U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement gave an update on making processes easier when working with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) services. President Biden released an Executive Order called “Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in Government.” Using that, DHS said they saved 20 million hours per year for a group of some users. They also added the Burden Reduction Initiative (BRI) to make security better, eliminate barriers, and build trust and equity. Improvements for exchange visitors and student visas were mentioned specifically.

To make online filing easier, DHS added automatic renewals, using short forms, and online form submission where it makes sense. The agency pre-fills forms with information they already have, and other sharing of information that is stored electronically. Groups who saw better processing include transportation workers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Fire Incident Reporting System, cargo transportation, and student visa applications.

DHS improved the process for all student and exchange visitors applicants. With pre-filled documents, sharing data across places where it makes sense, fee transfers, and offering a mobile-friendly version, the application time was reduced by an average of 5 minutes for some groups of applicants.

If you have questions about your visa status or any other immigration-related matters, contact us. Our dedicated team works with our clients in their specific situation. We are here to help.