TechBuzz
January 25, 2024
"For many of us this was our portal to another world. After entering, we never looked back."
About SimpleCitizen
SimpleCitizen has helped thousands of immigrants successfully navigate the immigration process. Save time and money by using our straightforward and personalized experience to create and file your application with confidence today.
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Who is SimpleCitizen?
For 8+ years SimpleCitizen has been making the immigration process easier and more affordable by streamlining the common hassles and headaches that are often associated with traditional immigration service providers. Developed with immigrants’ needs in mind and perfected by a team of world class innovators, engineers, and immigration attorneys, our award winning software is intuitive and easy to use.
Our Mission
Founded in 2015, SimpleCitizen is a digital immigration and visa solution designed to streamline the pathway to citizenship. Our straightforward process takes applicants from signup to completion, while saving them time and money along the way. Every day, the team works to help people find new opportunities, start new adventures and bring their families together.
How it All Started
The idea for SimpleCitizen was born in 2013 out of the personal experiences of two of the company’s co-founders. During the summer of 2013, Sam Stoddard (co-founder and CEO) married his wife, who's originally from South Korea, and experienced the complex USCIS immigration application process himself. They were told by an immigration lawyer that, even though their case was straightforward, the legal fees alone would still cost thousands of dollars.
As a tax accounting student at the time, rather than pay thousands of dollars, Sam attempted to tackle the 80+ pages of government forms himself. With his new wife’s immigration status on the line, he quickly realized how confusing and stressful the process is.
In early 2014, Aydé Soto Wright (co-founder and CTO) was working in software technology in Monterrey, Mexico. She made the life-changing decision to marry her husband (Utah-native) and move to the United States to start their life together. She was quickly overwhelmed by the hundreds of pages of paperwork and immigration laws she had to navigate. On top of that, she was just starting to learn English and there were no resources for a Spanish speaker. As a technologist and software engineer, Aydé thought, “¡Tiene que haber una manera más fácil de hacer esto si usamos tecnología!” (there’s got to be an easier way to do this if we use technology!).
The first-hand experiences from both Aydé and Sam, inspired each of them to create a simpler, tech-enabled way for people to navigate the immigration process and access professional services – similar to how millions of people prepare their tax filing each year online. They soon joined forces, adding their third co-founder, Brady Stoddard who was an experienced product designer and marketer. They built and launched the first version of the SimpleCitizen software in the summer of 2015. Since then the company has grown to support customers and employees around the world. Read more about their story in the press highlights below.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Click a question to expand and learn more!
- How does SimpleCitizen work?
- SimpleCitizen is an online self-service designed to help make U.S. immigration applications easier, faster, and more organized. Instead of filling out complicated government forms on your own, SimpleCitizen's software guides you step-by-step, generates USCIS forms using the information you provide, and provides a full legal review by an independent immigration attorney.How the process works:
- Sign up through start.simplecitizen.com
- Answer a guided questionnaire in your SimpleCitizen account and upload your supporting documents (IDs, marriage certificate, tax returns, etc.).
- Submit for attorney review. Once everything is uploaded, you can send your application for a comprehensive review by one of the independent immigration attorneys we partner with.
- Attorney feedback in 5–10 business days. A case manager will reach out with the lawyer’s notes, required updates, and anything that needs clarification.
- Make updates and finalize your application. After you apply any recommended changes, we’ll assemble your full application package.
- If you’re filing by mail, SimpleCitizen will send your ready-to-sign application to your door! You will just need to sign your forms, include your applicable USCIS fees, and mail the package to USCIS following the detailed instructions we have included in your package.
- How much does the immigration process cost?
- At SimpleCitizen, our mission is to make the immigration process clear, stress-free, and significantly more affordable.For a fraction of the cost of traditional methods, applicants using SimpleCitizen receive guided support, a legal review from an independent network attorney, access to an experienced case team, translation services, submission guidance, automated case-tracking through USCIS and so much more. Plus, we offer different packages to make sure you get the level of support you’re looking for. You can compare service levels and prices here.IMPORTANT: You will need to pay your USCIS filing fees. They are NOT included in your SimpleCitizen service fee. USCIS fees vary based on application type and are subject to change by the government. You can look up USCIS filing fees using the USCIS fee calculator. Additionally, some immigration pathways include other costs to consider in your budget, like medical exams. Learn more about the hidden costs of immigration here. We know identifying what fees apply to your situation and saving for these purchases can be stressful. We encourage you to reach out if you have any questions! We’re here to help.Read More
- What if my case is too complicated for SimpleCitizen?
- We hear this question every day, and we’re glad you’re asking! Every case is different and while we are able to help many applicants, not all cases are right for a platform like SimpleCitizen.Your case goes through three screening steps:
- Our Eligibility Quiz helps you figure out which immigration benefits might be available to you.
- As you provide information inside your SimpleCitizen account, our software is built to stop you if your answers indicate common situations we know are too complicated.
- Finally, an independent licensed immigration attorney reviews your application. If they decide that your situation is too complex for this type of support, they let us know!
- How long does it take to have the application finalized and ready to send to USCIS?
- The short answer is: usually around 2-4 weeks from start to finish!The longer answer is that it depends on you. A lot of the timeline depends on how quickly you work through your application questions and provide your documents. Some people complete everything super fast, some people take longer.Here at SimpleCitizen, we work hard to get you the feedback on your application as quickly as possible. We do that by making our review system fair and efficient while giving you the ability to speed things up if you need to. Applications are reviewed by network attorneys in the order they are received, which usually means around 5-10 business days of waiting. Applicants can speed this process up by purchasing an Expedited Review in-app to receive feedback within 2-4 business days.Once you have implemented the attorney feedback, depending on the package you purchased, we will either send you a final PDF or we will ship the entire application to your address or a pickup location of your choice, ready to sign and send off to USCIS. Expedited shipping options (2-Day, Standard Overnight, and Priority Overnight) are also available for purchase in-app.
- Who will be reviewing my application?
- SimpleCitizen partners with a network of independent immigration attorneys who review all of the applications generated by SimpleCitizen customers. Immigration attorney legal reviews usually include recommendations about making an application more accurate and complete while providing legal advice tailored to your situation. This helps make sure you are putting your best foot forward and can more successfully navigate submitting your application to USCIS.
Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Reach out to our chat support or explore the SimpleCitizen learning center for more info.
We’re happy you’re here!