Nigerian Center

Immigration The United States is truly a land of opportunity but those without full legal status struggle severely and unnecessarily for a long time. This is often due to a lack of information and the support systems needed to navigate the US immigration system. Our legal team provides advice, application and representation support on a variety of immigration issues, including: Naturalization - applying to become a US citizen. Asylum - applying for the right to stay for persons facing persecution in their home country Adjustment - applying for Lawful Permanent Resident status (otherwise known as a "green card") Employment Authorization Document (EAD) - filing for a work permit for those with a temporary lawful status or pending application for permanent status. Family Petitions - applications for Lawful Permanent Resident status for certain close family members of US Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents Work Petitions - applications for Lawful Permanent Resident through US based employer or business. Advance Parole - requesting permission to travel temporarily outside of the U.S. for people with certain types of temporary status or pending applications

Language proficiency is critical to building cultural competency. We recognize that understanding a parent's native dialect is a growing need among first generation Nigerian Americans, and even within the community as a whole. We also see that other members of the general African diaspora have a strong interest in learning Nigerian languages but the opportunities to do so are limited. Lastly, we see that non-English speaking immigrants struggle to access basic services due to language barriers. The Nigerian Center is working to solve this problem by providing Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa classes along with translation services for people who don't speak English as a primary or secondary language.

Homeownership Owning your primary residence is a core foundation for wealth building. However, due to factors such as credit, tax records, and legal status many immigrants find it difficult to overcome the hurdle of owning their own home. As a result, they spend countless unnecessary dollars on renting apartments and forgo building equity. The Nigerian Center helps solve this program through its first-time homeownership program. Our housing team will provide ongoing educational programs and application support services such as: 1-on-1 homeownership counseling Access to first-time homeowner resources Related financial services such as credit building Support gathering necessary legal documents Down payment and closing cost assistance