Tampa, Florida – With the presence of more than 60 permanent residents, the third citizenship workshop of this year took place in Tampa. Accompanied by immigration officers Donald Jarrell and Maria Rodriguez, and lawyer Jorge Rivera, of Rivera Picado Law firm, the Miraists met the objective to help the residents lose the fear of taking the citizenship exam.

Click here to see pictures of the event.

The event began at 2:00 PM in Town n ‘Country Library and lasted just over 3 hours. The immigration officers conducted the presentation of the naturalization process, who with examples and anecdotes gave a very thorough explanation of the eligibility requirements. Also demonstrating how to fill out the application N-400, a definition of the continuous presence and statutory period, exceptions to take the test in their native language, the importance of bringing all documents required the day of the interview and many other topics.

Gabriela Schaefer, who had attended the workshop held in June 2016, publicly thanked MIRA USA, claiming the seminar helped her lose the fear and allow her to pass the naturalization exam and now is a United States citizen.

Attorney Jorge Rivera, who specializes in immigration law, clarified doubts about the test and delved into the laws that protect the naturalization process. Similarly, he offered recommendations and study tips to prepare for the exam and interview and talked about the importance of using the tools and resources provided by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to prepare better.

After a short recess, where attendees had the opportunity to make their questions to the lawyer and immigration officers, we initiated the practices of the N-400 application and the 100 civics questions with our bilingual volunteers. In this period, the participants not only practiced the application content and topics but also listening, reading and writing skills in English

After practicing all components of the test, the participants went on to the mock interview. With the support of the immigration officers and volunteers of MIRA USA,  they had a real experience, which helped them to overcome the anxiety about the unknown and to lose the fear of taking this important step in their lives, giving them the security and confidence they need for their official interview.

With smiling faces and full of confidence, this successful citizenship workshop culminated. In the coming weeks, many participants will be attending the interview, knowing what to expect and how to deal with this important appointment. The workshop “Lose the fear of taking the citizenship exam with MIRA USA” once again met its goal to educate, prepare and give confidence to permanent residents who soon will become American citizens.