The cost of becoming a U.S. citizen is steep for Tulsa immigrants trying to cover the $710 naturalization application fee.
An east Tulsa nonprofit is stepping in to foot the bill for eligible permanent residents who live in city limits.
As the world gets more expensive, it’s important to help eliminate financial barriers, said Luisa Krug, executive director of Eastside Rise. The organization focuses on empowering residents and business owners while preserving the community’s diverse cultures.
Her staff often hears that the fee to submit the N-400 naturalization form causes people to delay applying for citizenship.
Through the organization’s naturalization program, Eastside Rise provides reimbursements for application fees to roughly 130 Tulsans, amounting to $90,000. Started in 2024, the program receives funding support from the George Kaiser Family Foundation and the Coretz Family Foundation to provide the reimbursements.
“We try to think of it as like they’re joining our program and not just like we gave them a reimbursement once,” Krug said. “Our goal is for it to be really engaging and back and forth and to build those relationships.”
How the program works
Olivia Landrum, program manager for Eastside Rise, will first help participants determine if they’re eligible to apply for citizenship.
Participants must meet the following requirements:
- Be at least 18 years old at the time you file Form N-400, Application for U.S. Citizenship.
- Be a permanent resident (have a green card) for at least five years (or three years if married to a U.S. citizen).
- Must demonstrate continuous residence in the U.S. for at least for the required period, without trips outside the U.S. lasting six months or longer.
- Be able to read, write and speak basic English and have knowledge of U.S. history and government.
- Must be a person of good moral character during the five years (or three years if you are the spouse of a U.S. citizen) preceding your citizenship application.
All participants must be prepared to provide documents required by the federal government. Eastside Rise works with local partners, including the American Dream Center, El Centro, Catholic Charities and YWCA Tulsa, if someone needs legal advice.
Anyone in the Tulsa region can receive technical support and guidance through the application process through Eastside Rise. However, reimbursements are only available for people living within the city limits of Tulsa.
How to receive support
People can apply on a rolling basis to the program. Interested parties should reach out to Landrum via email at olandrum@eastsiderise.org or by phone at 918-984-2049.
How reimbursement works
Tulsans have to put the upfront costs for the application fee when applying to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Participants will have to provide proof of payment to be reimbursed.
Reimbursements can take two to three weeks to be processed and will receive notifications to pick up their check.
What’s involved in naturalization
In Oklahoma, it can take six to eight months for someone to get an interview scheduled with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Landrum said. From there, it can take another two months for a citizenship ceremony to happen.
Landrum often helps people with technical assistance and guidance on making appointments.
The goal is to help them also register to vote and educate them after they pass the naturalization exam, Landrum said. As the need grows, Eastside Rise is looking at how it could expand its services.
“We want to educate our community,” she said. “It’s not just to become a U.S. citizen. That’s not enough. We want more.”
This article was produced as part of a partnership between the Tulsa Flyer and La Semana, a Tulsa-based bilingual Spanish-English newspaper serving Latino communities in Oklahoma.
Eastside Rise received financial support from the George Kaiser Family Foundation for the naturalization program. GKFF also provided financial support for the Tulsa Flyer. News decisions at the Tulsa Flyer are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
