The City of Bowling Green will host the 8th Annual Reception for U.S. Citizens on September 10

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) – Next month, the City of Bowling Green will host its 8th Annual Reception for U.S. Citizens at the Slone Convention Center.

The event is designed to recognize and congratulate all newly naturalized U.S. citizens living in Warren County. Naturalization is the process by which a lawful permanent resident can become a U.S. citizen after meeting the requirements established by Congress in the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Although it is not mandatory, anyone interested in naturalization must submit an application, pay a fee of $760, and pass an interview in English.

“There are a total of 100 questions on civics, U.S. government, U.S. history and geography that you must know and be able to answer about our country,” said Ledya Becker, City International Communities Liaison for the City of Bowling Green.

Once that is done, the final step is a swearing-in ceremony in Louisville.

“We didn’t want people to have to just travel to Louisville, another city in Kentucky that they’ve probably never been to or barely know or visited, and be surrounded by people they don’t know … that’s why we’re hosting this celebration. It’s one of our favorite events,” Becker said.

Refreshments will be available during the reception and there will also be a voter registration table to assist new citizens with registering to vote.

“The Warren County Clerk of Court will assist individuals seeking to register to vote before their first opportunity, our first election in November, to determine if they are eligible to vote,” Becker said.

In addition, there will be an area for potential job opportunities in government and municipal services, particularly in the area of ​​public safety.

“Our Bowling Green Police staff will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about becoming a police officer, as one of the requirements to apply to our police academy is U.S. citizenship,” Becker said.

The deadline for registration for the reception is September 6th. You can simply register using the form.

The reception begins on September 10th at 6 p.m.

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