Sovmya George, Esq.
Attorney/Founder
Law Office of Sovmya George, PLLC

It may seem like USCIS is taking forever to adjudicate your immigration case. This could be due to the multitude of applicants and petitioners every year from around the world trying to gain status in the United States, coupled with the limited number of USCIS officers employed and available to adjudicate such cases. An applicant can make a difference in his/her case processing times by following the steps below to ensure their case processing takes as little time as possible. Here are five (5) things you can do to help speed up your immigration case.

First, ensure that you pay the appropriate USCIS fees. USCIS has varying fees per application or petition and majority of these applications or petitions have a biometrics fee associated with them depending on the age of the applicant or petitioner. Double check the fees list prior to submitting your application to avoid any delays. USCIS updates their fees list occasionally and the most recent

update took place in April of 2024. Ensure you check their website to get the accurate fees list. USCIS also provides a fee calculator to help you determine how much you should write your check for given which applications you are submitted together. Please be aware that some applications filed together will excuse some fees!

Second, ensure that you have completed all applications and/or petitions fully and completely. If you leave a section blank which was required to be completed, your case could be rejected or denied for insufficient information. USCIS has special instructions for some forms indicating which sections of the application must absolutely be completed. It can be found on the USCIS’ website for the specific application or petition you want to file. Make sure to sign and date all the necessary pages as well. A missing signature is enough for your case to be delayed or denied.

Third, avoid spelling mistakes. Even a spelling mistake in your name could cause a denial or rejection to be issued in your case. Double check, even triple check all the information prior to submitting your case. You do not want a silly mistake, such as a spelling error, to be the cause of your case being denied or rejected.

Fourth, include all the required supporting documents. Every application or petition has its own list of required documents which need to be submitted with the application or petition. USCIS has a list of the required documents needed for each petition. The form instructions should

also have a list of supporting documents required for your reference. In the event you cannot provide a required document that needs to be submitted to USCIS, try and submit a secondary document provided with an explanation on why you could not submit the primary required document. An explanation is better than no explanation. It is recommended to reference the India Reciprocity rules to understand the requirements for certain civil documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc.

Fifth, make sure your case is organized. Include a cover letter and page dividers where necessary. Including a table of contents in your cover letter will help the USCIS officer stay organized and know exactly what is included in your case submission. An unorganized case could cause the reviewing officer to be frustrated and possibly put them in a bad mood, and that is the last thing you want for your case. USCIS has guidelines for mailing your case such as printing the forms and documents single-sided, no staples, instead use paperclips, page dividers, etc. Signatures should be handwritten in black or blue ink. Ensure each document is legible. If the ink has faded or did not print properly, it is best to print another clearer copy. Further instructions can be found on USCIS’ website.

Immigration cases can be stressful to handle, and they involve many different nuances and details which one needs to be aware of and consider prior to filing an application or petition. When it comes to file one’s case, it can be confusing how to organize and structure one’s case. I recommend consulting and hiring an immigration attorney who has filed USCIS cases before and is organized. Our office has successfully handled various petitions and applications, and we would be glad to schedule a consultation appointment with you to discuss your case and possibly assist you with your application or petition. Please feel free to read our stellar google reviews and visit our website www.lawofficesg.com. We handle a variety of immigration matters across the USA such as family-based cases, employment-based cases, asylum, reentry permits, citizenship, U Visas, among other matters. Do not hesitate to contact us at 972-905-0948 or email admin@lawofficesg.com!