Immigration Service Center (2023)

FAQs

How do I get my immigration questions answered? ›

Dial 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833) and ask your question in English or Spanish. The system will answer your question and can send you links to forms and information by email or text.

You have the right to remain silent. You do not have to answer questions asked by immigration officers if you do not want to answer them. This includes questions about your citizenship status, birthplace or place of residence.

Approximately 2 to 4 Weeks After Filing

If properly filed, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will initially respond by mailing you a receipt notice that confirms receipt of your petition.

Call the USCIS Contact Center at 1-800-375-5283. We have a USCIS Contact Center Tip Sheet on how to reach out to the USCIS Contact Center most effectively.

Have you ever been to the country? If yes, what visa did you apply for? It is one of the most common immigrant visa interview frequently asked questions.

U.S. immigration officers have broad authority to search travelers' luggage and belongings when they enter the United States. That authority extends to cellphones, laptop computers, and tablets.

You have the right to remain silent and do not have to discuss your immigration or citizenship status with police, immigration agents or any other officials. You do not have to answer questions about where you were born, whether you are a U.S. citizen, or how you entered the country.

The USCIS offers multiple ways through which you can get in touch with them for any kind of help. And phone conversation with a live person is one of them. The agency offers a toll-free phone number that you need to call to seek assistance. The most recent USCIS contact number is 1-800-375-5283.

At the end of your immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate, the consular officer will inform you whether your visa application is approved or denied. Visa approval - When approved, you will be informed how and when your passport and visa will be returned to you.

What is the fastest immigration process? ›

Receive your Green Card in as little as two years by utilizing the EB-1C visa. This is the quickest and most direct path to a Green Card for qualified individuals. The EB-1C visa is available to executives and managers of multinational companies who are being transferred to the United States.

At an individual hearing, you may present evidence and give testimony that you are eligible for immigration status and should remain in the United States. Your application could be based on a family relationship, fear of harm in your home country, or your time living in the United States.

The diagram below shows that 96.1% of all applicants pass the naturalization test.

If you entered the U.S. unlawfully, have prior immigration violations, failed to attend removal proceedings, or otherwise abused the U.S. immigration process, you may be ineligible for a green card.

If you have been denied entry with a visa, you have the right to: An exclusion hearing before a judge to determine your admissibility; An administrative appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals; A judicial review or appeal of any, or all, of the above decisions.

You can generally request expedited processing by calling the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833) or by asking Emma after you have obtained a receipt notice.

Any criminal history you have. Your citizenship status. Employment information. Your phone numbers.

What to expect at an immigration interview? ›

During your naturalization interview, a USCIS officer will ask you questions about your application and background. You will also take an English and civics test unless you qualify for an exemption or waiver. The English test has three components: reading, writing, and speaking.

Weigh your risk

Unlike other law enforcement, border authorities don't need a warrant to search your device. They may conduct a basic search — in which they scroll through your device inspecting texts, photos or anything else they can easily access — even if they don't suspect you of wrongdoing.

Yes, USCIS may survey your social media accounts. Their surveillance is strictly for the evaluation of your application for immigration benefits. Their findings can influence a decision about your eligibility.

Immigration officers may not enter your home unless they have a “warrant.” A warrant is a document issued by a court or government agency. There are two types of warrant — one for when they are coming to arrest you, and another for when they have permission from a judge tosearch your home.

If the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer believes you do not intend to continue living permanently in the United States, they could revoke your status as a permanent resident.

U.S. nationals, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States. Dual nationals may also be required by the foreign country to use its passport to enter and leave that country.

An immigration officer is a law enforcement official whose job is to ensure that immigration legislation is enforced.

Be polite. Greet the officer with a good morning or good afternoon. Remember to say thank you after the interview regardless of whether or not you thought the interview went well.

Asking an employee for proof of citizenship or immigration status in the process of verifying a worker's employment authorization could violate the law that IER enforces at 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(6).

How long does a U.S. immigration interview last? ›

How long should I allow for my immigrant visa interview? You should expect to be at the Embassy 2- 3 hours.

Of these, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (“USCIS”) approves about 88% and denies 12%. The denial rate has been relatively consistent over the past four years.

Generally, the Form I-130 petitioner must attend an interview with the principal's adjustment of status applicant, as well as all derivative applicants regardless of filing category.

The top 3 government offices handling citizenship applications most efficiently are in Cleveland, Ohio; Providence, Rhode Island; and Raleigh, North Carolina. The worst 3 government offices handling citizenship applications least efficiently are in St. Paul, Minnesota; Miami, Florida; and Houston, Texas.

The immigration judge determines, among other things: Whether the law requires mandatory deportation of the immigrant, If deportation is discretionary, whether the immigrant should be allowed to remain in the U.S., and. Whether the immigrant is entitled to asylum or other relief that will stop deportation.

How Long Does It Take for an Immigration Judge to Make a Decision? There is often a large backlog of immigration cases, meaning it can take months to years for an immigration case to be decided. In some states, it'll take a couple up to three years, depending on the applicant's criminal records (or lack of them).

Today, most lawful means of entering the country take years because of overwhelmed immigration agencies, rising levels of global migration and a limit on the number of certain visas, all of which have culminated in a massive backlog of people trying to get to the U.S.

How many immigrants does the U.S. reject? ›

This is the highest rate of denial on record and means that by the end of the year, the United States government will have rejected around 620,000 people — about 155,000 more than in 2016. Trump says he wants more immigrants to come in legally.

And they can never be deported. Of the applications submitted each year, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approves about 23%, denies about 2–3%, and leaves about 70% pending. This article covers the U.S. citizenship by naturalization process and statistics on that process.

It is important to know that when a person's immigration case is denied, it automatically reverts to the status they had before applying, which can put the immigrant at risk of deportation.

Over the past four years, the rejection rate for all immigration applications has steadily risen. The projected 2018 total number of denied family-based applications is 105,933. Marriage-based green card denials constitute nearly 50% of this total.

Not everyone who seems to qualify for a green card (U.S. lawful permanent residence) actually receives one. The denial rates vary by category of green card, and they vary widely—statistics of denial rates between 6% and 50% are commonly seen.

Approximately 6 to 12 Months After Filing

Again, the number of immigrant visas (green cards) issued to immediate relatives of U.S. citizens is unlimited. Most Form I-130 petitions for immediate relatives are approved within a 6 to 12 month time frame, but they can take longer in some cases.

If you fail your test the first time, you will be given only one more chance. The USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) officer must give you a notice of results (form N-652) at the end of the interview that will tell you if you passed or failed, or if for some reason your case is continued.

If you need to talk to a representative for another reason and you're in the United States or a U.S. territory, call the USCIS Contact Center. Representatives are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern, except on federal holidays.

(800) 375-5283

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services / Customer service

Can I email USCIS about my case? ›

Step 2: If more than 15 days have passed since you contacted the NCSC and the issue has not been resolved or explained, you can email the proper USCIS Service Center to check the status of your case. Please note: Emails should be sent to the Service Center that has jurisdiction over your case.

You can generally request expedited processing by calling the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833) or by asking Emma after you have obtained a receipt notice. (You can access Emma by clicking on the Ask Emma icon on the top right of this page).

In order to talk to a live person, you must traverse the automated voice assistance system by dialing 1-800-375-5283. Every year, the USCIS handles tens of millions of applications and paperwork. Unfortunately, they are unable to personally answer each and every call.

The most efficient U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services field office is also stated to be in Cleveland. The USCIS office efficiency is reflected in the highest backlog completion of 71.3%, and the nation's shortest average processing time, which is only four months.

USCIS field offices do not allow walk-ins. You must have an appointment to visit an office.

USCIS does not accept paper-based applications or petitions on Saturdays, Sundays, or federal holidays.

Now, obviously, you can send USCIS general letters asking them questions about the status your case and things like that. But the one time that you don't want to send a letter to the USCIS is when they've asked you for more information or you've already had your interview.

Online: Use the case status online tool to check for updates about your immigration case. You will need your 13-character receipt number from your application or petition. By phone: If you are calling from the U.S., contact the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 or TTY 1-800-767-1833.

We are not accepting walk-in visits at this time. You must have a scheduled appointment before arriving at a USCIS office. For more information or help, please see our Contact Center page.

Infopass also directs the user to consult the customer service number (800-375-5283) for more information.

Can I chat with USCIS? ›

If you have a USCIS online account, you can send a secure message and a USCIS Contact Center representative will respond. Ask Emma. USCIS also has an online virtual assistant named “Emma.” She can provide immediate responses to your questions about all USCIS services, as well as guide you through the website.

If so, sign into your account to send secure messages to us about your case. If you did not file your case online but have a receipt number that begins with IOE, you can create a USCIS online account to send secure messages.

The first three letters of your receipt number will tell you the exact service center that takes care of your application. Other than that, you can simply check out the list of application/petition types and the offices that process them, as well as which centers have jurisdiction over your state.