Are you an immigrant with low income? Are you someone who has left your home country because of violence or persecution? EBSC provides many free and low-cost immigration legal services. We also offer other services, such as help finding a job, housing, or medical care, or help learning English or taking the citizenship test.
IMPORTANT: The EBSC office continues to be closed due to COVID-19. However, we are still working remotely to provide legal and social support.
Please contact the staff in charge of your case or email info@eastbaysanctuary.org or leave a message at 510-540-5296.
OR – You may call EBSC’s new hotline to talk with experienced paralegals and attorneys who can offer immigration-informed resources to help you through this crisis. You may also reach us through text.
Hours: Mon-Wed & Fri from 10am-12pm
Number: 510-646-8484
For Texts: 510-900-9561
Services available in English & Spanish.
Portuguese available Mon, 10am-12pm & Tues, 10am-11am.
WHAT LEGAL SERVICES DO YOU NEED?
- Asylum
- Green Card for Asylees or Refugees (Residency)
- Work Permit (EAD) for Existing EBSC Clients ONLY
- U.S. Citizenship (Naturalization)
- DACA
- Unaccompanied Minors
ASYLUM
Affirmative Asylum
EBSC can help you file an affirmative asylum application. This is only available to people who are already in the U.S. and are afraid to go back to their home country. We can only help people who are residing in the SF Asylum Office jurisdiction.
Note: The affirmative asylum process is for people who are not in immigration court proceedings.
EBSC will help you explain your reason for seeking asylum, prepare you for the asylum interview, provide interpretation, and accompany you to your interview. We support you through the entire asylum process.
We regularly take these types of asylum cases:
- People who have suffered domestic violence
- People who are part of the LGBTQIA community
- People who are unaccompanied minors (under age 18)
- Indigenous Guatemalans
- Other people fleeing violence and persecution in their home country
Green Card for Asylees or Refugees (Residency)
If you won your asylum case through EBSC and want to get a Green Card, or renew your Green Card, EBSC can help.
Work Permit (EAD) – For existing EBSC clients ONLY
If you are an EBSC legal client and need to apply for or renew your work permit, EBSC can help. If your asylum application is pending and you need to RENEW your work permit, please contact us 6 months before the expiration date.
If you need DACA-related services, please click here.
U.S. CITIZENSHIP (NATURALIZATION)
You must be a Green Card holder before you can apply for U.S. citizenship.
You are usually eligible to apply for citizenship 4 years and 9 months after the “Resident since” date on your Green Card. You may be eligible to apply for citizenship before 4 years and 9 months if you are married to a U.S. citizen.
We offer classes to help you prepare for the citizenship exam and help with application processing.
We can also help with complex naturalization cases. Please contact us to find out if you qualify.
DACA (DEFERRED ACTION FOR CHILDHOOD ARRIVALS)
If you arrived in the U.S. as a child before June 15, 2007, you may be eligible for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA).
EBSC can help you with your initial and renewal applications for DACA, as well as complex cases involving criminal arrests and convictions.
We help our DACA clients seek permanent immigration relief through programs such as Asylum, U Visa, Green Card through Family Petition, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status.
UNACCOMPANIED MINORS
If you are age 18 and arrived in the U.S. without a parent, we can help you seek immigration status.
Minors who are abused, abandoned, or neglected by one or both parents may qualify for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS).
We also help unaccompanied minors apply for asylum. You must have documentation from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) that states you are an unaccompanied minor.
Walk-in Hours
Mon – Wed, Fri: 10am – 1pm
By Appointment Only
Mon – Wed, Fri: 2pm – 4 pm
Please note, we do not provide legal advice over the telephone. If you are seeking legal advice, you must come to our office.
Office Address
2362 Bancroft Way
Berkeley, CA 94704
Located in basement
Mailing Address
East Bay Sanctuary Covenant
P.O. Box 4670
Berkeley, CA 94704