Frequently Asked Questions
and the answers
Form I-914, Application for T Nonimmigrant Status, and Form I-918, Petition for U Nonimmigrant Status, are not available as a selection in e-Request. Though the Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant, is available as a selection in e-Request, only individuals who filed as a special immigrant international broadcaster or religious worker may use e-Request. Protected individuals who filed a Form I-360 as a VAWA petition cannot use e-Request.
If you filed or received an immigration benefit based on being a victim of crime, trafficking, and/or abuse, there are certain confidentiality protections that USCIS must follow.
USCIS online accounts
If you have a USCIS online account and you have linked your paper-filed case, you can send a secure message to USCIS through your online account. USCIS will then call you to verify your identity before it can assist you.
USCIS Contact Center
You can submit inquiries or request a service through the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY: 800-767-1833). Before they can help you, Contact Center representatives will first ask you questions to verify your identity and your ability to receive information about your case. Before you call, make sure you have these items with you:
1. Receipt notice(s) for the forms you are calling about
2. A copy of the pending or approved form that you are calling about
If the USCIS Contact Center cannot provide assistance, it may schedule you for an in-person appointment at a USCIS field office.
If you do not have an attorney or accredited representative, the best way to contact USCIS is to call the Contact Center about your case inquiry. However, you also may send signed written inquiries to:
- For cases located at the Vermont Service Center:
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Vermont Service Center
ATTN: Humanitarian Division
38 River Road
Essex Junction, VT 05479-0001 - For cases located at the Nebraska Service Center:
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Nebraska Service Center
ATTN: I-918
P.O. Box 87918
Lincoln, NE 68501-7918
If the inquiry is related to an I-751 waiver based on battery or extreme cruelty, then you may reach out to the Contact Center or mail a signed inquiry to the appropriate USCIS service center where your case is located:
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
California Service Center
ATTN: WS 13057
2642 Michelle Drive
Tustin, CA 92780 - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Nebraska Service Center
P.O. Box 87918
Lincoln, NE 68501-7918 - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Potomac Service Center
6046 N Belt Line Rd. STE 114
Irving, TX 75038-0020 - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Texas Service Center
ATTN: SRMT/COA or SRMT/IRT
6046 N Belt Line Rd. STE 751
Irving, TX 75038-0020 - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Vermont Service Center
ATTN: Humanitarian Division
38 River Road
Essex Junction, VT 05479-0001
The process depends on whether the mistake was made by you or by USCIS.
- Mistake by USCIS
- A mistake by USCIS means that you entered the information correctly on all the forms but the information is wrong on your Green Card.
- Go to USCIS’ Updating or Correcting Your Documents page for information.
- Follow the USCIS instructions for submitting a service request and if they haven't responded in 60 days, submit a case assistance request.
- Mistake by you
- If you made a typo when entering information on the USCIS forms and USCIS just printed the incorrect information you gave them.
- You will need to file a new form and pay a new fee. See the instructions for Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) for more information.
- What if you catch the mistake before you receive your card?
If you want to correct your name or gender on a form that is still pending with USCIS go to the Updating or Correcting Your Documents page for information.
First try checking the status on www.USPS.com using the assigned tracking number, which will provide you more detailed tracking information. USPS only keeps tracking information for 120 days, so take a screenshot or print it for your records. Next you should contact your local post office and ask them to initiate an investigation. USPS will send you a letter explaining the results of the investigation.
If the card is returned to USCIS as undeliverable then the case status will eventually be updated. If your card was not returned as undeliverable to USCIS, then the USCIS instructions indicate that you need to file a Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) to replace the lost card. Please refer to the Form I-90 instructions to determine which “Reason for Application” to select and whether you will need to pay the filing fee (unless the filing fee was waived for you the first time, you will have to pay the filing fee again).
If you need temporary evidence of your current immigration status while waiting to receive a replacement Green Card, USCIS may issue you an Alien Documentation Identification and Telecommunications (ADIT) or 551 stamp. You can submit an online form to request an infopass appointment with your local USCIS field office to obtain an ADIT stamp.
If you have had issues with your mail in the past and are concerned about getting your card delivered then consider registering for “Informed Delivery” through USPS to get previews of mail in transit.
On July 25, 2022, USCIS announced it will accept copies of original signatures on all benefit forms and documents, even if the form instructions require an original handwritten (“wet”) signature. This means that you can submit a scanned, faxed, photocopied, or similarly reproduced copy of a document to USCIS as long as the copy is of an original document containing an original handwritten signature. You must keep the original document with the wet signature and provide it to USCIS if requested.
"In an effort to take the lessons learned from our pandemic posture, USCIS has been evaluating which flexibilities can and should be extended permanently. As a result of this evaluation, the reproduced signature flexibility announced in March, 2020, will become permanent policy on July 25, 2022." - USCIS Announcement
This exception only applies to signatures. You must follow all other form instructions when completing a form.
ONLINE TOOL
ICE has announced that their “online change of address tool” for people in removal proceedings, subject to a removal order or Order of Supervision of some kind, or are otherwise required to keep their address updated with DHS/ICE.
You can find the online tool at this link: https://onlinechangeofaddress.ice.gov/
PAPER FORM
You can still submit a change of address the old fashioned way using a paper form but it’s strongly encouraged that you do it online so you get instant proof of filing that you can print out to avoid any confusion in the future or being blamed for not informing DHS of the address change.
Finally, it’s very important that you remember to also inform the Court of any change of address if you are currently in removal proceedings or required to do so. The Court still uses a Form EOIR-33, Change of Address/Contact Information available at through the Department of Justice EOIR website at https://www.justice.gov/eoir/form-eoir-33-eoir-immigration-court-listing.
