Immigrating to Pittsburgh
 If you are considering immigrating to Pittsburgh or bringing a family member or friend, you will find a variety of organizations in Pittsburgh dedicated to helping you accomplish that goal. They assist in answering common questions for current and potential immigrants. It is not an easy process, but don't give up hope!
How do I immigrate to the U.S.?
The United States government gives permission for people to enter the country for a variety of purposes. Nationals of other countries may be given permission to come to the United States for a limited period of time to study, work or just to visit, in the form of a nonimmigrant visa. Permission to remain in the United States permanently, in the form of an immigrant visa, may be given because of family relationships or employment. The individual is then eligible to apply to become a permanent resident of the United States.
Because every case is different, in order to determine if you qualify for a particular visa, it is important to discuss your case with an immigration services professional. Please see the section below on resources for this kind of assistance.
Where do I go for help?
The US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) states that all applications can be completed within a reasonable period of time. Specific instructions are provided on the forms and on the USCIS website (www.uscis.gov).
However, many cases are complicated, and a consultation is highly recommended. Most immigration attorneys will provide a free initial consultation or a consultation for a minimal fee. We have various resources to assist in answering your immigration questions, whether about temporary or permanent immigration to the United States.
 Organizations that Can Help You
The US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) Online
Here in one place is a complete set of information to introduce you to the Citizenship and Immigration Services, forms and employment base information.
www.uscis.gov
The Pittsburgh Refugee & Immigrant Assistance Center (PRIAC)
of Jewish Family & Children's' Service of Pittsburgh
The only low-cost immigration provider recognized by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) of the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the southwestern Pennsylvania area. Officially recognized to provide immigration services for individuals and families with limited financial resources, PRIAC is staffed by two immigration attorneys, an accredited representative, paralegals and employment specialists. Fees are nominal and arrangements can be made for indigent clients.
Immigration services provided are: consultation, status adjustment, naturalization, status inquiry, visa extension, asylum, petition for relatives abroad, affidavit of support, affidavit of relationship, travel document, diversity visa lottery, and others.
In addition to immigration services, PRIAC offers acculturation workshops, ESL referrals, and culturally sensitive vocational services, including skills assessment, Job Readiness workshops, career counseling, resume preparation, interview practice, training referrals, job lists, job development, and employer troubleshooting.
PRIAC is a division of Jewish Family & Children's Service. All services are provided without regard to race, religion, socioeconomic status or ethnic heritage.
For more information or an appointment, contact:
5743 Bartlett Street,
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Phone: 412-521-1737
Fax: 412-422-1162
www.jfcspgh.org/refugee.asp
E-mail: jenglert@jfcspgh.org
 Catholic Charities, Refugee Service Program
For more than 30 years, Catholic Charities' Refugee Services Program has helped refugees resettle in the Pittsburgh area. All of the individuals and families that we have welcomed have been declared refugees by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and have come to the United States seeking a new home and a new start. Refugees have come from Southeast Asia, Cuba, Africa, Haiti, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.
The Refugee Services Program provides refugees with basic needs, English language training and employment counseling. Our staff works with local businesses to match refugee with jobs. More than 90% of the refugees we serve find employment within three months of their arrival.
Phone: 412-256-6999
212 Ninth Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
http://www.ccpgh.org
El Centro Hispano, the Hispanic Center
This Pittsburgh-based non-profit corporation, was founded to address the workforce needs of the southwestern region of Pennsylvania. Its mission is the recruitment, placement, and retention of workers to the area, focusing primarily, but not exclusively, on the Hispanic population. In line with these goals, the Hispanic Center assists families that are interested in relocating to the Pittsburgh region by providing access to affordable housing and employment opportunities. Their programs include employment referral, access to education and training programs, and a family mentoring program to facilitate the adjustment to Pittsburgh for newcomers. To discuss these opportunities, contact :
Carla Andrea Leininger, Employment and Communications Specialist
Pedro Bretz, Executive Director
The Hispanic Center, Inc.
800 Allegheny Ave Ste 127
Pittsburgh, PA 15233
Phone: (412) 322-2717
Fax: (412) 322-2718
Email: EL_CENTRO_ORG@pghhc.org
Web Site: www.pghhispaniccenter.org Honorary Consuls in Pittsburgh Where are Visas issued?
Visas are issued at American consulates in other countries. They may be issued as the result of an application made to the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services in the United States by a relative or employer; or as the result of an application made to the consulate itself by the individual seeking the visa. For many of the nonimmigrant visas, immediate family members will qualify for a 'derivative' visa, based on their relationship to the primary visa holder. However, each family member must apply for and be granted the derivative visa on his/her own; he/she may not enter the United States based on the visa in the family member's passport. A nonimmigrant visa may be issued for a very brief period of a few weeks, to coincide with the applicant's travel plans, or for many years, depending on the type of visa. Foreign Consulates in the U.S. and U.S. Consulates abroad
http://www.state.gov Additional Legal Assistance:
The Allegheny County Bar Association
A professional organization with more than 6,700 member lawyers, judges, district justices, legal administrators and paralegals. They offer a legal referral service to assist the public in finding lawyers for specific legal matters.
http://www.acba.org The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
The national association of over 8,000 attorneys and law professors who practice and teach immigration law. AILA can help you find an immigration attorney in your area through the Immigration Lawyer Referral Service.
http://www.aila.org
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