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Offices in Dallas (Main Office) & Houston, Texas

RECENT COVID-19 RELATED UPDATES AND RESCHEDULING OF USCIS INTERVIEWS

According to recent reports, applicants and attorneys upon entering USCIS field offices for interviews are being asked screening questions including whether any party physically present at interview has traveled outside the U.S. in the last 14 days and if the answer is yes, then USCIS is rescheduling the interview.

In addition, as current per reports, USCIS is checking CBP (U.S. Customs and Border Protection) records and is automatically rescheduling interviews if the applicant has traveled outside the U.S. in the last 14 days.

Also, the following additional COVID-19 procedures are being reported at field offices around the country:

  • A person cannot enter the building more than 15 minutes before scheduled interviews, and 30 minutes before oath ceremonies.
  • One needs to bring their own pens.
  • Also, masks are required. Masks with exhaust valves, neck gaiters, or bandanas are not permitted.
  • Some field offices or officers limit attendance to 3 people per interview room. If there are additional people in attendance, they may be asked to wait in the waiting room and may be interviewed separately, or they may be placed in another room connected by video. Note that even if the video appears off, the officers can still hear conversations.
  • Some field offices are again conducting interviews at InfoPass/InfoMod windows in the waiting rooms, creating privacy concerns.
  • USCIS continues to call applicants last minute to notify of rescheduling rather than calling the attorney of record. If you do receive a call as attorney of record, remember, you can request written confirmation of the reschedule and/or ask to speak with a supervisor to confirm.

Most importantly recently USCIS is not calling attorneys who wish to appear telephonically for interviews. Accordingly, clients should be well-prepared with a letter from the attorney, a G-28, and be ready to insist that their attorney be called. 

We will regularly update the blog as soon as any new updates are available.

Disclaimer
This article aims to provide new information concerning COVID-19 related updates. This article, under no circumstances, acts as legal advice; therefore, for any immigration questions, please contact your Attorney or the Ahluwalia Law Offices, P.C. (Team ALO).