New Americans Initiative - Citizenship
Updated 07-17-25
The New Americans Initiative (NAI) is a joint collaboration between the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), and 50 community organizations across Illinois.
Since 2005, the NAI has assisted low-income immigrant families with citizenship information & education, interview preparation, application processing, and citizenship scholarships for eligible Illinois residents.
Contact an NAI partner organization if you’re interested in applying for U.S. citizenship:
You can also find an NAI partner
organization near you by using the map.
NAI Calendar
NAI partner organizations have in-house legal clinics and citizenship workshops throughout the year to assist community members applying for citizenship and/or DACA.
Check out upcoming citizenship and/or DACA events hosted by our NAI partners:
ICIRR Citizenship Scholarship
ICIRR has a limited amount of funds specifically to cover the USCIS fees for N-400/N-600 applicants in need.
USCIS Fees will be covered fully at $710 (online filing) and $760 (paper filing) for N-400 and $1,335 (online filing) and $1,385 (paper filing) for N-600.
USCIS Fees will be covered partially at $380 for N-400
ICIRR Citizenship Scholarship Applications Are Currently Open
To qualify for the citizenship scholarship, applicants:
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Must be eligible for naturalization
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Must submit their N-400 or N-600 application through an NAI partner organization
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Cannot be eligible for the USCIS Fee Waiver**
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Need to submit proof of income to be considered for the scholarship
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Must live in the state of Illinois
**Applicants who are found eligible for reduced filing fee will be covered at $380 for for the paper filing.
Citizenship Scholarship
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If a client makes less than the 150% Level, they qualify for the USCIS fee waiver, therefore they don't qualify for the ICIRR Citizenship Scholarship
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If a client makes between 150% and 400% poverty level, they qualify for the USCIS partial fee waiver, and they qualify for the partial ICIRR Citizenship Scholarship at $380
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If a client makes between 400% poverty level and 120% Area Median Income Limits, they qualify for the full ICIRR Citizenship Scholarship
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*Households of 5 or more, who make more than 400% of the FPL but less than the 120% of the AMI limits will have to submit an appeal until the AMI Limits are updated to reflect 2024.
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**N-600 Applicants must be above 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines to qualify for our Scholarship.
Scholarships are subject to availability and are on a first-come-first-served basis.
Other Resources
