Turkish-Speaking Immigration Attorney in Scranton

1. Gather the documents for your status. PennDOT's chart for noncitizens (PUB 195NC) lists about 50 statuses one by one. Every status needs a Social Security card or an SSA ineligibility letter, two documents showing your name and Pennsylvania address, and proof of your status. The table below covers the statuses Turkish newcomers see most often.
2. Go to the Dunmore center. Lackawanna County's Driver License Center and Photo License Center share one address: 81 Keystone Industrial Park, Dunmore, PA 18512. PennDOT's January 2025 center flyer lists both as open Tuesday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., closed Sunday and Monday. Photo appointments are not available, so photos are first come, first served; the first two and last two days of each month are the busiest. The flyer is not new, so check the hours on PennDOT's location finder before you go.
3. Phone and payment. The center has no phone of its own; PennDOT's information line is 717-412-5300. You can schedule tests on PennDOT's website or at 1-800-423-5542. Cards, checks and money orders are accepted; cash is taken only at the Riverfront Office Center in Harrisburg.
4. Pass the knowledge test and get a learner's permit. The test has 18 multiple-choice questions and you need 15 right. It comes with a vision screening. If you fail, you can retake it the next business day. Passing gets you a learner's permit, valid for 2 years.
5. Practice, then take the road test. Drivers under 18 need 65 hours of supervised driving. The examiner first checks the car's safety equipment, then asks you to parallel park in a space 24 feet long and 8 feet wide. Bring your learner's permit.

Which documents does each status need?

Proof of residency examples: postmarked mail, a W-2 or pay stub, a lease or deed, a tax record, a car insurance card, or a computer-printed bill (cell phone, cable, electric or gas). If no bill is in your name, you can bring the person you live with, along with their license and a second document showing the same address.

Moving here with another state's license

PennDOT says new residents must exchange an out-of-state license within 60 days of becoming Pennsylvania residents. You surrender your old license (valid or expired no more than 6 months), take a vision screening and fill out Form DL-180R. There is no knowledge test.

REAL ID

You need a REAL ID, or another accepted document such as a passport, for domestic flights and some federal buildings. For a REAL ID, noncitizens bring a green card, an EAD, or a foreign passport with a valid U.S. visa and I-94. For the Social Security number, bring a Social Security card, W-2, SSA-1099 or a pay stub with your full SSN, plus two proofs of residency. PennDOT charges a one-time $30 fee for your first REAL ID. Applicants whose documents are pre-verified can get the card the same day at a REAL ID Center. The current document list is on PennDOT's REAL ID page.

• How long a foreign license works: up to 1 year from your U.S. entry date, unless the license itself expires sooner. Get your International Driving Permit (IDP) before you leave Türkiye.
• With a Turkish license: the process is the same as the first-time license steps above: knowledge test, learner's permit and road test. Gathering documents and verifying status take time, so start well before the 1-year window closes.
• Test in Turkish: PennDOT offers the knowledge test in 29 languages, including Turkish, in written or audio form, on request at every Driver License Center. Ask for Turkish when you check in.
• From another state: with a license from another U.S. state there is no knowledge test, but you must exchange it within 60 days of becoming a Pennsylvania resident (details).
• Studying: the Pennsylvania driver's manual is online on PennDOT's site. The test has 18 questions and 15 correct answers pass.

1. Get your Pennsylvania ID. PennDOT says you need a valid Pennsylvania driver's license or ID card to apply for title and registration. Status checks can drag on, so apply for your license in your first weeks.
2. Buy Pennsylvania insurance. You must show proof of Pennsylvania coverage: an insurance ID card, the declaration page, a binder or a copy of the insurance application.
3. Gather your documents. Your valid out-of-state title in your name, proof of insurance, a VIN verification and Form MV-1 (Application for Certificate of Title). You cannot fill out the MV-1 yourself online; an authorized agent prepares it. Leased cars also need Form MV-1L. An inspection mechanic or a notary can verify the VIN.
4. Go to an authorized agent. Most notaries, dealers and messenger (tag) services are authorized by PennDOT and can issue a temporary registration on the spot.
5. Sales tax. 6 percent statewide. Only Philadelphia and Allegheny County add a local rate; Lackawanna County does not.
6. Inspect within 10 days. A newly registered car must pass a safety inspection within 10 days of registration.

What is the minimum insurance, and what is Limited Tort?

These are the legal minimums set out by the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, not recommended coverage. Your policy also asks you to choose Limited Tort or Full Tort. Limited Tort lowers the premium, but unless an injury fits one of the legal exceptions, you cannot sue for pain and suffering. Full Tort keeps that right. If you do not choose Limited Tort in writing, you have Full Tort.

Emissions testing in Lackawanna County

Only 25 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties require emissions testing. In PennDOT's emissions program, the state's Drive Clean PA site lists Lackawanna County in the Northern Region, along with counties such as Luzerne and Erie. Cars model year 1975 and newer and 9,000 pounds or less get a yearly emissions test along with the safety inspection, done at licensed private inspection stations. Model year 1996 and newer cars get an onboard computer (OBD) check and a gas-cap test.

Sample E-ZPass tolls from Keyser Avenue (passenger car, 2026)

Amounts come from the PA Turnpike's E-ZPass toll schedule effective January 4, 2026. Check your own route with the Turnpike toll calculator.

• Opening an account: open an E-ZPass Pennsylvania account online, in the PA Toll Pay app, at Go Pak retail locations, or by phone or mail at 1-877-736-6727. The Turnpike's E-ZPass page lists no monthly account fee.
• Replenishing: with automatic replenishment, $35 per tag is charged to your bank account or card when the balance drops below $10. With manual replenishment, you get an alert when it reaches $15.
• Toll By Plate: without a tag, a camera photographs your plate and the invoice is mailed to the registered owner. E-ZPass costs up to 50 percent less than Toll By Plate. You can pay by check, money order or credit card.
• Toll increases: Turnpike tolls change each January; the last increase took effect January 4, 2026.

COLTS fares

• Paying cash: bring exact change; if you overpay, you get a fare card with the balance.
• Where to buy passes: the Lackawanna Transit Center (30 Lackawanna Ave), the COLTS office (800 North South Road), Gerrity's supermarkets and libraries such as Albright Memorial Library. Monthly, 10-ride and day passes are also sold on COLTS's website and mailed the next business day. Student passes are sold in person only. Passes are non-refundable.
• Luzerne County: COLTS passes are honored on LCTA, the Wilkes-Barre area bus system, and LCTA passes on COLTS.
• Sundays and holidays: some routes do not run on Sundays or holidays; Route 44 to Clarks Summit, for example, runs Monday to Saturday. Check your route's schedule, and use the myStop app for real-time arrivals.
• Contact: (570) 346-2061. The Transit Center customer window and office are open weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closed Saturdays.

Free rides at 65 and older

Riders 65 and older ride free, funded by the Pennsylvania Lottery. Get a Commonwealth Transit ID card at the COLTS office or the Transit Center customer service desk. Proof of age COLTS accepts includes a passport, naturalization papers, a green card (resident alien card), a Pennsylvania photo ID or driver's license, a birth certificate and an SSA age statement. No SSN or citizenship is required.

The airport (AVP)

The region's airport, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International (AVP), is in neighboring Avoca: 100 Terminal Drive, Avoca, PA 18641; phone 570-602-2000. The airport's ground transportation page lists taxis, Uber, Lyft, rental cars, hotel shuttles and LCTA Connects, the Luzerne County bus service. For flights, see the time difference and flights section.

To New York and Philadelphia

• Martz bus: daily service from the Lackawanna Transit Center in Scranton to the Port Authority Bus Terminal (8th Ave and 42nd St) in New York. Martz's website lists $65 one way plus a processing fee and, since March 16, 2026, a fuel surcharge that changes with fuel prices. The ride takes roughly 2.5 to 3 hours, according to the company's own guide. Book online or at 570-821-3800; the schedule in effect since May 13, 2026 changes by season.
• Train: there is no passenger rail from Scranton to New York yet. PennDOT's Scranton to New York rail project is still in planning.

Service without an SSN: the state rule

• ID: 52 Pa. Code 56.32 lets utilities regulated by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) ask for the names and ID of all adults in the home before starting service. Valid ID is one government photo ID (a passport, for example) or two alternative documents, one with a photo.
• SSN: the utility "may ask, but may not require" your SSN. If you do not have one, say so and apply with your passport.
• Deposit: a deposit can be required if you have no creditworthiness under the utility's scoring or a past shutoff for nonpayment. It equals one-sixth of the estimated annual bill and can be paid over 90 days. Applicants confirmed eligible for the utility's low-income customer assistance program (CAP) owe no deposit.

Electricity: PPL Electric Utilities

• Who serves you: PPL is generally the electric distribution company in Lackawanna County. Start service on PPL's website or at 1-800-342-5775, and confirm your address is in PPL's territory when you apply.
• PPL's own policy: the version of its credit policy page we could reach (an archived 2020 copy) also says it cannot require an SSN and accepts one government photo ID such as a driver's license or passport, which matches the current state rule. Ask when you apply whether proof of low income or a third-party guarantor can replace a deposit.

Gas: UGI

Gas in Scranton generally comes from UGI. Start service on UGI's website. UGI is also PUC-regulated, so the SSN and deposit rules above apply.

Choosing an electricity supplier

In Pennsylvania you can buy electricity from another supplier while the distribution company keeps delivering it. Compare suppliers and prices by ZIP code on PA Power Switch, the PUC's official shopping site.

Water and sewer: Pennsylvania American Water

• One company: Scranton's sewer system passed from the Scranton Sewer Authority to Pennsylvania American Water (PAW) in 2016. If you are searching for the "Scranton Sewer Authority," PAW is who you deal with today.
• Starting service: sign up with a MyWater account online or by phone, as PAW's page explains. Have your service address, billing address and phone number ready. To stop service when you move, call 7 to 10 days ahead.
• Deposit: PAW says a deposit may be required if you were not a customer before, until you build a satisfactory payment history.
• ID: PAW's page does not say which IDs it accepts. If you have no SSN, ask which document you can use when you call.
• Phone: 1-800-565-7292, weekdays 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; emergencies 24/7.

Trash and recycling

• Who collects it: the city's Bureau of Refuse and Recycling, part of the Department of Public Works. Phone 570-348-4180, email [email protected], weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Where it goes: recycling goes at the curb in front of or beside your home, while trash on many streets is picked up from the alley. Holidays and bad weather can push collection to the next weekday.
• Schedule: the 2026 recycling calendar is on the city's recycling page, in English and Spanish. Recycling bins are free; request one with the form on that page.
• Fee: the city's 2026 budget keeps the yearly refuse fee at $300, collected with the property tax bill. Homeowners see it on their tax bill.
• Missed pickup: report it to Scranton311 (city services).

Scranton311

• How to reach it: the online form on the city's Scranton311 page is the fastest way, and tickets are tracked on a public map. Email: [email protected]. The city's page lists no number to dial, so use the form rather than calling "311". Requests are handled weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; anything sent after hours is picked up the next business day. You can report anonymously.
• What for: potholes, missed trash or recycling, streetlight outages, abandoned vehicles, graffiti or illegal dumping, property maintenance and non-emergency noise.
• Non-emergency police: 570-348-4134. In any life-threatening situation, call 911.
• City Hall: 340 N. Washington Ave., Scranton, PA 18503, (570) 348-4100.

Lackawanna County Library System card

• Who: the county's libraries, including Albright Memorial Library in Scranton, share one system. The card application is for Pennsylvania residents; children and adults can apply.
• How: apply on the library's website (you need an email address) or at any branch. Proper ID is required to verify your name and current address; ask the branch which documents count before you go.
• Until the card arrives: the card comes by mail in 5 to 7 business days, and you can borrow one item while you wait.
• Phone: (570) 348-3000, ext. 3000.

Security deposits (state rule)

• Cap: 2 months' rent in the first year, 1 month from the second year on. After the first year, the landlord must return anything above one month's rent.
• Interest: for tenancies over 2 years, deposits above $100 must sit in an interest-bearing account. The interest belongs to the tenant; the landlord may keep up to 1 percent a year as a fee.
• Return: within 30 days after the lease ends. If anything is deducted, you get the balance with a written, itemized list of damages.
• Penalty: a landlord who misses the 30-day list loses the right to deduct for damages. Once you give your new address in writing, you can sue for double the amount wrongly withheld.

Scranton's Rental License

• The rule: under the city's 2022 rental ordinance, every rental unit needs a city license. Licenses renew by March 15 each year, and units are inspected on a 3-year cycle.
• What it means for you: before you sign, ask the landlord whether the unit has a city Rental License. Details are on the city's rental licensing page; the rental office is at 570-348-4193, ext. 4555.

Tenants' Bill of Rights

The city's Tenants' Bill of Rights lists:

• A safe and sanitary apartment with heat and working utilities, including hot water.
• The right to ask the city to inspect your unit.
• Reasonable notice before the landlord enters.
• Your deposit, or an itemized list of deductions, within 30 days of moving out.
• No eviction without a court process.

Talk to your landlord first. If that does not work, call the city's Code Enforcement office (570-348-4193) or North Penn Legal Services (570-299-4100), which provides free legal help. Call North Penn right away if your utilities are shut off during an eviction, if you face discrimination or harassment, or if you are locked out without a court order.

The 2025 reassessment

• What changed: the county's assessment page says values moved from 1968 levels to market value as of July 1, 2024. The county millage fell from 89.98 to 5.79 mills, and by law the county's total tax revenue stayed the same.
• Who it hit: the county says roughly a third of owners saw increases, a third saw decreases and a third stayed about the same. When you buy, do not rely on the seller's old tax amount; ask for the 2026 bill.
• Installments: county tax can now be paid quarterly.
• Appeals: the appeal deadline for 2027 passed on August 1, 2026. The next appeal period opens April 1, 2027.
• City rate: in 2026 Scranton dropped the split land-and-building rate it had used since 1913; the single city rate is 6.0439 mills.

Where to pay

Scranton Single Tax Office, 315 Franklin Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503. It collects county, city and Scranton School District property taxes and the city's $300 yearly refuse fee. Online payment and details are on the office's website. Older sources may show a different address, so confirm on the site before you go.

The homestead application

• Who: owners who live in the home as their primary residence.
• Where: Lackawanna County Assessment Office, Lackawanna County Government Center, 123 Wyoming Avenue, 2nd Floor, Scranton, PA 18503; phone 570-963-6728.
• When: the application must reach the office by March 1. If you were approved before, you do not reapply.
• How much: we could not confirm the amount of the exclusion in Scranton on official sources; ask the Assessment Office when you apply.

The state Property Tax/Rent Rebate program

Pennsylvania's rebate program is open to homeowners and renters, but only by age or disability: people 65 and older, widows and widowers 50 and older, and people with disabilities 18 and older. Household income must be $48,110 a year or less.

Low-income homeowners with a high tax burden can get a supplemental $190 to $500. The deadline for this cycle is December 31, 2026. Apply online through myPATH.pa.gov, by mail or at state help locations; the program line is 1-888-222-9190.

1. Find your school. The first step is to identify the school assigned to your address. The link is on the district's registration page.
2. Proof of age. A birth certificate, a valid passport, a hospital record, a prior school record showing the date of birth, or a notarized statement from a parent or relative. A Turkish passport works.
3. Two proofs of residency. An active lease, a deed, a mortgage statement no more than 3 months old, a utility or internet bill, a credit card bill, a tax bill, an insurance document, or federal or state mail from the past 3 months (benefits, voter registration or tax documents, for example).
4. Immunization records. Records from a doctor or former school, a letter from the former district saying records will follow, or an International Health Certificate. Get an English translation of your child's Turkish vaccination record.
5. Custody papers. Custody papers if they apply. If you are not the child's parent or legal guardian, you must give the district's Office of Student Services proof of guardianship, or a sworn statement that you fully support the child, before the child is admitted: (570) 348-3400, press 1.
6. Submit the application. Upload documents through the Infinite Campus registration portal. Questions go to Central Registration: 425 N. Washington Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503; (570) 348-3400; [email protected].

• Instructions: the district publishes registration instructions in English, Spanish, Swahili, Gujarati and Nepali; there is no Turkish version.
• English support: the district website has a separate ELD Portal for English learners. In Pennsylvania every new student gets a Home Language Survey at first enrollment; depending on the answers, the child may be placed in English language support.
• Preschool: Head Start and preschool applications go to ACE of NEPA (acenepa.org), not the district. They ask for the child's birth certificate and proof of household income (pay stubs, a W-2, or a SNAP or SSI letter, for example).
• Kindergarten age: Pennsylvania has no single statewide cutoff; each district sets its own. Ask Central Registration about the Scranton School District cutoff before you register.
• Students without a home: students covered by McKinney-Vento are enrolled right away, without proof of residency.
• Missing documents: under state rules a child should normally start the next school day, and in all cases within 5 business days.

For clinic visits, see our free and low-cost clinic directory.

• The State Health Center: Lackawanna County has no county or city health department, so the Pennsylvania Department of Health's State Health Centers fill that role. The Department says its centers are open weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and offer immunizations for eligible residents, TB testing and treatment (not pre-employment or school TB tests), confidential HIV and STD testing, and free naloxone. They do not provide general checkups. Secondary sources list the Scranton center at 100 Lackawanna Ave, Room 110; confirm on the Department's page before you go.
• Applying for Medicaid, SNAP and CHIP: Lackawanna County Assistance Office, 200 Scranton State Office Building, 100 Lackawanna Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503. Phone 570-963-4525, toll-free 1-877-431-1887, weekdays 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can apply online through COMPASS, and there is a drop box for when the office is closed. Details are on DHS's office page.
• Medicaid (Medical Assistance) after October 1, 2026: the federal H.R. 1 law limits immigrant eligibility to green card holders, Cuban and Haitian entrants, and citizens of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau (COFA). Pennsylvania chose to keep CHIP open for lawfully present children and pregnant people. Emergency Medicaid stays available for a true medical emergency. The state Department of Human Services (DHS) is mailing letters to affected people in advance.
• Buying insurance: Pennsylvania's own marketplace is Pennie. Open enrollment for 2027 runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027; enroll by December 15, 2026 for coverage starting January 1. Premium help is narrowing for some lawfully present immigrants, so check your eligibility directly with Pennie.
• Community health centers: find federally supported sliding-fee centers near you with HRSA's health center finder.
• 988: the suicide and crisis line works 24/7 by call, text or chat.

Free care

Leahy Clinic for the Uninsured · University of Scranton

A clinic within the University of Scranton's Leahy Community Health and Family Center. The university's page says it provides free, non-emergency adult primary care to uninsured Lackawanna County residents: routine physicals, sick visits, a yearly flu shot, some immunizations, help enrolling in drug assistance programs, and referrals. Lab work and X-rays are done at low cost through affiliated providers, so not everything is free. The clinic is staffed by faculty and students of the University of Scranton and Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine.

Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2 to 7 p.m., by appointment only. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and university holidays. Services stop after a third missed appointment, and arriving more than 30 minutes late cancels the visit.

Address: 230 Kressler Court, Scranton, PA 18503.
570-941-6112 · Clinic page

Sliding-fee centers

Scranton Primary Health Care Center · Scranton

A community health center. It uses a sliding fee scale based on the Federal Poverty Guidelines for patients without insurance and says no one is refused care because they cannot pay. It accepts many insurance plans, including Medicaid and CHIP, and offers payment plans. Services include adult internal medicine, pediatrics (through age 18), gynecology and prenatal care, dental and behavioral health. Application counselors for Medicaid and CHIP are at 570-344-9684, option 4. The center is not scheduling immigration medical exams (I-693) at this time.

Address: 959 Wyoming Ave, Scranton, PA 18509. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Wednesday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
(570) 344-9684 · Patient information

The Wright Center for Community Health · Scranton

A community health center offering primary care, pediatrics, behavioral health and dental care. Its Sliding-Fee Discount Program page says it will never turn anyone away for inability to pay; discounts are based on income and family size against the Federal Poverty Guidelines, and you can ask for hardship help even if you are above them. Billing and discount questions: 570-343-2383, option 4.

Addresses: 501 S. Washington Ave., Suite 1000, Scranton, PA 18505, (570) 941-0630; North Scranton, 1721 N. Main Ave., Scranton, PA 18508, (570) 346-8417.
All locations

Ask before you book

• Are you taking new patients? Are there age, income, insurance or residency requirements?
• Are the visit, lab work, medicines, dental care and outside referrals billed separately?
• What documents should I bring? Do you provide an interpreter?

For more options, use HRSA's health center finder; not every center it lists is free. For emergency care and Medicaid, see the health care without insurance section.

• Where: Marriage License Bureau, Lackawanna County Government Center, 123 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton. Application hours are weekdays 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Extended hours run 4:00 to 6:45 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month through October 2026; the last date this year is October 22, 2026.
• Applying: the county's marriage license page says couples marrying within 60 days must e-file first and then call 570-963-6702 to schedule an appointment. Both of you must appear before the clerk at least 3 days before the wedding.
• ID: a photo ID (valid driver's license) or a current passport. A Turkish passport works.
• SSN: the page also lists "knowledge of Social Security Number" but does not say what applicants without one should do. If you have no SSN, call 570-963-6702 before you apply.
• If you were married before: a divorce decree signed by the judge (plus a name-change document if you went back to a former name), or a death certificate if your spouse died. Get an English translation of a Turkish decree ready in advance.
• Fee: $70; a self-uniting license is $100. Cash, check, money order and credit or debit cards are accepted; make checks and money orders payable to "Marriage License Bureau".
• Timing: there is a 3-day waiting period; the license is valid for 60 days and can be used in any of Pennsylvania's 67 counties.
• For registration in Türkiye: the Register of Wills website has a form to request a certified copy of the original marriage record for dual citizenship purposes.

• Scranton office: Scranton State Office Building, Room 112, 100 Lackawanna Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503; weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed on holidays. Walk-ins are accepted. Requests received before 2:30 p.m. may be issued the same day. Current details are on the Department of Health's public offices page.
• ID: accepted IDs include a driver's license, a state ID and a U.S. or foreign passport. Green cards and other immigration documents are not on the list, so bring your Turkish passport. Without a government photo ID, two documents showing your name and current address (a bank statement from the last 90 days, a utility bill, a pay stub, a vehicle registration or a lease) are accepted.
• Online: mycertificates.health.pa.gov, 24/7. A $10 service fee is added to the $20 per copy.
• Customer service: 724-656-3100 or 844-228-3516.
• Who can order: the person named (16 or older; 18 or older online), a parent, spouse, sibling or legal representative.
• Apostille: for use in Türkiye, the state apostille office in Harrisburg apostilles the certificate. Send the original certified copy from Vital Records and do not have it notarized (apostille section).
• SSN: for the baby's Social Security number, see the SSN section.

• Scranton office: Suite 117, The Marketplace at Steamtown, 300 Lackawanna Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503, phone (866) 635-0767. This comes from an SSA office list published in early 2025; the office also serves Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties.
• Before you go: SSA assigns offices by ZIP code, not distance, and changes those assignments from time to time. Confirm the address, hours and whether you need an appointment with the SSA office locator. National line: 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
• 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. Students at the University of Scranton or Marywood University should check with their international student office first.
• Lost card: replacement is free and can usually be started online.

According to SSA, you do not need an SSN for a driver's license, school registration or private health insurance. In Pennsylvania, schools may not require one for enrollment (see school enrollment).

• Where the rates come from: the EIT and LST figures are from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development's official rate list as of June 15, 2026. Scranton's resident EIT is higher than Pittsburgh's 3% and close to Philadelphia's Wage Tax.
• What the EIT is: the local tax Pennsylvania municipalities and school districts levy on earnings. In other Lackawanna County municipalities (such as Dunmore, Clarks Summit or Dickson City) the rate depends on the municipality and school district, so ask your employer or local government for yours.
• Who collects it: according to the DCED list, Berkheimer collects the EIT (city and school district shares) and the Scranton Single Tax Office collects the LST: 315 Franklin Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503, (570) 963-6756. Some older listings give a different address, so call before you go.
• LST: your employer withholds it from your pay. Low earners can be exempt; ask your employer or the Single Tax Office about the threshold and how to claim it.
• Rates can change: the city and school district set EIT and LST rates with their budgets, so check them each year.
• State return: Form PA-40, filed with the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. Pennsylvania has no separate state number; ITIN filers use the same ITIN on the state return. An ITIN is a tax number only; it does not authorize work or change immigration status.
• Moving from Texas? Factor the state tax, the 3.4% EIT and the LST together into any salary offer.

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, the Scranton Taxpayer Assistance Center offers in-person ITIN document review. We could not confirm its street address on an IRS page, so check the IRS office locator before you go.
• Appointments: IRS offices work by appointment only: 844-545-5640. It can take several weeks to get one. Phone interpreters are available in many languages.
• Expiration: an ITIN not used on a federal return for three years in a row expires.

1. Certificate of Organization: file Form DSCB:15-8821 with the Pennsylvania Department of State. The fee is $125, compared with $300 in Texas.
2. Annual Report: Act 122 of 2022 replaced the old once-a-decade report with an annual one. For LLCs the fee is $7 a year and the deadline is September 30. According to the Department of State, starting with the report due in 2027, a company that does not file is administratively dissolved six months after the deadline and loses its exclusive right to its name.
3. Fictitious name: anyone doing business under a name other than their own registers it with the Department of State on Form DSCB:54-311 for $70. If an individual is a party to the registration, you also run a one-time notice in two newspapers published in Lackawanna County, one of them a legal newspaper.

Opening a location in Scranton

The city's 2024 New Business Guide lists these steps:

1. Zoning check: ask City Planning and Zoning whether the address suits your business: 340 N. Washington Avenue, (570) 348-4280.
2. Permits and Certificate of Occupancy: building, sign and trade permits and the Certificate of Occupancy come from the Bureau of Code Enforcement at the same address, (570) 348-4193, after a preliminary and a final inspection. If you sell food or drink you also need a health license.
3. Tax registration: once those are in place, register with the Scranton Single Tax Office (315 Franklin Avenue, (570) 963-6756) and with Berkheimer.

• Hiring staff? Scranton employers withhold the EIT and LST from employees' pay (see taxes). The city and school district also charge employers a Payroll Preparation Tax (1.034% of payroll combined in 2026). Ask an accountant for the details.
• Free advice: the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at the University of Scranton, 600 Linden Street, (570) 941-7588, offers no-cost consulting to new businesses.
• No exclusive rights: registering a fictitious name does not give you an exclusive right to use it.

• Where to apply: the Lackawanna County Assistance Office, 200 Scranton State Office Building, 100 Lackawanna Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503. Phone 570-963-4525, toll-free 1-877-431-1887, weekdays 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can also apply online through COMPASS.
• Who lost SNAP: according to DHS, refugees, asylees, people granted withholding of removal, certain parolees, trafficking victims and VAWA-based applicants no longer qualify based on that status. Current recipients who are no longer eligible keep benefits until their next renewal date.
• Medicaid and CHIP: Pennsylvania Medical Assistance narrows for noncitizens starting October 1, 2026. Pennsylvania chose to keep CHIP coverage open for lawfully residing children and pregnant people, and emergency Medicaid continues. If DHS sends you a letter asking for status documents, answer it. See 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. Ask an attorney about the rule's current status before you apply.

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. Scranton has no immigration court; cases from the area are handled by the Philadelphia court (see immigration court).
5. If you have ICE reporting obligations (for example, check-ins set when you were released), update ICE too through the ICE Portal.

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

• Which office: the assignment of Lackawanna County to Philadelphia comes from an older USCIS page; we could not reach the current one. If your notice names a different office, go there.
• No center in Northeastern Pennsylvania: we found no biometrics center in Scranton or Wilkes-Barre. 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. Our biometrics guide covers what to bring.
• Plan the trip: for an appointment in Philadelphia, plan ahead and leave early if your slot is in the morning.
• Appointments and questions: USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833), or book online. Appointments are free.
• Processing times: on the USCIS processing times page, pick the form, category and "Philadelphia PA" as the office. Times update monthly.
• 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.
• Asylum interviews: the asylum office you report to is listed on your interview notice.

• Remote or in person: your hearing notice tells you which. A remote hearing is just as binding as an in-person one, so be ready at the exact date and time. For an in-person hearing, plan the trip to Philadelphia days ahead.
• Filings: the Philadelphia court's public and filing hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays. Email: [email protected]. Check court details on EOIR's court list.
• 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: ICE's field office list has no separate Scranton office. The Philadelphia ERO office covers Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia. Check-ins are scheduled at checkin.ice.gov and may not be in Scranton. 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. There is no such office at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP); Pennsylvania's office is at Philadelphia International Airport. It is open weekdays only, noon to 8 p.m.; email [email protected]. It fixes only mistakes made at the time of entry.

• Who can register: people who have been U.S. citizens for at least one month before the election, have lived in Pennsylvania and their election district for at least 30 days before it, and register at least 15 days before it. For the November 3, 2026 election, registration closes October 19, 2026.
• At PennDOT and on forms: if PennDOT or any other agency offers to register you to vote, answer the citizenship question truthfully and decline. 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: in Pennsylvania, jurors must, among other things, be U.S. citizens, live in the county and be able to read and understand English. Lackawanna County's juror rules list the same requirements.
• If you are summoned: complete the qualification questionnaire from the Lackawanna County court and answer the citizenship question truthfully. The summons explains how to return it and whom to contact.
• Scams: be wary of calls or emails asking for your SSN or demanding a fine. If in doubt, call the court at the official number on your summons.

Recently naturalized? You can register on Pennsylvania's voter registration site or at 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772). The county election office is the Lackawanna County Department of Elections, 123 Wyoming Avenue, 2nd Floor, Scranton, (570) 963-6737. Register at least 15 days before the election you want to vote in.

• Appointments: according to the State Department's passport facility locator, both post offices work by appointment only and can take passport photos on site; the Main Post Office also has weekend hours. The Clarks Summit and Peckville post offices accept applications by appointment too. These locations accept new applications (DS-11) only.
• What to bring: your original naturalization certificate, a photo ID and a passport photo. A first application cannot be mailed.
• Children: a passport book for a child under 16 costs $100 plus the $35 acceptance fee.
• Urgent travel: you need proof of travel within 14 days (or a foreign visa needed within 28 days), plus the $60 expedite fee. Pennsylvania's only agency is the Philadelphia Passport Agency (9th and Chestnut Streets). Book online or at 877-487-2778; the system may also offer another agency. Appointments are free; third parties charging for them are scams.
• Online renewal: for eligible adults, only at opr.travel.state.gov.

Where do I go for The Office in Scranton?

Scranton is known as the setting of the TV series The Office. The Lackawanna County visitors bureau publishes a self-guided tour and map of places linked to the show. The Office exhibition at the Everhart Museum is ticketed, with a reduced price for SNAP/WIC/EBT cardholders.

For the rest of the state, see our Pennsylvania guide.

Always free

• Steamtown: the visitor center, museums and grounds are free, and no pass is needed. Only the train rides cost money.
• Nay Aug Park: gorge and waterfall trails, the treehouse, the rose garden and playgrounds, with free parking.
• Lackawanna State Park: Pennsylvania state parks charge no entrance fee. The lakeshore and trails are open sunrise to sunset.

With a SNAP, WIC or EBT card

• Everhart Museum: show your SNAP, WIC or EBT card for free museum-only admission; the ticket that includes The Office exhibition is discounted. If you already have a card, there is nothing extra to apply for. If you are thinking of applying for a new benefit, read the public benefits section first.
• Military families: active and retired service members and their families get into the Everhart Museum free, and into the Anthracite Heritage Museum free as well.

With kids

• Steamtown: seeing the locomotives up close is free. The short yard train runs Friday to Sunday through November 8: $6 for ages 6 and up, $1 for ages 0 to 5.
• Everhart Museum: free for children 12 and under, open Wednesday to Sunday.
• Nay Aug Park: the treehouse and playgrounds are free.
• Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour: an underground tour of about an hour, ticketed, through November 30.
• Santa on the trolley: the Electric City Trolley Museum runs Santa trolley rides from November 28 to December 20; tickets must be bought ahead.
• Fall farms: Lakeland Orchard's apple harvest festival and light-show train ride and Roba Family Farms' Glowing Pumpkin Trail run through November 1. Both are ticketed.

To book: konsolosluk.gov.tr → Randevu Al → Türk Vatandaşları İçin Konsolosluk İşlemleri → New York. The 24/7 Consular Call Center: 1-888-566-76-56 (+90 312 292 29 29 from outside the U.S.). After-hours emergency line: +1 646 204 0011. Email: [email protected].

Fees change during the year. Check the current amounts on the consulate's site before you pay.

Getting there from Scranton

• By bus: Martz runs daily buses from the Lackawanna Transit Center (30 Lackawanna Avenue) to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan. A one-way ticket is $65 plus a processing fee and a fuel surcharge. Schedules change by season, so check Martz's site or call 570-821-3800 before you buy. From Port Authority you still need local transit to the consulate.
• By train: there is no passenger rail between Scranton and New York yet. The state's planned line is still in the planning stage.
• Mail first: birth and marriage registration can be done by mail. A round trip to New York takes a full day, so handle anything that does not need an in-person visit by mail or through the call center.
• Bring everything: passports and powers of attorney are in person only. A missing document means a new appointment and another trip to New York.
• Timing and holidays: services run in a morning and an afternoon block. Be at the building before your slot, and check the consulate's site for closure days before you book.
• Birth registration: you need a certified copy of the U.S. birth certificate first. Pennsylvania's vital records division has a public office in Scranton (see birth certificates).
• Marriage registration: if you married in Lackawanna County, the county Register of Wills' site has a form to request a certified copy of the marriage record for dual citizenship purposes (see marriage licenses).
• Documents for Türkiye: Pennsylvania documents are apostilled in Harrisburg, 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, plus a transfer fee (ask the consulate for 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 (all of Pennsylvania, including Scranton) and an in-person appointment in New York. 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 the consulate's Education Attaché.

• Office: Pennsylvania Department of State, Office of Notaries, Commissions and Legislation, North Office Building, Room 201, 401 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120. Phone (717) 787-5280, email [email protected].
• By mail: send the original documents with a cover letter or the official Request for Legalization form, payment and a self-addressed stamped return envelope to the address above. Say which country the document is for. The fee is per document, not per page.
• In person: no appointments; walk-ins are served first come, first served. The building's front doors lock after 3 p.m., so go early, and check current hours on the Department of State's page before you go. Payment by check, money order or credit card; no cash.
• Which copy to send: for a birth certificate, a certified copy issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Health (not a notarized photocopy), which you can also get at the state's vital records office in Scranton (see birth certificates); for a death certificate, a copy signed by the state registrar (not a local registrar); for a marriage certificate, one signed by the county Register of Wills or Clerk of the Orphans' Court. If you married in Lackawanna County, that is the Register of Wills office at 123 Wyoming Avenue (see marriage licenses).
• Diplomas and background checks: these must go through a Pennsylvania notary first.
• Apostille or certification: apostilles are for Hague Apostille Convention countries. For other countries the office issues a certification, which may also need legalization at that country's embassy.

• 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.
• From AVP: the airport is in Avoca, at 100 Terminal Drive. According to the airport's airline page, American Airlines flies to Philadelphia, Charlotte and Chicago O'Hare, and United to Chicago O'Hare and Washington Dulles. Turkish Airlines does not serve AVP, so a trip to Istanbul means connecting in one of those cities. Check current schedules on the Turkish Airlines site or a flight search engine before you book.
• Getting to AVP: COLTS does not list an airport route on its site. The airport lists taxis, Uber and Lyft, rental cars and Luzerne County's LCTA buses.
• Nonstop from New York and Newark: Turkish Airlines flies nonstop to Istanbul from New York JFK and Newark Liberty (EWR). From Scranton you can drive, or take the Martz bus to New York and continue by transit (see Turkish consulate).