The IRC in Wichita’s Immigration Department provides free and low-cost immigration services to both refugees and the Wichita community. Every month a free workshop at the IRC in Wichita is held to assist eligible permanent residents in completing their applications for U.S. citizenship. Volunteers help attendees fill out the application and then attendees meet with the IRC’s accredited representative to receive a legal review. Afterwards, attendees are ready to mail in their applications and start the process of becoming a U.S. citizen.

In August, the Univision channel promoted IRC in Wichita’s free citizenship application workshops on the news. Since then we have received more than seventy phone calls from people in the community who want to become citizens. Due to the high demand, three workshops were held in August. Since the interview, forty-nine people have either completed their application or are in the process of completing it. Awareness of the IRC is increasing and multiple clients have now begun volunteering at our workshops as a way of paying it forward. The Immigration Department is thrilled to help so many people embark on their journey towards U.S. Citizenship and we appreciate their contributions to the Wichita community.

To learn more about the free citizenship application workshops or other services offered through the IRC in Wichita’s immigration program, please reach out to Jen Rafter at 316-361-2794.