of status. K-4 visas are for the children of K-3 applicants.

How do I obtain a K-3 visa?

Your U.S. citizen spouse must file a Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) by mail at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Service Center in the United States with jurisdiction over your spouse’s place of residence. Your spouse will then receive a Form I-797 (Notice of Action) stating that the Form I-130 has been received by USCIS. Your spouse must send a Form I-129F (Petition for Alien Fiancé(e)) and the Form I-797 with the appropriate fee to the address given by USCIS. Once your spouse has filed a petition for you, you may check its status by accessing the USCIS Case Status Search Page. USCIS forwards the approved Form I-129F to the Department of State’s National Visa Center, which then sends it to the Immigrant Visa Unit of the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta. The Immigrant Visa Unit will send you a Package of Instructions for K-3/K-4 Applicants. Please follow the instructions exactly. Failure to do so could result in a delay in your case and could even cause you to lose your chance to live and work in the United States. The consular officer cannot decide whether or not to issue you a visa until you formally apply and are interviewed. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you NOT make non-refundable flight arrangements or other travel plans until and unless you actually receive your visa. Once you enter the United States on a K-3 visa, you and your U.S. citizen spouse must contact USCIS to change your status to that of legal permanent resident. The change of status is NOT automatic. Important note: The law generally requires that a K-3 visa for an applicant who married a U.S. citizen outside the United States be issued by a consular officer in the foreign state in which the marriage occurred.

What is a V-1 visa?

A V-1 visa is technically a nonimmigrant visa. Because the process is similar to that of an immigrant visa, however, the Immigrant Visa Unit of the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta handles V-1 visas. The V-1 visa is for the beneficiary of a Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) filed by that person's legal permanent resident (LPR) spouse. The Form I-130 must have been filed on or before December 21, 2000, among other requirements. This type of visa allows the holder to travel to the United States and then become a legal permanent resident (LPR) via adjustment of status. V-2 visas are for a child who is the principal beneficiary of a petition filed by his/her LPR parent, and V-3 visas are for the children of V-1 or V-2 applicants.

How do I obtain a V-1 visa?

You will receive a letter from the National Visa Center instructing you to contact the Immigrant Visa Unit. If you have the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Service) Form I-797 (Notice of Action), please make sure you have it ready when you call us. After you have called us, we will send you a Package of Instructions for V Visa Applicants. Please follow the instructions exactly. Failure to do so could result in a delay in your case and could even cause you to lose your chance to live and work in the United States. The consular officer cannot decide whether or not to issue you a visa until you formally apply and are interviewed. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you NOT make non-refundable flight arrangements or other travel plans until and unless you actually receive your visa. Once you enter the United States on the visa, you must contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to change your status to that of legal permanent resident. The change of status is NOT automatic.

I think I am a legal permanent resident, but I have been out of the United States for one year or longer. I want to return to live in the United States. What do I do?

It is possible that you may qualify for returning resident status.  Returning resident status is for an alien who meets the following requirements:

• was a lawfully admitted permanent resident of the United States at the time of departure;
• at the time of departure, had the intention of returning to the United States;
• while residing abroad, did not abandon the intention of returning to the United States; and
• is returning from a temporary residence abroad; or if the stay was protracted, this was caused by reasons beyond his or her control.

To apply for returning resident status, make an appointment with the Immigrant Visa Unit and explain your situation to a consular officer. jakconsul@state.gov or call +62 21 3434 9053 or fax +62 21 385 7189. Please see 9 FAM 42.22 for more information concerning returning resident policy.

In which currency must I pay any required fees at the Immigrant Visa Unit, U.S. dollars or Indonesian Rupiah?

The choice is yours. The Consular Section cashier accepts either U.S. dollars or Indonesian Rupiah. Please be advised that you should only pay money to the Consular Section cashier, regardless of what anyone else may tell you. The Consular Section cashier will issue you a receipt showing how much you paid and what services you paid for.

I have feedback to share concerning the immigrant visa process.  How do I submit my comments to your office?

The Immigrant Visa Unit welcomes your comments, complaints, compliments and suggestions concerning any and all aspects of the immigrant visa process, including the treatment you receive from our employees.  The best way to send us your feedback is by writing to us at jakconsul@state.gov or sending a fax to +62 21 385 7189

I received my immigrant visa and am about to move to the United States.  Where can I get more information about living in the United States?

Please see Welcome to the United States:  A Guide for New Immigrants.  This booklet, produced by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, contains a wealth of information on topics such as registering your child for school, maintaining your immigrant status, finding a job and becoming a U.S. citizen.