Frequently Asked Questions

Can you help me with my immigration problem?  Yes, we will consult with you and see what can be done. .  We will consult with or refer you to a lawyer when necessary.  We have access to immigration lawyers and professional associations for technical information. Our charges are nominal or free depending on the your income.  We are not lawyers.  We are recognized by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) and we have an accredited BIA representative on staff.

What is an immigrant? An immigrant is a person from another country who enters the United States or changes countries to live, study, and/or work. There are dozens of categories of immigrants: For example there are family- sponsored, business investors, professionals, or visa diversity lottery winners.  Non-immigrants include religious workers, embassy workers.  Many immigrants leave their home country because they do not feel safe or because they are looking for a better life.  Some people come as visitors or tourists.  They are not considered immigrants.

What is a refugee? A refugee is in an immigrant category.  This is a person who applies for refugee status outside the USA due to a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a social group. This excludes people who leave their home country  due to poverty or hunger. People fleeing natural disasters and civil wars are not eligible for refugee status. An asylee is a person who applies for legal status after entering the USA.

What is asylum?   Asylum status is exactly the same as refugee status except that the person applies for asylum inside the United States.   A person must apply for asylum within a year of entering the USA.  If he has entered without papers (documentation) he may be detained (held in jail) until his case is heard by the court.  If a person applies for asylum and his case is denied he will probably be deported.  We recommend that a person applying for asylum go to a reputable immigration lawyer.   We will give clients the names of good lawyers who may take their case.

How do I know a job applicant has proper employment documentation? Follow the instructions on the I-9 employer form. If you discover later that you have made a mistake and hired an ineligible employee, you have 10 days to release them.

Do refugees and immigrants pay taxes?  Yes, all immigrants including refugees pay taxes exactly like any US citizen beginning with the first paycheck.    International students on the other hand  are not immigrants or refugees.  They do not pay Social Security or FICA because they will not remain in the USA long. They pay federal, state, city, and county taxes the same as others.  Immigrants and refugees who are students are considered residents and their taxes are deducted exactly the same way as any US citizen. 

Why do the foreign born come to Bowling Green? Bowling Green is a good community in which to live,  work, and raise a family.  Like much of Kentucky, farmers and others need workers and immigrants supply the need. Many immigrants come to join family or start businesses. Many doctors and professors are immigrants.  Hundreds of international students come to Western Kentucky University.

Where can I take a class in English as a Second Language?

• International Center - 3 levels, 4 hours per day 4 days per week and night classes at 2 levels. For more information call 781-8336 and ask for Staci Hernandez.
• Bowling Green Technical College - Call for information.
• Western Kentucky University Community College - Call WKU for Information.
• English as a Second Language Institute - ESLI - Call WKU for Information.

How are you funded? We are funded primarily by federal refugee resettlement and social services funds. We  receive funding through private donations, and United Way.  Private donations are critical to our program.  No donation is too small.    All donations are tax exempt.   We need cars, furniture, and especially cash donations.

Can I sponsor my friend in another country?
You cannot sponsor a friend. It must be a close relative such as parent, spouse, child, brother or sister. A friend may act as a secondary signatory on the required Affidavit of Support for an immigrant.

Who is eligible to become a US Citizen?
Basically those who have been legal permanent residents 5 years or more. The spouse of a US Citizen is called a Conditional Resident and need only wait 3 years to apply.  International Center provides civics and history classes and will assist with the application for naturalization.

Will you provide an interpreter when we need one?
We provide interpreters whenever possible. There is a charge for most interpreting and translation services.  We have interpreters in Spanish, Bosnian, Lao, Khmer, Arabic, Turkish, Albanian, German, French, Bulgarian, Russian, Vietnamese, and Thai.

Who is eligible for your services?  Eligibility for individual services varies according to immigration status, time in USA, and income.  We have a food bank and give clothes to anyone who requests them when available. English and computer classes are free for anyone at this time.