Every week we have people come into our office just to ask this question: “My immigration application is taking forever. Is there anything I can do to speed up the process?”
For non-naturalization cases, the first step is to go to the USCIS website (https://www.uscis.gov/) and click on “Check your case status” ). You will then see two boxes, “Your current case status” and “Processing times.” Enter the requested information in “Your current case status” to see where your case is in the process, the date it was filed, and which USCIS office is processing the case. Then you can supply the information requested in the “Processing times” box. If your case has been pending for longer than the period stated in the “Processing times” box, there are several steps you can take:
If the case has been transferred to the local office, make an InfoPass appointment (https://my.uscis.gov/appointment) at your local USCIS office.
Make an “e-request” (https://egov.uscis.gov/e-Request/Intro.do). e-Request is a web-based tool that allows you to place an inquiry with USCIS for certain applications and petitions.
Call the USCIS National Customer Service Center (NCSC) at 1-800-375-5283. Record the NCSC referral number, or agent name and time of call, if a referral number is not provided. This information is required if follow up is necessary. Be prepared for an extended time on hold before your call is answered.
Contact the office of your US Senator or Representative. These offices typically have a staff member responsible for immigration inquiries.
If you are represented by an attorney who is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), discuss with him or her whether submitting a liaison request would be appropriate.
If all else fails, file a federal lawsuit – this will be covered in a separate blog.
Waiting for USCIS to decide your immigration application can often be frustrating
The attorneys and staff at Antonini & Cohen understand this and will take every step to make sure your case goes smoothly. If it doesn’t, for some reason out of our control, we will take every measure available to get your case back on track. Call us today at 404.850.9394 or click here to contact us.