Posted: 06/13/2005

The Office of Citizenship, within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, is announcing the release of Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants.

This landmark publication represents the first time in recent history that the federal government has provided orientation materials for new permanent residents. Designed for permanent residents and the organizations that serve them, Welcome to the United States contains practical information to help immigrants settle into everyday day life in the United States, as well as basic civics information that will introduce new immigrants to the U.S. system of government. The guide also provides new immigrants with ideas on how to become involved in their new communities, and how to meet their responsibilities and exercise their rights as permanent residents.

This guide includes information about:

The rights and responsibilities of permanent residents

Places to learn English

How to find a place to live

How to get a Social Security number

Job placement resources

How the U.S. school system works and how to enroll your child in school

Ways to keep your home and family safe

How the Federal Government works

The guide is available for free, and can be found online in English, Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese at http://uscis.gov/graphics/citizenship/.