Turkish-Speaking Immigration Attorney in Miami

1. Know your deadline. According to FLHSMV, you become a Florida resident when you start a job, enroll a child in a Florida public school, register to vote, file for homestead exemption, or live in Florida for more than 6 consecutive months. Your 30 days to get a license start from that date.
2. Gather your documents. You need proof of identity, your SSN (if you have one) and proof of your Florida address. Noncitizens also need documents showing lawful presence in the U.S. Florida asks for two different proofs of address, such as a lease and a bill from the last 60 days. Bring originals. Check the current list on FLHSMV's immigrant page (green card holders) or its non-immigrant page (visa holders).
3. Go to a branch in person. Since 2025, Miami-Dade's driver license offices have been moving from FLHSMV to the county's Tax Collector. At transferred offices you can book an appointment or walk in; FLHSMV still books appointments at offices not yet transferred. Every applicant takes a vision test.
4. Study in English. Starting February 6, 2026, FLHSMV gives every knowledge and road-skills exam in English only, including oral exams. There are no interpreters, no translations and no printed exams in other languages.
5. Ask where the road test is given. The Tax Collector says road tests and CDL services are offered only at selected offices. Call (305) 375-5448 or check the branch page before you go.

Miami-Dade Tax Collector branches

All branches share one phone number, (305) 375-5448, and are open weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Only select branches open Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.; the North Dade Justice Center branch, inside a courthouse, does not. Because the license offices are still being transferred, check on the branch page or by phone that your branch handles licenses and is open Saturdays before you go.

Some Florida counties add their own service fee on top. Ask the branch for your total.

• When residency starts: when you start a job in Florida, enroll a child in a public school, register to vote, file for homestead exemption, or live in Florida for more than 6 months. The 30-day license deadline runs from that date.
• Test language: since February 6, 2026, knowledge and road tests are in English only. You cannot bring an interpreter.
• Road test: given only at some branches; call (305) 375-5448 to find one (see the branch list). The car you test in must be insured and registered.
• Coming from another U.S. state: a valid U.S. state license can exempt you from the knowledge and road tests; you still take a vision test, and the 30-day deadline applies.
• Your car has a deadline too: separate from the license, you must insure and register your car in Florida within 10 days of starting a job or enrolling a child in school (see car registration).

1. Buy Florida insurance. The policy must come from a carrier licensed to sell insurance in Florida; you can ask your current agent to move you to a Florida policy. FLHSMV's minimums are $10,000 PIP (80% of necessary and reasonable medical costs, regardless of fault) and $10,000 PDL. Bodily Injury Liability (BIL) is not required for ordinary passenger cars.
2. Sort out the title. If the car has a loan, ask the out-of-state lienholder to send the title to Florida. If it refuses, get the refusal in writing on letterhead and bring it to the branch. Without a loan, bring ID for every owner, proof of Florida insurance, the original out-of-state title and a signed HSMV 82040.
3. Get the VIN verified. For a car previously titled or registered in another state, the vehicle identification number is checked on HSMV 82040 or on HSMV 82042. A law enforcement officer, a military police officer, a licensed Florida dealer or a Tax Collector employee can do it.
4. Finish at a branch. All 13 Miami-Dade Tax Collector branches handle registrations, plates and titles (addresses in the license section). Some are also open Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. For renewals, Tax Collector kiosks in 5 Publix stores in the county print your new decal on the spot.

Keep your insurance continuous

• Coverage must stay in force for the whole registration period, even if the car sits unused or does not run. Surrender the plate before you cancel the policy.
• A lapse can suspend your license and plate for up to 3 years, with no hardship license for an insurance-related suspension. Reinstatement can cost up to $500.

Inspection

Florida has not required emissions testing since 2000 and has no periodic safety inspection for passenger cars. Registration renewal has no inspection step.

• SunPass Mini: $4.99 plus tax. It sticks to the windshield and works in Florida, Georgia, Kansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Texas; not for motorcycles.
• SunPass PRO: $14.95 plus tax. It moves between vehicles, works on motorcycles and also works anywhere E-ZPass is accepted.
• Where to buy: Publix, CVS, Walgreens, SunPass service centers, SunPass.com or 1-888-TOLL-FLA (phone orders arrive in 4 to 5 business days).
• Adding money: automatic Easy Pay from a card or bank account, manual top-ups online or by phone, or cash at retail locations.
• Toll-By-Plate: without a transponder, a camera photographs your plate and the registered owner receives an invoice for each 30-day period, plus $2.50 per invoice. It cannot be used on Florida's Managed Lanes, where a transponder is required.
• GMX roads: GMX runs SR-836 (Dolphin Expressway), SR-112, SR-874, SR-878 and SR-924, and now also serves Monroe County. Tolling is all-electronic: SunPass or Toll-By-Plate only. Some segments use pricing that changes with traffic, so we do not list a fixed toll; check current rates on the GMX site. GMX customer service: 305-637-3277, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Other uses: SunPass also pays for parking at major Florida airports and at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

• Daily cap: according to Miami-Dade Transit, paying with a stored-value EASY Card or a contactless bank card or digital wallet caps your daily total at $5.65. You do not need to buy a pass in advance.
• EASY Card: the card costs $2. A paper EASY Ticket is free.
• Transfers: bus-to-bus transfers are free within 3 hours of your first tap if you pay with an EASY Card, EASY Ticket or contactless card. Cash riders do not get free transfers.
• Income-based fares: Miami-Dade residents with annual income under $20,385 may ride Metrobus and Metrorail free with the Mobility EASY Card. With income between $20,386 and $27,180, the Commuter-Reduced Fare EASY Card cuts fares in half. To apply, call EASY Card customer service at 786-469-5151.
• Seniors and veterans: Golden Passport and Patriot Passport holders ride free. Ask Miami-Dade Transit about eligibility.
• Metrorail parking: $4.50 a day, or $11.25 a month with a transit pass. Unused trips and passes are not refundable.
• To the airport: take Metrorail to the Miami Intermodal Center, then the free MIA Mover to the terminals. On September 28, 2026, airport-bound riders had to transfer to the Orange Line at Earlington Heights; service patterns change, so check alerts before you go.
• Flights to Istanbul: according to Turkish Airlines, there are several nonstop flights a day between Miami (MIA) and Istanbul, about 11 hours. Miami is Florida's nonstop gateway to Istanbul.

1. Start service. On FPL's start-service page, you give the service address and a Social Security number, driver's license number or social insurance number. If you have none of these, you can still submit the order and upload another verifiable ID, or contact an FPL customer care representative. In FPL's words, without an SSN "another type of identification can be used such as a driver's license or passport number."
2. Check the deposit. According to FPL, it runs a credit check. If a deposit is required, it equals about two months of expected use at the address, based on its past usage. Newcomers without U.S. credit history usually pay one.
3. Ask about a non-cash option. An Unconditional Guarantee contract with a qualifying guarantor can be accepted instead of a cash deposit.

• Deposit interest: the deposit starts earning 2% interest after 6 months, credited each June.
• Refund: after 23 months of good-standing service, the deposit is refunded with interest. Conditions: no more than 1 late payment in the past 12 months, no bounced checks and no disconnection for non-payment.
• Business accounts: use a Tax ID Number instead of personal ID.
• Three separate bills: unlike Jacksonville, there is no single city-owned utility. Electricity comes from FPL, water and sewer from Miami-Dade Water and Sewer, and trash from the city or the county depending on your address (see water and trash).

Water and sewer (WASD)

• Apply: through WASD's online Self-Service Application (SSA) portal. New buildings that need infrastructure use a separate Service Installation Request.
• What you need: a valid government photo ID (driver's license, passport or state ID), the service address, your mailing address and contact details, and proof of ownership or a signed lease. WASD's list does not include an SSN. Businesses also give a federal tax number (EIN).
• Deposit: $50 per water or sewer service, plus a non-refundable $45 service charge on the first bill.
• Refund: after 2 years in good standing, the deposit is credited to your account automatically; it is refunded if you close the account.
• Phone: customer service, 305-665-7477.

Trash and recycling: city or county?

• County service: Miami-Dade Solid Waste collects garbage twice a week and recycling every other week, with 2 bulky-waste pickups a year and 13 Neighborhood Trash and Recycling Centers. Phone: 305-514-6666.
• Other municipalities: if your city is not in the table, ask your own city or 311 about trash service.
• Phone: 311, or 305-468-5900 from outside the county.

311: for trash and recycling problems, potholes, animal issues, downed signs, traffic lights and other non-emergency requests. You can open a request online, email [email protected], or visit one of three 311 Service Centers in north, south and west Miami-Dade. In a life-threatening emergency, always call 911.

Miami-Dade Public Library card

• Cost: free for residents of the library system's service area.
• ID: the library accepts a driver's license or state ID from any state, a military ID, a passport or passport card, a Permanent Resident Card (green card) or a U.S. work authorization card (EAD). The page does not limit passports to U.S. passports.
• Proof of address (last 2 months): a Florida driver's license or ID, a property tax receipt, postmarked mail, a utility bill, a lease with a utility bill, a mortgage statement, a vehicle insurance card, a voter registration card, or a bank or insurance statement.
• Children: applicants 15 and under need a parent's authorization. Those 16 and older can apply online or in person.
• Non-residents: the paid out-of-county card has been discontinued.

Florida's deposit rules

• Cap: none. The amount is set in the lease.
• 15 days: with no claim, the full deposit is due back within 15 days after the tenancy ends.
• 30 days: a landlord who intends to make a claim must send written notice, with the reasons, within 30 days.
• Objection: you have 15 days after receiving the notice to object in writing.
• Interest: owed only if the landlord chooses an interest-bearing account: at least 75% of the account's annualized average rate or 5% simple interest a year. A landlord who posts a surety bond instead pays 5% simple interest a year.

Read the full text of Florida Statutes §83.49.

What happened to Miami-Dade's Tenant's Bill of Rights?

• 2022: Miami-Dade passed a countywide Tenant's Bill of Rights (Ordinance 22-47). Its best-known rule required 60 days' written notice before a rent increase over 5% or before ending a month-to-month tenancy.
• 2023: HB 1417, which took effect on July 1, 2023, added Florida Statutes §83.425: the regulation of residential tenancies and the landlord-tenant relationship is preempted to the state, and the statute supersedes local rules on tenant screening, deposits, lease terms, landlord fees and notice requirements, among other things. Most of the ordinance, including the 60-day notice rule, can no longer be enforced; Florida's statewide rules apply instead.
• Still working: the county's Office of Housing Advocacy offers referrals, mediation, case management and education on landlord and tenant rights. Phone 786-469-4545, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• First $25,000: comes off the assessed value for all levies, including school taxes.
• Second $25,000: applies to assessed value between $50,000 and $75,000, for all levies except school district levies. This slice is adjusted for inflation each year.
• Who qualifies: someone who holds legal or beneficial title and in good faith makes the home their permanent residence. You cannot also claim a residency-based exemption in another state (§196.031). Renters cannot claim it.
• March 1: the filing deadline. Miss it and you lose the exemption for that year, with two narrow exceptions: a documented postal error, or filing within 25 days after tax notices are mailed with proven extenuating circumstances (§196.011).
• Save Our Homes: the assessed value of a homesteaded property can rise by no more than 3% or inflation per year, even if market value rises faster (§193.155).
• Moving within Florida: if you had a homestead exemption in any of the prior 3 years, you can carry your Save Our Homes benefit, up to $500,000, to a new Florida homestead (portability).

Where to file in Miami-Dade

The Miami-Dade Property Appraiser takes homestead and portability applications online. For in-person help there are two offices, both open weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with appointments bookable on the office's site.

• Main office: Stephen P. Clark Center, 111 NW 1st Street, Suite 710, Miami, FL 33128.
• South office: South Dade Government Center, 10710 SW 211 Street, Suite 207, Cutler Bay, FL 33189.
• Phone: 305-375-4712.

• Find your zone: enter your address in the Know Your Zone map on the county's Storm Surge Planning Zones page. These zones are about storm surge only; they are not your flood insurance zone.
• Evacuation orders: the county orders evacuations by zone or part of a zone, based on the storm's track and projected surge rather than its category. Mobile home residents and people who rely on electrically powered life-sustaining medical equipment should leave under any evacuation order, whatever their zone.
• Once an order is issued: the county's SAFE (Storm Aides For Everyone) application shows evacuation centers, bus pickup points, disaster assistance centers and points of distribution.
• State tool: Florida's Know Your Zone page also looks up zones by address.
• Leave early: if your home would be unsafe in a hurricane, leave early, even without an official order.
• Buildings: Florida homes built after 2002 include hurricane-resistant features required by the state building code.
• Flood insurance: standard homeowners and renters policies do not cover flooding. Policies from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) are sold through FloodSmart, and a new policy generally takes effect only after a 30-day waiting period.

1. Start the application. Enrollment opens in the Parent Portal on the M-DCPS website. District headquarters: 1450 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33132; (305) 995-1000.
2. Gather documents. According to the district's registration handbook: an original birth certificate showing the child's age and legal name; a Florida Certification of Immunization (Form DH 680); a health exam from the past 12 months that includes a TB screening; and two proofs of residence (for example a lease and a utility bill, or a notarized Statement of Bonafide Residence). Bring English translations of documents from Türkiye.
3. Missing a document? Do not leave; ask to speak with a school administrator. Under district guidance, a missing document triggers an administrative process, not an automatic refusal.
4. Answer the language survey. Every Florida district uses a three-question Home Language Survey at registration. A "yes" to any question means the school must screen the student's English within the first 20 school days.

Newcomer students and English (ESOL)

Unlike Jacksonville, M-DCPS has no single newcomer center. Schools run small ESOL classes for newly arrived students, and the district holds a summer English immersion program. For ESOL placement and newcomer programs, call the district's Department of Bilingual Education and World Languages: (305) 995-2428.

Free pre-K (VPK)

• Who: Florida residents who turn 4 on or before September 1.
• District VPK: M-DCPS offers VPK at more than 200 schools and assigns seats by lottery. If you are not selected in the main lottery, you can apply to an online off-cycle lottery. There are free full-day programs in Title I school zones and, elsewhere, programs with a free half day and a parent-paid second half. Call the Department of Early Childhood Programs at (305) 995-7632 or see M-DCPS Early Childhood.
• Private VPK providers: the Certificate of Eligibility for providers outside the district comes from the county's Early Learning Coalition: (305) 646-7220.

For clinic visits, also see our list of sliding-fee clinics.

• Jackson Health System financial assistance: Jackson's program sets fees for uninsured Miami-Dade residents on a sliding scale based on income, up to 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. It looks at proof of Miami-Dade residency, citizenship or immigration status, and family gross income. Critical or emergency care is given regardless of ability to pay. Brochures come in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole; the general line is 305-585-1111.
• Florida KidCare: income-based coverage for Florida children under 19. Under KidCare's requirements, the child must be a U.S. citizen, an eligible immigrant or a green card holder, and must have an SSN or have applied for one. Undocumented children are not eligible.
• Florida Medicaid: this changed on October 1, 2026. Federal law now pays a state for full Medicaid only for U.S. citizens and nationals, lawful permanent residents, Cuban and Haitian entrants, and people living here under a Compact of Free Association. Refugees, asylees and parolees are not on that closed list, so from that date they no longer have federally funded full Medicaid. Most green card holders still face the 5-year wait. Undocumented immigrants could not get full Medicaid before and still cannot. Two things survive: emergency Medicaid for everyone, and a state option a state may take for lawfully residing pregnant women and people under 21, so ask Florida whether it has taken that option rather than assuming. The rule is section 71109 of Public Law 119-21. Note what it actually bars: it stops the federal payment to the state, so ask what is left rather than assuming nothing is. Emergency Medicaid covers emergencies, including labor and delivery for qualifying pregnant women.
• Buying insurance: Florida has no state exchange of its own and uses the federal HealthCare.gov marketplace.
• Miami-Dade County Health Department (DOH-Miami-Dade): WIC, immunizations, family planning, refugee health, STD and tuberculosis services. General line 305-324-2400. Clinic addresses are below.
• 988: the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline answers calls, texts and chats 24/7.

Health centers with income-based fees

Community Health of South Florida (CHI) · 10 Miami-Dade locations

A nonprofit network of health centers. In its own words, it accepts most insurance and offers a sliding fee, income-based payment scale for uninsured patients. Services include primary care, pediatrics, behavioral health, dental, vision, women's health, labs and imaging, urgent care and a $4 medication program. Care is available in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole. Fees go down with income, but care is not free by default.

Doris Ison Health Center: 10300 SW 216th Street, Miami, FL 33190
West Kendall Health Center: 13540 SW 135th Ave., Miami, FL 33186 · (786) 231-0800
Hammocks Health Center: 14591 SW 120th Street, Miami, FL 33186 · (305) 253-5111
Coconut Grove Health Center: 3831 Grand Ave, Miami, FL 33133 · (786) 245-2700
South Miami Health Center: 6350 Sunset Drive, South Miami, FL 33143 · (786) 293-5500
West Perrine Health Center: 18255 Homestead Avenue, Perrine, FL 33157 · (305) 234-7676
Naranja Health Center: 13805 SW 264th Street, Naranja, FL 33032 · (305) 258-6813
South Dade Health Center: 13600 SW 312th Street, Homestead, FL 33033 · (305) 242-6069
Martin Luther King Jr. Clinica Campesina Health Center: 810 West Mowry Drive, Homestead, FL 33030 · (305) 248-4334
Everglades Health Center: 19300 SW 376th Street, Florida City, FL 33034 · (305) 246-4607
All locations and hours

County health department

Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County (DOH-Miami-Dade)

The county's public health department. Services include WIC, maternal and child health, immunizations, family planning, refugee health, STD and tuberculosis services. Its official pages do not list fees or income tiers, so call to ask about cost and which documents to bring. Hours vary by program.

Health District Center: 1350 NW 14th St., Miami, FL 33125 · (305) 575-3800. Family planning, immunizations, refugee health, STDs, tuberculosis, birth and death certificates.
Dr. Rafael A. Peñalver Clinic: 971 NW 2 St., Miami, FL 33128 · (305) 324-2400. Pediatric dental and WIC.
Homestead/Florida City: 1600 NW 6th Court, Bldg. B, Homestead, FL 33034 · (305) 242-2443. Family planning and prenatal care.
All DOH-Miami-Dade locations

Hospital bills

For a hospital stay or a bill after an ER visit, you can apply to Jackson Health System's income-based financial assistance program; details are in health care without insurance.

Questions to ask before booking

• Are you accepting new patients? Are there age, income, insurance or residency requirements?
• What will I pay at my income? Are visits, lab tests, medications, dental care and outside referrals charged separately?
• Which documents should I bring, and is an interpreter available?

For more options, use the HRSA health center finder; not every listed center is free.

• Where: Marriage License Bureau, Overtown Village South, 601 NW 1 Court, Suite 1900, Miami, FL 33136. Phone (305) 275-1155. Licenses are also issued at the county's district court locations.
• Before you go: complete the online pre-application on the Clerk's site and read the state's Family Law Handbook. The bureau takes walk-ins weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., though waits can be long; you can also book an application appointment and, separately, a ceremony appointment online.
• ID: a valid government photo ID, such as a driver's license or state ID from any state, a passport, a green card, a U.S. military ID or an original naturalization certificate. According to the Clerk, there is no residency or citizenship requirement for a Florida marriage license.
• No SSN: the Clerk says noncitizens who have not been issued an SSN may give a green card, U.S. state driver's license or passport number instead. Fla. Stat. 741.04 also allows "any other available identification number."
• Fee: $86, or $61 if you bring the original certificate from an approved four-hour premarital course. The state's statutory base is $52 (741.01); counties add their own fees. Cash, cards, cashier's checks and money orders are accepted.
• Waiting period: for Florida residents, the license takes effect after 3 days. A premarital course certificate removes the wait entirely. If neither of you lives in Florida, there is no wait.
• Validity: the license is good for a ceremony anywhere in Florida within 60 days of issue. After the ceremony, the license goes back to the bureau within 10 days.
• Name change: optional. If you change your name, update your Social Security record for free.

According to DOH-Miami-Dade, all three offices serve walk-ins weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.:

• County office fees: first birth certificate $20, each additional certificate $16, rush $10, protective sheath $3. DOH-Miami-Dade lists these for in-person and mail orders.
• Application: you fill out a Birth Certificate Application Request Form with the person's full name, date and county of birth, the mother's full name including maiden name, and the father's full name. For mail orders, include a clear photocopy of your ID.
• Online and phone: VitalChek is the state's only contracted vendor: VitalChek.com or 877-550-7330 (615-372-6800 from outside the U.S.). This channel uses the state fee schedule: the first certificate is $19 (including the $9 search fee and a $10 rush fee) and each extra copy is $4; VitalChek adds a $7 processing fee.
• State office: records from before 1930 and sealed records (adoption, paternity or court order) come only from Florida's Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville: Florida Department of Health, Vital Statistics, P.O. Box 210, Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042.
• ID: an unexpired photo ID such as a driver's license, state ID, passport or military ID.
• Which copy: a U.S. passport application and registering the birth in Türkiye may call for the certified long-form record; ask which type fits when you order.
• Child's U.S. passport: for children under 16, a passport book is $100 plus a $35 acceptance fee, and a passport card is $15 plus $35. See the passport section.
• SSN: for your baby's Social Security number, see the SSN section.

• Which office: these offices are open weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. SSA assigns offices by ZIP code, not distance, so your office may not be one of these three. Confirm with the SSA office locator before you go. National line: 1-800-772-1213.
• What to bring: current immigration documents (green card, I-94 or EAD) with a valid passport, and a birth certificate if you have it. No photocopies or notarized copies. SSA suggests waiting 10 days after arrival so DHS records can be verified.
• F-1 and J-1: an SSN is available only once you are authorized to work (on-campus job, CPT, OPT), not just for enrolling in school.
• Lost card: replacement is free, usually started online, and the card arrives in 5 to 10 business days.

According to SSA, you do not need an SSN for a driver's license, school registration or private health insurance. Under Florida law, a student does not have to provide an SSN to enroll (see school enrollment), and FPL, Miami's electric company, accepts a driver's license or passport number when you have no SSN (see electricity).

• No state return: Florida has no state personal income tax return. If you file with an ITIN, the federal return is the only filing.
• Businesses are different: Florida's 5.5% corporate income tax applies to companies, not individuals. If you plan to form a company, ask your accountant (see starting a business).
• Property tax: the state relies largely on sales tax and property tax. If you buy a home and it is your permanent residence, you can apply for the homestead exemption by March 1 each year. See property tax.

How do I get an ITIN?

1. Complete Form W-7 and attach it to your federal return unless an exception applies.
2. Get documents verified. Mail originals to the IRS in Austin, use a Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA), or book a free document review at an IRS office. With a CAA or IRS office, your passport does not go in the mail; documents are returned at the end of the appointment.
3. Wait. Processing takes about 7 weeks, or 9 to 11 weeks during tax season (January 15 to April 30).

• IRS office: according to the IRS list, Miami has a Taxpayer Assistance Center that reviews ITIN documents in person. Its listed address is 51 SW 1st Ave, Miami, FL 33130; confirm it when you book or check the IRS office locator. Another South Florida ITIN office is in Plantation (Fort Lauderdale).
• Appointments: IRS offices work by appointment only: 844-545-5640. It can take several weeks to get one. Every office offers phone interpretation, so you can ask for an interpreter in your language when you book.
• Expiration: an ITIN not used on a federal return for three years in a row expires.

• Formation: online through Sunbiz, available 24/7. The $125 total is lower than the $300 Texas charges.
• Annual Report: $138.75 a year, due May 1. A report received after May 1 costs $538.75, including the $400 late fee. No financial information is required.
• Other fees: according to the LLC fee schedule, a name reservation is $25, a certificate of status $5 and a change of registered agent $25.
• Fictitious name: in Florida it is filed with the state through Sunbiz, not with a county clerk. Check the current fee on Sunbiz before you file.
• Local business tax: state registration does not replace local permits. In Miami-Dade, business tax receipts are handled by the county Tax Collector. Ask whether your city has its own requirement too.
• Filing services: the Florida Department of State warns that third-party filing services are not required and can be misleading. The official site shows the state seal and the Sunbiz logo. Questions: (850) 245-6000.

• How to apply: applications are filed online through MyACCESS. DCF has several service centers in Miami-Dade; find the nearest one on DCF's website.
• Who still qualifies for SNAP: refugees and asylees no longer qualify based on that status alone; once they get a green card, they qualify without the 5-year wait. For other green card holders, the 5-year wait still applies, with exceptions such as children under 18.
• Medicaid: since October 1, 2026 federal funding for full Medicaid reaches only U.S. citizens and nationals, lawful permanent residents, Cuban and Haitian entrants and people here under a Compact of Free Association, so refugees, asylees and parolees are no longer on the list; most green card holders still face a 5-year wait. A state option may still cover lawfully residing pregnant women and people under 21, so ask Florida whether it has taken it (section 71109 of Public Law 119-21). Undocumented immigrants still cannot get full Medicaid, but Emergency Medicaid covers emergencies, including labor and delivery.
• Health coverage for children: Florida KidCare is income-based coverage for children under 19. The child must be a U.S. citizen, an eligible immigrant or a lawful permanent resident, and must have an SSN or have applied for one. Undocumented children are not eligible. Options for uninsured families in Miami-Dade are in health care.
• U.S.-citizen children in the household may still receive benefits in their own right. A child's own benefits generally do not count in a parent's public charge review.
• The new public charge rule: for green card applications filed on or after September 18, 2026, officers may consider any means-tested benefit (SNAP, Medicaid, housing assistance and others) received on or after that date. Benefits received earlier count only if they were cash assistance or long-term institutional care. Benefits received by family members are generally not counted.
• Who is exempt: humanitarian categories such as asylees and refugees, T and U visa holders, VAWA self-petitioners and TPS. Family-based, most employment-based and diversity visa applicants are subject to it.
• Litigation: lawsuits against the rule were filed in mid-September 2026. As of September 25, 2026, no court has blocked it.

1. Log in to your USCIS account and open Change of Address. Reporting online satisfies the legal requirement; no paper AR-11 is needed.
2. Enter the receipt number of every pending case. Otherwise notices may still go to the old address.
3. Tell USPS separately. A post office change of address does not update USCIS, and USPS does not forward USCIS mail.
4. If you are in court proceedings, file Form EOIR-33/IC within 5 days. The court changes your address only through this form.
5. If you have ICE reporting obligations (for example, check-ins set when you were released), update ICE too through the ICE Portal. ICE's page asks for updates within 5 business days of moving.

A and G visa holders and Visa Waiver visitors are exempt from the USCIS requirement.

• Separate addresses: unlike Jacksonville, Miami's field office and support centers are not in the same building. The Kendall center is in southwest Miami-Dade, near the Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport; the Central Miami center is in Doral. USCIS also lists an ASC in North Miami Beach. Your I-797C notice tells you which one to use.
• Addresses: your case, not distance, decides which office and support center you use. The address on your notice is the one that counts.
• Appointments and questions: USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833), or book online. Appointments are free. The asylum office has no direct line for case questions; call the same Contact Center.
• Processing times: on the USCIS processing times page, pick the form, category and Miami as the office. Times update monthly.
• Biometrics: the center is assigned on your I-797C notice; you do not choose it. You can reschedule for good cause, at least 12 hours before the existing appointment, through your USCIS online account. At the Kendall center, military personnel are served without an appointment from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Our biometrics guide covers what to bring.
• Getting there: the Kendall center has public parking and is wheelchair accessible. For transit, call Miami-Dade Transit at 305-770-3131.
• Your attorney at the interview: since May 18, 2026, attorneys may no longer join field-office interviews remotely, except in limited circumstances. Your attorney has to attend in person.

• Hours: both courts are open weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; the filing window closes at 4 p.m. Email: [email protected] and [email protected].
• Krome: inside a detention facility, with free public parking. It also hears cases of people held at the Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach.
• Florida's other court: Orlando (500 N. Orange Ave, Suite 1100). If your notice says Orlando, that is where you go.
• Online lookup: ACIS needs only your A-number (A + 8 or 9 digits). Your hearing notice is still the official source; the system may show new dates late.
• ICE ERO: ICE's office list shows a single ERO office for Florida, just north of Miami in Broward County: Miramar Sub Office, 2805 SW 145th Ave, Miramar, FL 33027, (954) 843-5800. Check-ins are scheduled at checkin.ice.gov. If you have a check-in, talk to your attorney before you go.

Where do I find my I-94, and how do I fix an error?

Download your most recent I-94 from CBP's website. Errors made at entry (wrong visa class, name or admit-until date) are corrected by CBP Deferred Inspection. Miami's unit is in the General Aviation Facility at Miami International Airport (MIA), 3550 NW 57th Avenue, Miami, FL 33166, open Monday to Friday, 8 to 11 a.m.; (305) 906-2573, [email protected]. Call to confirm before you go. It fixes only mistakes made at the time of entry.

• Who can register: U.S. citizens who live in Florida and are at least 18. Registration closes 29 days before each election.
• At the license office and on forms: if the driver license office or any other agency offers to register you to vote, answer the citizenship question truthfully. Claiming to be a U.S. citizen may be treated by USCIS as a false claim of citizenship. A driver's license does not make you eligible to vote.
• Consequences: registering or voting as a noncitizen is a federal crime (18 U.S.C. 611 and 1015(f)). In immigration law it can mean permanent inadmissibility, deportability and denial of naturalization.
• Do not fill out voter registration forms handed out door to door or at events.
• Who can serve on a jury: under Florida law (Fla. Stat. 40.01), a juror must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18, a legal resident of Florida and of the summoning county, and hold a Florida driver license or ID card (or have signed the affidavit the law allows instead).
• If you are summoned: follow the instructions on the summons to complete the county's qualification process, and answer the citizenship question truthfully. If you are unsure what to do, ask an attorney first.

Recently naturalized? You can register at RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov. For the November 3, 2026 general election, registration closes on October 5, 2026. Elections in Miami-Dade are run by the Miami-Dade Elections Department: 2700 NW 87th Ave, Miami, FL 33172, (305) 499-8683. Check the address and hours on the county elections website before you go.

• Finding a facility: enter your Miami ZIP code in the passport facility locator. These facilities take new applications (DS-11). Ask about hours and whether you need an appointment before you go.
• Two separate payments: the State Department fee ($130 for an adult book) and the facility's $35 acceptance fee are paid separately. Ask the facility which payment methods it takes.
• What to bring: your original naturalization certificate and your ID.
• Children: a passport book for a child under 16 costs $100 plus the $35 acceptance fee.
• Urgent travel rules: you need proof of travel within 14 days (or a foreign visa needed within 28 days), plus the $60 expedite fee. Book online or at 877-487-2778 (weekdays 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., weekends 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern). Passport agencies see applicants by appointment only; the Miami agency's address and time are on your confirmation. Appointments are free; third parties charging for them are scams.
• Online renewal: for eligible adults, only at opr.travel.state.gov.

Who pays the new $100 Everglades fee?

Since 2026, visitors to Everglades aged 16 and over who are not U.S. residents pay an extra $100 per person on top of the standard fee. Green card holders are exempt and pay the resident price. The documents the Park Service accepts are a U.S. passport, a U.S. state driver's license or ID card, and a green card.

Always free

• Beaches and Bayfront Park: Miami's beaches, South Beach included, and Bayfront Park Downtown are public and free.
• Metromover: the automated rail loop through Downtown and Brickell is completely free.
• Little Havana: walking Calle Ocho costs nothing. The Welcome Center (1637 SW 8th St) hands out free maps daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Wynwood streets: Wynwood Walls itself is ticketed, but the murals on the surrounding streets are free to look at as you walk.

Free on certain days

• Viernes Culturales: the last Friday of every month from noon on Calle Ocho, with music, local artists and galleries. Next dates: October 30 and November 27, 2026.
• Miami Book Fair: the street fair on November 20 to 22, 2026, is free to enter, with programs for all ages.
• Vizcaya: SNAP/EBT cardholders plus 3 guests get in free (tickets on site). Miami-Dade residents 62 and over are free on Mondays and Wednesdays with the Golden Ticket. Ages 13 to 22 pay $5 through Culture Shock Miami. Active military and veterans with valid ID are free.

With kids

• Zoo Miami: a very large park with 4 miles of walkways. Prices change by date, so check the website. Miami-Dade Transit route 152 serves the zoo on weekends and holidays; on weekdays the nearest stop is about 2 miles away.
• Frost Museum of Science: an aquarium and a planetarium. Check ticket prices on the website.
• Vizcaya: 5 and under free, ages 6 to 12 $10.
• Everglades (Shark Valley): the tram tour and short trails are a family favorite for seeing alligators. $35 per vehicle, valid 7 days.

To book: konsolosluk.gov.tr → Randevu Al → Türk Vatandaşları İçin Konsolosluk İşlemleri → Miami. On-call emergency line: +1 305 646 8208. Email: [email protected]. The building entrance is at the corner of 1st Avenue and 9th Street.

Fees and mail-in document lists change during the year. Check the current details on the consulate's site before you pay.

Tips for your visit

• The local advantage: for Turkish citizens elsewhere in Florida the consulate is hours away; in Miami it is a trip across town. A missing document still means a new appointment, so prepare everything before your slot.
• Timing: in-person applications are taken only in the morning block (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.). Allow for Downtown traffic and parking.
• Holidays: check the consulate's site for closure days before you book.
• Birth registration: you need the U.S. birth certificate first (see birth certificates).
• Documents for Türkiye: Florida documents are apostilled in Tallahassee, not at the consulate (see apostille).
• Military service (askerlik): men born in 2007 must complete their registration (yoklama) by December 31, 2026, at the consulate or on e-Devlet. The paid military service option (dövizle askerlik) for July to December 2026 is the foreign-currency equivalent of 472,653.60 TL, paid in U.S. dollars at the Turkish central bank rate of the payment day (ask the consulate about any transfer fee and the current amount); the amount changes on January 1, 2027. It requires a U.S. residence or work permit, 3 years (1,095 days) of work abroad, the MSB online training, residence in the consulate's district and an in-person appointment, which for Miami residents is at the consulate in town. Dual citizens born in the U.S. or who came before 18 can defer until the end of age 35 after registering their U.S. citizenship. F-1 students defer through an education attaché; ask the consulate which one applies to you.

• Address: Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, Apostille Section, 2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 810, Tallahassee, FL 32303. Instructions are on the state's apostille page.
• Fees: $10 per document for most requests; $20 for documents certified by any Clerk of Court ($10 for the apostille plus $10 for a Certificate of Incumbency).
• Payment: check or money order payable to the "Florida Department of State." No cash, no credit cards.
• Which documents: Florida-issued birth and death certificates, marriage and divorce records, court documents, school transcripts, vehicle titles, notarized documents and criminal background checks. Send the original or a certified copy; photocopies are not accepted.
• Vital records: get the certified birth, marriage or death record first. Where to get a birth certificate in Miami-Dade is covered under birth certificates; the state Bureau of Vital Statistics is in Jacksonville.
• Other states' records: Florida apostilles only documents issued in Florida; records from another state must be authenticated in the state that issued them.

• U.S. clock changes: daylight saving time starts on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November: November 1, 2026 and March 14, 2027.
• Miami to Istanbul: Turkish citizens elsewhere in Florida usually connect, often through Miami; from Miami you fly direct. Check days, times and fares on the Turkish Airlines Miami page; fares change often.
• Hosting family: relatives from Türkiye can land at MIA without a connection. On a nonstop flight, U.S. entry (passport control and the I-94) happens in Miami.