The Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman is a little-known but very helpful resource that may be able to help you in your green card, naturalization, and other immigration cases. The Office of the Ombudsman helps people who have run into an issue with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that they cannot resolve on their own. It is important to know that the Office of the Ombudsman is an independent agency, meaning they will not push for any particular outcome in a case. Instead, the Office of the Ombudsman simply helps individuals and their attorneys in resolving problems that come up during the benefits application process and that have not been resolved through the standard USCIS channels.
If you run into a problem with USCIS that you cannot solve on your own, you should first inform your attorney or consult an experienced Atlanta immigration attorney. If your attorney is unable to resolve the issue, they might contact the Office of the Ombudsman. It is important to speak with your attorney before contacting the Office of the Ombudsman. Sending premature or multiple inquiries about the same issue will create problems and delays. The Office of the Ombudsman will also want to know that you have tried to solve the issue with the USCIS phone line or e-status inquiry before getting their office involved.
Unfortunately, because of limited staffing, increasing delays, and case problems, the Office of the Ombudsman currently takes about 8–9 months to process requests. However, they will accept requests to fast-track your inquiry—if you can provide evidence of an upcoming hard deadline. They will also provide an email confirmation of your inquiry.
Our Atlanta Immigration Attorneys Can Help
If you need help resolving problems with your green card, naturalization, or other immigration issues and you think the Office of the Ombudsman can help, talk to an experienced Atlanta immigration attorney first. Doing so will help ensure that you fully understand the process and are following the right procedures in requesting assistance from the Office of the Ombudsman. The Atlanta immigration attorneys at Antonini & Cohen are well-versed in all matters of immigration, including working with the Office of the Ombudsman, and can make sure that things go as smoothly as possible. Call us at 404-850-9394 or contact us online to schedule an appointment.