What is the current status of all previously scheduled naturalization tests?
On June 4th, some local USCIS offices resumed in-person services. The Portland, Oregon USCIS field office is currently open from 7 am-4 pm on weekdays.
If you are scheduled for an interview and the USCIS office you are supposed to take it at is closed, USCIS will automatically reschedule your interview date.
If you scheduled an InfoPass or other appointment and the USCIS office is closed, you will need to reschedule the appointment on your own.
Please click here to find out how to reschedule your appointment, or speak to someone at USCIS.
When will testing begin again?
On June 4th, some local USCIS offices resumed in-person services. The Portland, Oregon USCIS field office is currently open from 7 am-4 pm on weekdays. In order to find out whether or not your test center is open, please visit the USCIS Office Closings website here.
If you have further questions, please visit the USCIS Contact Center or email us at missioncitizen@gmail.com and we will do our best to assist you.
Will testing be online?
At this time, testing and interviews are not scheduled to be held online.
If you are scheduled for an interview and the USCIS office you were supposed to take it at is closed, USCIS will automatically reschedule your interview date.
If you scheduled an InfoPass or other appointment and the USCIS office is closed, you will need to reschedule the appointment on your own. To do that, please visit this page to contact someone at USCIS.
What should I do if my test was canceled?
If you received a notice from USCIS sometime in the last few months stating that your test was cancelled, you should now be receiving another notice stating that your test has been rescheduled. Please check your email or your USCIS account to find that information.
If you have not received a notice for a reschedule, please contact USCIS here.
What should I do if my test gets rescheduled to a date/time that I won’t be able to attend?
Please contact your local USCIS office if you have a time conflict. You can do that here.
What can I do to prepare in the meantime?
In light of COVID-19, Mission: Citizen has chosen to cancel our summer classes to best protect the safety and health of our students and teachers. Mission: Citizen will continue to monitor the severity of COVID-19 and will update students once we make a decision on fall classes. In the meantime, students can check the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website for naturalization information and testing resources, as well as the Mission Citizen website for online video recordings of our classes.
Where can I get help if I’m not sure how best to prepare?
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website has a variety of test preparation resources for those who wish to continue preparing for the test. If you would like to take advantage of the official USCIS Civics practice test, click here. You can also visit the Mission: Citizen website for video recordings of all our lessons.
Mission: Citizen is currently in the process of building our own test preparation/practice website. It is not available for use at this time, but it will be soon! Mission: Citizen will be sending out an email to all students when it is up and running, so please keep an eye out for that!
What happens if I already passed the test and just need to do the oath ceremony?
If all you have left to do is the oath ceremony, congratulations on almost completing the US Citizenship process! The USCIS office where you were scheduled to take your oath ceremony will contact you to reschedule your ceremony. It is highly likely that they have already contacted you, so please check your email or your USCIS account to find that information. If you cannot find anything from USCIS concerning a reschedule, please contact them here.
Please note, according to the USCIS website “Attendance is limited to the candidates who are scheduled to be naturalized, a parent or trusted adult if the candidate is a minor and individuals providing disability assistance to a candidate.”
For more information, you can visit the USCIS Response to COVID-19 website here, and read the information under the Naturalization Oath Ceremonies tab.
Will the cost of the test be changing? What will that new cost be?
Currently the total cost of becoming a U.S. citizen is $725. If that changes at any point, Mission: Citizen will inform students as soon as possible. For more information about the cost of the test, please visit the USCIS Fees page here.
What should I do if I can no longer afford to pay for a future naturalization test due to Covid-19?
If you have not already paid for the naturalization test, but are hoping to be able to take it in the future, please keep an eye out for Mission: Citizen emails regarding scholarships for tests. Mission: Citizen provides scholarships for students who attend 8 out of 9 classes, and although we cannot hold classes at this time, we are still working hard to create funding for our scholarship program. Please contact us at missioncitizen@gmail.com and we will do our best to assist you.
What should I do if I already paid for the test and need my money back?
Sadly, USCIS very rarely provides refunds, regardless of the situation of the applicant. If you are struggling due to the loss of money spent on the test, please contact us at missioncitizen@gmail.com and we will see what we can do to help you.
What should I do if I still need to register for a test?
If you need to register for a test, please visit this USCIS page. Please follow all the instructions on the page. If you get stuck on any aspect of the application process, please contact USCIS here.
If you would like Mission: Citizen’s assistance on some aspect of the application process, or have a question you would feel most comfortable asking us, please email us at missioncitizen@gmail.com and we will do our best to help you.
What should I do if I am unclear on where I am in the citizenship process?
When will I receive another update?
Mission: Citizen is monitoring the situation to the best of our ability, and will continue to contact students with regular updates. At this time, we are unsure of when we will have new information, so please keep an eye out for emails from us. If you have any questions, or need our help in some way, do not hesitate to contact us at missioncitizen@gmail.com.
FAQs About Covid-19 Effects on Immigration
When will M:C classes resume?
Currently Mission: Citizen classes run during the typical August-June school year. Assuming that PPS schools and public libraries are able to reopen in August, Mission: Citizen classes will resume sometime in September of 2020. We will update you all if anything changes.
Will M:C offer online classes?
Currently Mission: Citizen is not offering live online classes. However, you can find Video Lessons and various other online resources for all 10 Mission: Citizen classes here. We are working hard to create more resources for our students, and will let you know when those are available.
Will M:C classes happen over the summer?
Mission: Citizen is not currently planning on holding any summer classes. Again, we are working hard to provide as many online resources for our students as possible, and will update you all as things progress. If you feel that you need extra help of some kind, please reach out to us at missioncitizen@gmail.com. We would be happy to arrange a virtual tutoring session.
What will happen if classes can't resume in the fall?
At this point, Mission: Citizen has no definitive plan for classes not being able to resume in the fall. However, we will be closely monitoring the situation, so that in the event that it seems unlikely that we will be able to resume classes, we will be able to get a head start on preparing a variety of online resources for our students. We will keep you all regularly updated on the status of our classes as we get closer to September.
FAQs About Mission: Citizen Classes
Resources
Unemployment information - Recently, unemployment rates have skyrocketed. The unemployment system can be difficult to navigate, so here are some resources to help. Most are available in multiple languages.
COVID-19 specific Oregon unemployment site - answers to some frequently asked questions about if you qualify, finding jobs, and how the system works
Oregon unemployment insurance resources - information about claims, a help center, special unemployment programs, and jobs
Oregon unemployment FAQs - answers to some frequently asked questions about the logistics of filing for unemployment
Video about the specifics of filing for unemployment during COVID-19 - explains how to answer specific questions while filing that can be extremely confusing due to COVID-19
Filing a claim - direct link to file an unemployment insurance claim
Oregon tenant rights during COVID-19 - During the coronavirus pandemic, there are additional protections in place to ensure that tenants are not mistreated, as many people have lost much of their income. This source includes what constitutes an illegal action on the part of your landlord, links to addition resources, and support for low-income Oregonians.
COVID-19 Small Business Association loans page - If you are a small business owner struggling without the usual level of customers, look here to see if you can apply for a loan.
Multnomah County resources - Multnomah County has provided a list of resources regarding things such as food access, information for youth and parents, mental and emotional health, community resources, businesses and employees, and county, city, state, and federal information. The majority of these resources are available to everyone, not just residents of Multnomah County! There is also a list of relief funds, donations, and volunteer opportunities at the bottom.
Crisis Line for domestic violence (1-888-235-5333) - Due to quarantine, many people are stuck at home in abusive situations. Call this number to receive help and support if you are experiencing abuse or are in danger. There are callers available in every language.
Mission: Citizen online classes - Because we are not providing in-person classes, we have recorded online classes for each week. Feel free to use them and all other note sheets and quizzes included on our website. Reach out to us if you are in need of more individualized help or tutoring!
Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon - Check out this link to find various resources for food assistance.
Action Items
Support Asian-owned businesses - The Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO) has provided a list of Asian-owned businesses to support, as many Asian businesses are suffering a drastic decrease in revenue due to anti-Asian discrimination during the coronavirus pandemic. If you have the financial means to, please consider supporting them! If not, please consider spreading the word.
Donate to the Oregon Worker Relief Fund - Recently, Oregon legislators passed an emergency aid package, including $10 million dollars for the Oregon Worker Relief Fund. This fund, supported by many community groups, will replace wages for Oregonians that do not qualify for unemployment insurance. In order to adequately support Oregonians, we will need much more than $10 million. Many Latinx Oregonians will be unable to access unemployment insurance due to circumstances such as working independently or immigration status. In addition, undocumented immigrants will be disproportionately financially hard hit, as they do not file taxes with a social security number and will not receive federal stimulus checks. Please donate if you are able to, or if not, spread the word about it! If you would benefit from the Fund, look out for applications.
Immigration News
United States Customs and Immigration Services has “temporarily suspended routine in-person services” and “…plans to begin reopening our offices on or after June 4, unless the public closures are extended further.” USCIS states that its staff will continue performing duties that do not involve face-to-face contact and will provide emergency services in some limited situations. The agency recommends online filing and states that "individuals may still submit applications and petitions to USCIS.” Click this link for more updates on the USCIS response to COVID-19.
Military personnel and veterans are now able to file their N-400 form online. Click this link for more information.
President Trump signed an Executive Order to significantly reduce the amount of green cards granted to those seeking entry to the United States for a 60-day period. Click this link to read the official statement and details.