The Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman) released an infographic detailing the process for requesting assistance from their office. It is a simple four-step process. The infographic is available in twelve languages.

• Step One: Try to resolve issues directly with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
  • Submit a request to USCIS online, through your account, Ask Emma, or an e-Request
  • Call the local USCIS Contact Center
  • For lockbox issues and refugee processing, contact those departments directly
  • Contact USCIS through their general Contact Us page
• Step Two: Contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) CIS Ombudsman office
  • Use DHS Form 7001, Request for Case Assistance
  • Additional requirements apply for legal representatives or those applying for a T, U, VAWA, asylee, or refugee status.
• Step Three: CIS Ombudsman Office reviews the request for support
  • Confirmation of receipt of request
  • Review request, verifying no duplicate request submitted
  • Confirmation of ability to assist or not, and why
• Step Four: CIS Ombudsman Office Action, if possible
  • CIS contact USCIS office
  • Updates to requestor throughout process

As always, working with an experienced attorney improves your odds of a successful outcome. If you have questions about any U.S. immigration related issue, please contact us. We work with our clients every step of the way.