Houston: In an effort to help the newly arrived immigrants settle in the country, the United States Government has prepared an elaborate booklet that contains basic information on citizenship and legalities, besides other useful details.

The booklet, prepared by immigration officials, is also accessible from anywhere on the Internet. It provides tips ranging from how to apply for citizenship to how to avoid running afoul of immigration laws.

Beside this, the booklet also gives advice on their needs in everyday life and summarizes important information about the legal status of immigrants and agencies and organizations that provide documents or essential services.

Tom Ridge, the Homeland Security Secretary, unveiled the guide in September, and Office of Citizenship head Alfonso Aguilar is promoting the publication nationwide. "The purpose of this effort is to reach out to immigrants as soon as they are in this country," said Aguilar.

"We want to be sure that we lay out the welcome mat from the very beginning, and shy away from being a bureaucratic agency that just processes paperwork." CIS (Centre for Immigration Studies) a division of the Department of Homeland Security, is attempting a sweeping structural change of the country's approach to legal immigrants.

Before the service was created last year, recent immigrants and newly naturalised citizens were given little social service information.

Aguilar said that local Governments and agencies, including faith-based groups, should take initiative and popularise information on such issues as English literacy, multi-media and providing study materials for the citizenship test.

He also hopes to provide tax incentives for businesses that provide CIS materials to workers and help them learn English. The manual, "Welcome to the United States: A guide for new immigrants," is the flagship effort of his agency.

More than 100 pages long, it will be available in 10 languages, as well as in English on fourth grade, fifth grade and adult reading levels. "The whole initiative by CIS is long overdue," said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Centre for Immigration Studies.

"Something like this should have been implemented years and years ago." "This is an encouraging sign as long as the tone is both welcoming and lays out what's expected of immigrants," said Krikorian.

"We need to do a better job making sure they don't sink. You can't do mass immigration on the cheap."

Some important tips in the guide booklet include: Carry your green card or proof of permanent residence at all times. Report your new address to immigration authorities within 10 days of moving. Enrol in an English-language class.