In need of immigration assistance? The organizations below can help, whether you are trying to get a visa, seeking asylum in this country, renewing DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), applying for permanent residency under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) or applying to become a U.S. citizen, among other situations. Contact one of the organizations below to get the help you need for free, or at a low cost.

• ImmigrationLawHelp.org
  ImmigrationLawHelp.org is a searchable online directory of over 1,000 free or low-cost nonprofit immigration legal services providers in all 50 states. Only nonprofits that are DOJ recognized or have attorneys on staff are included in the directory.

• African Advocacy Network
  AAN's mission is to make the African Advocacy Network an outstanding social and immigration legal service provider for African and Afro-Caribbean immigrants through the delivery of quality services by BIA Accredited staff in a culturally and linguistically- supportive environment.
  Contact Information
  Telephone: 415-503-1032
  938 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94110

• Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach
  API Legal Outreach staff attorneys represent and counsel immigrants in immigration court, naturalization, adjustment of status, DACA, and complex motions for relief for immigrants who had been abused by their citizen spouses, subjugated by human traffickers, or victimized by violent criminal activity such as attempted murder and rape.
  Contact Information
  Telephone: 415-567-6255
  1121 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94103

• Bay Area Legal Aid
  Bay Area Legal Aid's San Mateo County Office provides free legal assistance to low-income domestic violence survivors in San Mateo County in the areas of family law, immigration law, housing law, and economic justice law. Bay Area Legal Aid assists in immigration issues faced by domestic violence survivors, such as Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
  Contact Information
  Telephone: 650-358-0745
  Advice Line: 650-472-2666
  1048 El Camino Real, Suite A, Redwood City, CA 94063

• Catholic Charities Refugee and Immigrant Services
  Immigration attorneys and Board of Immigration Appeals Accredited Representatives help immigrants apply for citizenship, adjustment of status, VAWA and U-visas, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, petitioning for family members, and DACA.
  Contact Information
  Telephone: 650-295-2160
  36 37th Avenue San Mateo, CA 94403

• Central American Resource Center (CARECEN)
  Provides representation in immigration legal services, including representation for cases such as political asylum, citizenship, family visa petitions, temporary protected status, adjustment of status, employment authorization, deferred action (DACA), T and U visas, violence against women act (VAWA), suspension of deportation, and cancellation of removal.
  Contact Information
  Telephone: 415-824-2330
  3101 Mission Street S, San Francisco, CA 94110

• Coastside Hope
  The Board of Immigration Appeals Accredited Representative at Coastside hope helps those seeking permanent residency and citizenship. They also offer free citizenship prep classes to help those apply for Naturlization.
  Contact Information
  Telephone: 650-726-9071
  99 Avenue Alhambra #1089, El Granada, CA 94018

• Community Legal Services of East Palo Alto
  Immigration attorneys help local residents with immigration processes which include U visa applications and VAWA self-petitions, removal defense, ICE raids defense and community education, SIJS petitions, DACA applications, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, state or federal criminal background checks, and work permit renewals.
  Contact Information
  Telephone: 650-326-6440
  2117-B University Avenue East Palo Alto, CA 94303
  1861 Bay Road East Palo Alto, CA 94303

• Immigration Services of Mountain View
  Immigration Services of Mountain View's California-licensed attorneys, specialize in Immigration and Naturalization law. Applications they assist with include U Visa, VAWA, DACA, Request for Fee Waivers, Permanent Residence, Citizenship, Petition for Alien Relative, Provisional Waiver, TPS, Naturalization, and Petitions for Alien Relatives.
  Contact Information
  Telephone: 650-938-4911
  1058 W Evelyn Ave, Suite 30, Sunnyvale, CA 94086

• International Institute of the Bay Area
  Immigration attorneys and Board of Immigration Appeals Accredited Representatives assist with citizenship, DACA, family petitions, adjustment of status, removal of conditions, U-visas, VAWA, TPS, employment authorization, FOIA's, travel documents, replacement of permanent residence cards, and represent them throughout the application process.
  Contact Information
  Telephone: 650-780-7530
  2600 Middlefield Road Redwood City, CA 94063

• La Raza Centro Legal
  La Raza Centro Legal provides assistance to Spanish-speaking and assists victims of crime and asylum seekers, help individuals who are petitioning for family members to this country, applying for legal residency or citizenship, renewing their green card and work permits and fighting deportation, DACA, and fee waivers for extremely low income clients.
  Contact Information
  Telephone: 415-575-3500
  474 Valencia Street, Suite 295, San Francisco, CA 94103

• Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area
  Offers asylum program, legal services for entrepreneurs, police violence legal support, and the Glide Unconditional Legal Services Clinic that provides free services and information for any type of legal question. 
  Contact Information
  Telephone: 415-543-9444
  131 Steuart Street, Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94105

• Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County
  Provides legal advice and counsel on civil matters to low income individuals, families and groups. Provide pro-bono immigration services to teen parents and their families who have been victims with assistance and representation on immigration applications such as VAWA, U-visa's, DACA, deportation defense, etc.
  Contact Information
  Telephone: 650-558-0915
  330 Twin Dolphin Drive, Suite 123, Redwood City, CA 94065

• Pangea Legal Services
  Pangea provides low bono and pro bono legal services that include representation in affirmative and defensive asylum, cancellation of removal, DACA, U-visa, family based petitions, consular processing, removal proceedings and those who are at risk of deportation or revocation of legal status.
  Contact Information
  Telephone: 415-254-0475
  350 Sansome St, Ste 650, San Francisco, CA 94104

• Tahirih
  Services include screening, assessment, counsel and advice, and/or full-scale legal representation that includes gender-based asylum, violence Against Women’s Act Petitions , T Visas (for survivors of trafficking), U Visas, and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (for abused, abandoned, or neglected children).
  Contact Information
  Telephone: 650-270-2100
  881 Sneath Lane, Suite 115, San Bruno, CA 94066

Immigrants have rights under the Fair Housing Act, regardless of their immigration status. A number of San Mateo County organizations can help if you are facing eviction or a rent increase, harassment or discrimination by a landlord or are living in an unhealthy or unsafe home. Find out what you can do to remain in your home - contact one of the organizations below to get the information and help you need for free, or at a low cost.

• Bay Area Legal Aid
• Community Legal Services of East Palo Alto
• La Raza Centro Legal
• Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County
• Project Sentinel
• Stanford Community Law Clinic

If you were denied wages or work benefits you earned, sustained a workplace injury, need more information about family leave laws or are experiencing sex/gender discrimination or harassment at work, get guidance or counseling to help resolve your problem. Contact one of the organizations below to get the help you need for free, or at a low cost.

• Community Legal Services of East Palo Alto
• Equal Rights Advocates
• Instituto Laboral de la Raza
• Legal Aid at Work

Navigating a world without knowing the language can be extremely challenging. We’ve put together a list of organizations that provide translation services to help you get past the language barrier and achieve your goals.

• Fair Oaks Community Center
• National Office for Tongan/Pacific American Affairs
• San Mateo Japanese American Community Center
• El Concilio of San Mateo County
• Central American Resource Center (CARECEN)
• Chinese Newcomers Service Center
• Salvation Army- Redwood City Corps

If you are a victim of a crime, including violent crimes, and need an attorney, there are organizations in San Mateo County dedicated to helping you. Other organizations focus on workers’ rights and provide legal advice to low-income, working families or advocate for our community’s youth. Contact one of the organizations below to get the help you need for free, or at a low cost.

• Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County
• Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area
• San Mateo County District Attorney- Victim Services
• Victims of Crime Resource Center- McGeorge School of Law
• Youth Law Center

If you need an attorney and are not sure where to start, one of the organizations below can lead you in the right direction through their referral service. You don’t have to keep guessing about where to go - call their information line for advice or referral to an attorney.

• Child Care Law Center
• Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse (CORA)
• Palo Alto Area Bar Association
• San Mateo Bar Association
• Santa Clara County Bar Association

If you are going through a divorce and need the expertise of a family law attorney for division of property, child custody and related issues, contact one of the organizations below for free or low-cost legal help.

• Bay Area Legal Aid

Many countries have consulates in the Bay Area. Find out if your country is among them and find links to their websites.
 

View the list of consulates here »