The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced the reopening of in-person service appointments via its online appointment system. These service appointments had been suspended for an extended time starting with the COVID pandemic. (Regularly scheduled citizenship and green card interviews were still being held during the pandemic, with some added restrictions.)
Recently, USCIS announced the launch of a new procedure to request an in-person appointment at a local USCIS field office by completing an online form. This form may be used by individuals, attorneys, and accredited representatives without the need to call the USCIS Contact Center.
Please be sure to discuss your case with an attorney before seeking in-person assistance for your case. Here are some of the common reasons to seek an in-person appointment:
Parole-In-Place (PIP): Please select this reason to visit your local office and request Parole-in-Place. Parole may be available for individuals who are present in the United States without admission or parole and are the spouse, widow(er). parent, son, or daughter of an active duty or Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve member of the U.S. Armed Forces, or a military veteran (whether living or deceased, as long as he or she was not dishonorably discharged).
Request to Locally Receipt Forms: While most forms must be filed with the lockbox or a service center, some forms filing instructions permit the applicant to file at the local Field Office in limited circumstances. Officers in the local office are NOT allowed to assist with filing any applications/petitions. Visit the Find Help in Your Community page for immigration and legal assistance.
A-Number Request: USCIS provides information to various customers, which often involves releasing information covered under the Privacy Act. For example, an applicant may request information covered under the Privacy Act, such as his/her A-Number, when the applicant needs the information to file a form (e.g. I-90, N565, etc.,).
Military Request for Appointment: To support U.S. armed forces members, veterans, enlistees, and their families, USCIS prioritizes inquiries from military members and their families. In limited circumstances, a military member and their family may be scheduled for an InfoPass appointment with the local field office, even if the situation does not meet one of the specified criteria in the list.
Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ)-Age Outs: A petitioner for Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) must submit their Form I-360 petition requesting SIJ status prior to their 21st birthday. Petitioners may request an Information appointment with a USCIS field office within 2-weeks of their 21st birthday. The field office will validate timely submission of a petitioner’s Form I-360 and date stamp Form I-360 and then send the I-360 and supporting documents to the USCIS Lockbox.
Central American Minors (CAM) Parole Program: The Central American Minors (CAM) Refugee program provides certain qualified children who are nationals of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, as well as certain family members of those children, an opportunity to apply for refugee status and possible resettlement in the United States.
Certified Copies of Naturalization Certificate: Please select this reason for an appointment if a foreign government requires a naturalization or citizenship certificate to be certified in order to accept it as evidence of citizenship in the U.S. Applicants must appear at a local field office to have the naturalization certificate certified. The request may also be made by a family member requesting a certified true copy for a deceased United States citizen.
I-94 Cuban Paroles and Re-Paroles: Please select this reason for an appointment if you are a Cuban national who entered the U.S. prior to January 12, 2017, you may visit your local office to request to be paroled, or reparoled, into the United States. Parole requests are granted for a two-year period.
There are other ways to get information about immigration services and ask questions about your case online without an office visit or a phone call. If you have a question about a pending application, you can:
Check your case status, including your employment authorization card and clock date
Call our office if you need assistance with your immigration case or would like to have an attorney assist you at your in-person appointment.