Friday January 30, 2009
Immigration and Visa FAQs
|
| What You Are Writing About |
See also:The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) oversees citizenship applications and many immigrations issues. It was created when the Immigration and Naturalization Service was integrated into the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Department of State handles visa applications and approvals.
In order for my office to assist with immigration issues, it is necessary for the individual needing the service to complete the Privacy Release form which is available at the bottom of this page.
The following is a list of Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding immigration and visa issues that may provide you with more immediate answers to your questions or concerns.
- Which federal agency handles immigration?
- How do I find out the status of my application?
- How do I obtain an immigration visa?
- What is a visa number?
- How do I extend my tourist/student/business visa?
Which federal agency handles immigration?
Most immigration issues are handled by the USCIS, which is a branch of DHS. The Department of State grants visas to enter the country.
How do I find out the status of my application?
To find the status of your case, you have several options. If you have an application receipt number, you can check the status of your case online.
If your application is pending for longer than the processing time projected on your receipt and you haven't received any update or notice from USCIS, you can contact the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-385-5283 for information. You will need to have your A-number, any receipt number issued to you after the USCIS received your application and the last notice you received about your case. This will help the Customer Service Representative to answer questions about case status and processing times.
How do I obtain an immigration visa?
There is a three-step process to becoming an immigrant in the U.S. The USCIS must approve an immigrant petition for you; typically those are filed by an employer or a relative on your behalf. Then, a visa number through the State Department is assigned to you. Once you have received that visa number, that means an immigrant visa has been assigned to you. If you are already in the United States, you may apply to adjust to permanent resident status after a visa number becomes available for you. If you are outside the United States when the visa number becomes available, you must then go to your local U.S. consulate to complete the processing.
Under U.S. law, there are a specific number of immigrant visas available every year. This means that even if you have an approved immigrant visa petition, you may not receive an immigrant visa number immediately. In some cases, several years could pass between approval of your immigrant visa petition and the assigning of a visa number. There is also a limit to the number of immigrant visas available by country. That means individuals from countries with a high demand for U.S. immigrant visas may have longer waits for visa numbers.
How do I extend my tourist/student/business visa?
You should first contact the closest foreign consulate office for detailed instructions. Extension of the visa will depend on whether you have a valid passport and what date is stamped on your I-94. Students should contact the Foreign Study office at their school for guidance.
The Privacy Act of 1974 requires that I have your written authorization before I can obtain any information about you from a federal agency. While a friend or family member can certainly contact my office on someone else's behalf, the privacy release form must be signed by the individual needing the assistance. On any correspondence sent to me, please include your phone number and contact information so that my staff can be as responsive as possible to your request. All information provided will remain confidential. You can read my office's Privacy Policy here.
Please keep in mind that due to the constitutional separation of the legislative and judicial branches of government, an elected official is not allowed to be involved in legal matters. You will need to seek advice from a legal counsel. Additionally, I can only assist with federal agencies. If your concern is with a state or local entity, you would need to contact the appropriate jurisdiction for those.
Again, I am more than happy to assist with issues you might have with the federal government and look forward to being your advocate whenever possible.
 |
|
Return to Help With Federal Agencies main page.